Cat Vaccine Reaction Question

[Erinlinkcappy]

My cat got a reaction to the live 3 in 1 vaccination last time and slept for almost 48 hours. He couldn’t be roused. The vet made the decision that he shouldn’t be vaccinated the following year. He had a Titre test and they decided against vaccination as he was fully protected.

I’ve now moved and have a new vet. My new vet says they do not do titre tests and would like to give him the killed vaccine instead of the live as it is weaker. He says my cat shouldn’t have a reaction as it is rare.

I’m still really worried.

Has anyone experienced this?

 

[verna davies]

One of mine is letharic for 24 hours after her vaccination but fine the following day. I hope some other members will respond with advice.

 

[white shadow]

My new vet....would like to give him the killed vaccine.........

From Dr. Pierson's piece on vaccines:

FVRCP:

Most people are familiar with the abbreviation FVRCP which stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (herpes), Calici, Panleukopenia. FVRCP is a combination vaccine that includes 3 out of the 5 vaccines that will be discussed on this webpage.

This vaccine can either be modified live (all ML vaccines are non-adjuvanted) or killed (adjuvanted). The route of delivery can be either injectable or intranasal.

In general, only use a modified live (NON-adjuvanted) – never a killed (adjuvanted) – FVRCP vaccine, with injectable (not intranasal) being the preferred route of administration in most, but not all, instances......
Vaccines for Cats: We Need to Stop Overvaccinating​

Because the 'killed' vaccine is "weaker"........an ingredient called an adjuvant is added in to the formula. The adjuvant causes a greater immune response......but, these adjuvants are also understood to be the cause of injection site sarcomas.

I wouldn't consider any Vet who would offer this to my cats a competent feline Veterinarian.

I'd be looking for a cat-only Vet!
.

 

[Azazel]

I personally wouldn't get the vaccine and would probably also find a new vet.

 

[Willowy]

There's no reason to give that vaccine very often. It confers long-lasting immunity, definitely longer than a year.

Once a cat has had a bad vaccine reaction, it's best not to vaccinate again, if avoidable. Sometimes you have to vaccinate them anyway. But in this case, I think it's avoidable.

Legally, only the rabies vaccine is required. So the vet can't make you give him that vaccine.

 

[She's a witch]

How old is he? Cats don’t need a yearly vaccine unless he’s one year old and it’s a booster, but even that is most often overkill. Many cats are protected even for life after the vaccine from the kittenhood. Yearly vaccine is no longer practiced.

Are you able to change the vet to the one that does titer tests if you’re worried?

 

[di and bob]

I've had several cats react to the vaccine, with symptoms like yours, lethargic, no eatinmg/drinking. The last one received Benadryl before his shots, administered by the vet. I've had some on here say that doesn't work for allergic reactions in cats, but it sure worked for him! PS I had a cat react to a wasp sting last weekend, I gave 1mg per lb of cat,of benadryl, or half of a 25 mg crushed tablet, (by syringe mixed in a small amount of tuna juice)and he settled down within 10 minutes, after panting, rippling skin, and racing around the house.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... I'd be looking for a cat-only Vet!

Actually, I'd even quibble with some cat-only vets... my last kitty had a vet at this cat-only place, and certain vaccines were required by them for a cat to be a patient there. Maybe they need to update their web page-
Vaccination Guidelines

I really liked the vet we had, but I don't feel like dealing with them for my current cat RE: their vaccine requirements. I have my current cat only get the rabies vaccine (by law), as she has bad reactions to FVRCP vaccines. We use a different vet who works well with me so far on how I want to deal with vaccine stuff, although I miss a lot of things about a cat-only vet.

 

[Willowy]

my last kitty had a vet at this cat-only place, and certain vaccines were required by them for a cat to be a patient there. Maybe they need to update their web page-
Vaccination Guidelines

While I think it's dumb of them not to be flexible about it in medically-indicated cases, their vaccine policies look really reasonable (although now that Purevax has a 3-year vaccine, they should update that part).

 

[Azazel]

Cat-only can be good or bad. The only cat vet in our area is horrible. They force tests and procedures on you and won’t see your cat unless you do what they say. I found an integrative vet (holistic and conventional) that I’ve been going to for years and she’s awesome. She sees cats and dogs but she’s very reasonable and doesn’t push anything on you. You just have to look around. Good vets for cats are not common unfortunately but they’re out there.

 

[Erinlinkcappy]

From Dr. Pierson's piece on vaccines:

FVRCP:

Most people are familiar with the abbreviation FVRCP which stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (herpes), Calici, Panleukopenia. FVRCP is a combination vaccine that includes 3 out of the 5 vaccines that will be discussed on this webpage.

This vaccine can either be modified live (all ML vaccines are non-adjuvanted) or killed (adjuvanted). The route of delivery can be either injectable or intranasal.

In general, only use a modified live (NON-adjuvanted) – never a killed (adjuvanted) – FVRCP vaccine, with injectable (not intranasal) being the preferred route of administration in most, but not all, instances......
Vaccines for Cats: We Need to Stop Overvaccinating​

Because the 'killed' vaccine is "weaker"........an ingredient called an adjuvant is added in to the formula. The adjuvant causes a greater immune response......but, these adjuvants are also understood to be the cause of injection site sarcomas.

I wouldn't consider any Vet who would offer this to my cats a competent feline Veterinarian.

I'd be looking for a cat-only Vet!
.

It is a cat specialist vet! One of the only ones in the city. I picked them specially!

 

[Erinlinkcappy]

He is 4. We are in Australia so no rabies required. He doesn’t NEED the vaccine by law but he won’t be accepted into any cattery when we go on holidays unless he has it. Or a titre test proving he is immune as an alternative.

I think I will just take him somewhere that Titre tests - I’ll call around in our new city. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... We are in Australia so no rabies required. He doesn’t NEED the vaccine by law but he won’t be accepted into any cattery when we go on holidays unless he has it. ...

That's kind of the way it is with that cat-only vet I linked to as well -- they have a boarding facility, too.

 

[jen]

That is odd they won't do a titre test. Those are much more expensive than a vaccine and a lot of people still want to do them and will pay for them. I would find a new vet.

 

[silkenpaw]

I agree with A Azazel . Find a new vet, one that has a more enlightened view of vaccines. Do vets make any money off vaccines? Pediatricians don’t.

 

[Willowy]

Do vets make any money off vaccines? Pediatricians don’t.

My vet charges $25 each for vaccines, and I can buy them from a vet supply catalog for less than $2 each (and vets likely pay less due to wholesale pricing). So yes. But that's necessary for vets to keep operating, because it's not like pets are getting surgeries all the time.

 

[silkenpaw]

W Willowy Thanks for the info. I love my vet all the more for not vaccinating my older cats any longer.