Can Cats Get Herpes If They Have All Recommended Kitten Shots?

[Dacatchair]

If kittens born in a cattery get their recommended FVRCP shots at 8 weeks and 12 weeks can the still carry or catch herpes?

I have 2 young cats. One is 5 months old and the other is 17 months. Both spent time in the same cattery.

The 5 month old has been with us about 5 weeks and has always sneezed a lot, but it is only over the past 10 days to a week that he has developed a bit of a clear watery discharge from 1 eye and 1 nostril. Otherwise he seems healthy, though we did have some intermittent diarrhea this seems to have been solved with diet. He is active and playful, eating like a horse and has grown 2 lbs in 1 month. He was vaccinated at 8 weeks and 12 weeks and 2 local vets have refused to give him another FVRCP booster, even though the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends the last of this series be given no sooner than 16 weeks. Neither vet he has seen thought the sneezing was anything to be concerned about.

A couple days ago the 17 month old who has always been healthy also developed one very watery eye and has started sneezing. His eye membrane is also quite pink and irritated looking. He seems to feel a bit crappy but is still eating a normal amount and playing a bit. Today he seems a bit better or about the same as yesterday.

I am not sure I got all the older cats immunization records, but he was for sure given 1 FVRCP vaccination at 8 weeks, but possibly not another one until after I had him when he was 20 weeks. As he lived in a cattery until he was 4 and a 1/2 months old, it is possible he was not adequately vaccinated and contracted herpes in the potential 3 month gap. (I need to ask the breeder about this) He also just had a really stressful week. He is very shy and we had house guests, which he spent 3 days hiding from, and then he went to the vet and got his 1 year FVRCP booster and his rabies booster. So if he could catch or be carrying herpes it seems an opportune time for it to flare up.

But it doesn't seem like a coincidence both cats have the exact same symptoms. As the kitten was also at the vet a week ago, it is also possible the general sneezing was a different issue, and they both caught something there.

But can cats that get their full kitten series FVRCP vaccinations still get herpes?

 

[Wile]

I don't know if what your cats have is herpes or not, but the short answer to your question is yes, they can get herpes even when vaccinated at 8 and 12 weeks. There are many different strains of herpes virus. Some are covered in the FVRCP vaccine, others are not. It is possible that your cat has a strain of herpes not covered by the vaccine. It is also possible that your cat caught the virus before he was vaccinated (from the mother, for example).

I hope your cats feel better soon!

 

[lutece]

Cats can get herpes virus even if they are fully vaccinated. The vaccine doesn't completely prevent them from catching herpes or becoming a carrier. However, a vaccinated cat will normally have a better and quicker immune response and will have milder symptoms (or no symptoms), compared to an unvaccinated cat. So for example, a vaccinated cat might sneeze a little and get a slightly watery eye, but an unvaccinated cat might develop more severe illness.

 

[Dacatchair]

Thanks for the replies!

I am not sure this is herpes but given the symptoms, if vaccinated cats can get this, that seems most likely.

I will keep a close eye on them and probably call the vet tomorrow just to make sure I know what would warrant a 1/2 days traveling to bring them in.

Our only local vet clinic is closed weekends so it is always good to make sure... but from what I read herpes is so contagious it is usually better not to bring slightly sick sneezing cats in unless necessary, and my older cat is so traumatized by this the stress is probably the last thing he needs.

 

[Dacatchair]

And the vet never replied to my questions and pictures I sent even though I offered to pay them for over the phone advice... And now they are closed for the weekend.

Maybe this is unfair but I am feeling quite upset, as I am imagining maybe if the 2 vets who refused, had instead given our kitten the last recommended FVRCP booster at 16 weeks, then maybe his sneezes wouldn't have been so contagious, would not have developed into runny eyes and made my adult cat sick.

i realize there is some leaps and assumptions in this and maybe it isn't herpes or related to the kittens chronic sneezing, and maybe it is something they both caught at their last vet visit a week ago.

But either way I feel like a vet or at least a receptionist should have got back to me.

I would like to find a different vet clinic but the next nearest one is hours traveling just one way and as I live on an island there is no way to get to another vet in an emergency at night. So I am kind of stuck.

Can herpes cause chronic sneezing that goes on for 4 or 5 weeks before other symptoms like runny eyes begin? From what I read it sounds like the symptoms of herpes usually runs their course in 10 to 20 days... The vet thought it might be an allergy to something in my dust, and a few weeks ago saw no sign it was anything contagious.

And if vaccinated cats get herpes, what is the worst they normally experience?

What happens if a kitten or cat gets some but not all the recommended FVRPC series or if this has a longer than 1 month gap in between boosters?

I am concerned for my older cat who seems to be feeling pretty crappy. Still eating, but not doing much of the active stuff he usually enjoys. The kitten doesn't seem much affected though he has most of the same symptoms minus the red irritated eye membrane.