How To Choose The Best Vaccine?

[lwndlnd]

Hello guys!

I have four cats. They have never been vaccinated even though they are allowed outdoors. Now I want to vaccinate all of them but I have serious concerns about FISS development. I know about non-adjuvanted vaccines but in Ukraine we don’t have any non-adjuvanted rabies vaccines. So I’m wondering how to choose the best and the safest vaccine possible among those we do have.

Here’s some questions I have:
1) Is it safe to use one combination vaccine to protect them from rabies, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia all at once? Or should I choose one for rabies protection and the other one for all the viruses?
2) Are there any difference between all the adjuvants they use? Like is one more safe than the other?
3) If I’m not mistaken, vaccines can be administered either intramuscular or subcutaneous, in what way it’s more safe for cats? Especially if we are talking about lowering the FISS development risks. I know about the places vaccines should be administered but what about how they should be given?
4) What about 1-year vaccines or 3-years vaccines? Which ones are safer?
5) Do you have any studies or articles I could read to figure out which vaccine holds less risk for my babies?

I will be grateful for any answers, your own experiences or additional information. I’m really anxious about it and I’m so scared of doing the wrong thing and harm my cats. That’s why I’m trying to learn as much as I can to minimise all the risks.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hello, although it doesn't answer all your questions, this is what my veterinarian wrote to me a little while ago regarding what she uses and why;

" The FVRCP is the same as the Feline 4 way Distemper. We gave a 3 year Rabies and a 1 year FVRCP on your most recent visit.

The FVRCP vaccine is not adjuvanted. The rabies vaccine is adjuvanted, but it is thimerasol free.

Since the latest information on the injection site sarcoma issue seems to point to the number of injections rather than the content of the injections as being an issue, we prefer to give the 3 year vaccines. However, we don’t give both 3 years the same year, as this is heavy vaccines one year followed by two years of nothing, then back to a heavy load. We prefer to space them, so we give the 3 year rabies with a 1 year distemper combo, then in a year the rabies is not due we give a 3 year distemper combo. This reduces the number of injections over a 3 year period from 6 to 2, which should cut the risk of injection site issues by 2/3rds".

 

[IndyJones]

Also ask them to inject into the tail or leg rather than the rump or torso. Then in the extremly rarae chance one does develop they can amputate the afected area.

Injection site tumers are extremly rare compaired to how many animals receve injections each year. Unfortunatly the unevenvtfull ones go unreported so the ones that tend to get press are the ones with complications. This it true of anything from food to appliances to medical procidures.

 

[IndyJones]

Update on Feline Injection-Site Sarcomas
Heres an article from the aaha.

 

[lwndlnd]

Hello, although it doesn't answer all your questions, this is what my veterinarian wrote to me a little while ago regarding what she uses and why;

" The FVRCP is the same as the Feline 4 way Distemper. We gave a 3 year Rabies and a 1 year FVRCP on your most recent visit.

The FVRCP vaccine is not adjuvanted. The rabies vaccine is adjuvanted, but it is thimerasol free.

Since the latest information on the injection site sarcoma issue seems to point to the number of injections rather than the content of the injections as being an issue, we prefer to give the 3 year vaccines. However, we don’t give both 3 years the same year, as this is heavy vaccines one year followed by two years of nothing, then back to a heavy load. We prefer to space them, so we give the 3 year rabies with a 1 year distemper combo, then in a year the rabies is not due we give a 3 year distemper combo. This reduces the number of injections over a 3 year period from 6 to 2, which should cut the risk of injection site issues by 2/3rds".

Weirdly enough, every FVRCP vaccine available in Ukraine has adjuvants as well. It’s just not aluminium ones, it’s oil adjuvants. For now I can’t find any information about their safety and whether they are better than aluminium ones or no.

I won’t be vaccinating my cats anymore. Just once now because they are allowed outside. They are all adults so honestly I don’t find vaccine against viral diseases that necessary. I want to vaccinate them just against rabies. But if combination vaccine seems more safe, I will go with that one. Just need to find out about it after all. I will be moving to another city in a year maybe and they will become strictly indoors cats afterwards, so it won’t really be necessary to vaccinate them then so I’m leaning towards 1-year vaccine. Especially knowing that every vaccine protects for a longer period of time, it’s just that antibodies count decreases over time.

I found a few studies and every one of them points to a different issue. One says that it’s about the number of injections, another points to the content of injections, including adjuvants and the number of antigens injected all at once. Like if vaccinating with combination vaccine it triggers more severe immune response because there are a lot of antigens injected and it can result in chronic inflammation which can lead to FISS.

So, once again, I’m really confused and frustrated. Because I’m trying to learn more and do a right thing but every study says different stuff and I can’t decide what to do for now. I will be searching and reading about it until I’m sure my choice will be the safest one possible.

 

[lwndlnd]

Also ask them to inject into the tail or leg rather than the rump or torso. Then in the extremly rarae chance one does develop they can amputate the afected area.

Injection site tumers are extremly rare compaired to how many animals receve injections each year. Unfortunatly the unevenvtfull ones go unreported so the ones that tend to get press are the ones with complications. This it true of anything from food to appliances to medical procidures.

Yes, definitely will tell about those places of injections. I’m not sure how vets are able to vaccinate in the tail because it seems like a really sensitive place for a kitty cat. So I’m kinda scared ahead it won’t work for my cats. I mean, they won’t even let me just touch their tail, not to mention any injections or manipulations. But we will see when the time comes.

Honestly, this risk is not that rare. 1-10 in 10 000 cats doesn’t sound like rare. Statistics is all about the numbers until you become one of those unlucky numbers. I hate thinking about that because it makes me anxious and sad but it’s true.