Feline Vaccination Protocols
Feline Core Vaccines
Feline core vaccines are those for which diseases are widely distributed and/or have high mortality or morbidity. These vaccines are required for all feline patients of the Boston Heights Veterinary Hospital.
Rhinotracheitis, calici virus, panleukopenia make up the standard “3-way distemper vaccine” for cats.
Rhinotracheitis
- Highly contagious
- Present nearly everywhere
- Exposure can result simply by opening a window to the house
- Can cause severe respiratory disease including ulcers of the corneas
- Many young cats lose vision permanently
- May progress into pneumonia
Calici Virus
- Highly contagious
- Causes severe nasal, ocular and oral ulcerations
- Can be so severe that the cat will be unable to eat and will perish without extreme supportive care
Panleukopenia
- Highly contagious
- Persists in the environment
- Similar to parvovirus (parvo) in dogs
- Causes debilitating bloody diarrhea
- Destroys the white blood cells
- Affected cats often die quickly from sepsis (infection of the blood)
Vaccine Schedule:
- Kittens receive initial vaccine as young as 6 weeks of age
- Boosters are given monthly
- Final [kitten] booster is given at 3+ months of age
- Kittens receive a total of 2-3 vaccines depending on age when initial vaccine is given
- Additional boosters are given annually
Rabies
- In cats and humans, rabies is a uniformly fatal infection
- Passed through the saliva into bites or scratches from an infected animal
- Bats, skunks and raccoons are the most common carriers of this disease
Vaccine Schedule:
- Kittens are vaccinated no earlier than 3 months of age
- Boosters are given 1 year later and then every 3 years thereafter
Feline Non Core Vaccines
Non core vaccines are given on a case by case basis based on potential exposure. These include feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, and ringworm.