Rabies Vaccination

[Joey's mom]

Reaching out to everyone for thoughts because I simply don't understand. I live in NY, rabies vaccination is a law. There's been a lot of discussion concerning vets over-vaccinating. I certainly do not like injecting them with what I consider poison. My questions: If a cat is exclusively indoors why must protocol be followed. (2) If a kitten/cat is adopted I do agree and understand the necessity for initial medically necessary vaccinations. Once all are completed, the cat is indoors, why continue with the rabies shot. Dogs, yes, they can bite the mailman! they interact with others at the dog park. I'm sure most will agree vaccinations can help but also come with side effects. My cat developed kidney disease, for which there isn't a cure. According to what I read about vaccinations they can be a contributing factor in a senior cat. Vets will say kidney disease is common in older cats, they will never admit harmful side effects of all the vaccinations they administer (throughout the life of a cat) can be a cause for whatever ailments a cat develops, as he/she ages or even when they are young. A vet who is employed by a large corporation is only concerned bringing money in. I found out they receive bonuses. We trust them because of their knowledge in animal well being. With some research I've done, I'll admit it's difficult to fully understand forcing us to rely on the vet. Yet, human medicine, we can understand more clearly, question our doctors, research the meds and side effects, etc. I am not saying vaccinations caused kidney failure with my cat, I say it's possible, and we lay people need to educate ourselves, the best way we can so we know which questions to ask a vet. I only wish I discovered the Catsite sooner. It's too late for Joey but I can be wiser and smarter for the cats I have. My present vet said if I don't bring my cats in for the rabies shot, they will no longer be welcomed at the facility.

 

[jen]

Kidney disease is common in older cats, IMO it has more to do with genetics and improper (dry only) diet that most people feed them.

Bottom line is if the cat, I don't care how docile it is, has a freak out moment and bites the vet, that is where the issue comes in. Everyone's cat is an angel until that moment when whatever is happening is too much and it gets overstimulated and bites.... Legally there are things that have to happen if your cat bites the vet and it is not vaccinated for rabies.

That being said, you could decline all the other vaccines and just do the 3 year rabies protocol most vets follow now and that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[jen]

There is also the issue if a bat that is infected flies into your home and your cat goes after it. That is a slim chance though.

 

[Joey's mom]

Kidney disease is common in older cats, IMO it has more to do with genetics and improper (dry only) diet that most people feed them.

Bottom line is if the cat, I don't care how docile it is, has a freak out moment and bites the vet, that is where the issue comes in. Everyone's cat is an angel until that moment when whatever is happening is too much and it gets overstimulated and bites.... Legally there are things that have to happen if your cat bites the vet and it is not vaccinated for rabies.

That being said, you could decline all the other vaccines and just do the 3 year rabies protocol most vets follow now and that shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for responding, I do understand your explanation. As a matter of fact, someone claimed to have found a kitten, brought it to the facility I go to and disappeared. The vet and tech did get bitten underwent rabies injections. My cats have always been fed wet and dry, they are discovering dry only causes diabetes in dogs, soon I'll hear it about cats too.

 

[jen]

I don't know much about dogs but cats fed diets high in carbs as dry has, are much much more likely to develop diabetes and kidney disease. My bf's cat was diabetic on a full dry diet and when I moved in I switched her over to canned only and was able to wean her off the insulin and her diabetes is in remission now (this took months) and she is doing great.

With rabies it is mostly that it is such a serious and contagious thing and affects people too.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I completely understand your concerns. I would find another vet. I have one kitty that does not get rabies (indoor cat) because she had a bad reaction at one time. The vet continues to see me and the other cats.

I don't know anything about kidney disease as it relates to vaccines, I only know have one cat that can't tolerate it. The others do fine.

 

[Joey's mom]

I don't know much about dogs but cats fed diets high in carbs as dry has, are much much more likely to develop diabetes and kidney disease. My bf's cat was diabetic on a full dry diet and when I moved in I switched her over to canned only and was able to wean her off the insulin and her diabetes is in remission now (this took months) and she is doing great.

With rabies it is mostly that it is such a serious and contagious thing and affects people too.

Mine were always fed good brands of wet, like Wellness and other good premium food, grain free. One interesting note, even though they are good brands I am concerned when a see, chicken, beef, fish, turkey meal listed and contact the manufacturers wanting to know if this consist of what we consider "by-products" feathers, dead, sick animals, etc. Wellness has assured me their "meal" comes from muscle and that's what we want. I have also been in contact with Nulo, excellent food but way too costly. Glad your friends cat is doing better.

 

[stephanietx]

A rabies vaccine is also required by law here in Texas. I usually get the 3 year rabies vax, but I don't vaccinate my kitties with chronic health problems. My vet is okay with this and said she would do a titer test to check for rabies antibodies if there ever was a rabies outbreak.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Mine were always fed good brands of wet, like Wellness and other good premium food, grain free. One interesting note, even though they are good brands I am concerned when a see, chicken, beef, fish, turkey meal listed and contact the manufacturers wanting to know if this consist of what we consider "by-products" feathers, dead, sick animals, etc. Wellness has assured me their "meal" comes from muscle and that's what we want. I have also been in contact with Nulo, excellent food but way too costly. Glad your friends cat is doing better.

Technically, by products also include things like organs and hearts and gizzards, which aren't bad ingredients. Like everything else, the handling and storage of those ingredients matters most!
Named meal is just meat without the water. More bang for your buck. "Meat" or "meat meal" (that isn't stated on the label what the actual animal source was) could be anything, avoid that.

 

[Joey's mom]

A rabies vaccine is also required by law here in Texas. I usually get the 3 year rabies vax, but I don't vaccinate my kitties with chronic health problems. My vet is okay with this and said she would do a titer test to check for rabies antibodies if there ever was a rabies outbreak.

I'm trying to find a facility that carries the 3yr vax. It's not nice to say but in a way it's true. Vets prefer the 1yr to ensure people ret

A rabies vaccine is also required by law here in Texas. I usually get the 3 year rabies vax, but I don't vaccinate my kitties with chronic health problems. My vet is okay with this and said she would do a titer test to check for rabies antibodies if there ever was a rabies outbreak.

I'm trying to find a facility that carriers the 3yr vax. As far as I'm concerned, places near me prefer the 1yr to ensure clients return, keeping a current cash flow. Most clinics have been taken over by VCA, don't know if you're familiar corporation, headquartered in CA. It's like Home Depot taking over the small family-type stores. Charges are exceptionally high. The reminder card I received from the vet office also includes other shots which I won't give them. My cats received necessary shots, are even micro chipped before adoption. They are , if rescue is correct, 16 months, siblings, raised in foster, weren't surrounded by a lot of cats in a shelter where illness is very common. I stopped all vaccinations on Joey and Smokey many yrs ago. The vets knew me well, understood and when they reached the age of 19 & 17 and were ill, the new vets knew not to discuss any type of vaccination. One in kidney failure, the other liver disease, not of which can say was caused by not vaccinating but kidney disease can be an effect as a cat ages.

 

[Tobermory]

I debated about getting the rabies vaccine for the girls this time, but I’ve had bats in my house before (not here but in another house), and there’s nothing like the jolt of fear you get when you see your cat walk into a room with a bat hanging from her mouth. When I took my cats in for their check up about three weeks ago, I asked my vet about the rabies vaccine. It’s not required in Oregon. He does administer the Purevax, which is good, but it’s the one year. He said the three year is more than triple the price, but he’s more worried about the increased amount of whatever it is that protects them in the shot. He’s seen some evidence that suggests that may be a problem. He does administer in the leg rather than the scruff as recommended by the AVMA since the late ‘90s. He knows I don’t cut corners and would pay for the three year vaccine, but he’s not completely sold on it. I opted for the one year even though mine have never stepped one dainty paw outside in 14 years.

 

[jen]

Mine were always fed good brands of wet, like Wellness and other good premium food, grain free. One interesting note, even though they are good brands I am concerned when a see, chicken, beef, fish, turkey meal listed and contact the manufacturers wanting to know if this consist of what we consider "by-products" feathers, dead, sick animals, etc. Wellness has assured me their "meal" comes from muscle and that's what we want. I have also been in contact with Nulo, excellent food but way too costly. Glad your friends cat is doing better.

Just make sure with "grain free" you are more looking at carb free. "Carb" is the category grains fall under. Grain free is a great marketing term and often is just replaced with other carbs like potato and pea. And if you are feeding all dry it is too many carbs also. All bad! Cat food labels don't list carbs so you can use the PDF file here: Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition – Common Sense. Healthy Cats.

I have no problem with by-products. Cats can eat all the gizzards and eye balls and all the things we wouldn't touch.

 

[jen]

The CDC basically says if a bat is in a weird place at a weird time of day it could have rabies! But the likelihood of it is slim.

Most bats don't have rabies. For example, even among bats submitted for rabies testing because they could be captured, were obviously weak or sick, or had been captured by a cat, only about 6% had rabies.

Just looking at a bat, you can t tell if it has rabies. Rabies can only be confirmed in a laboratory. But any bat that is active by day or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen like in your home or on your lawn just might be rabid. A bat that is unable to fly and is easily approached could very well be sick.

 

[Joey's mom]

I debated about getting the rabies vaccine for the girls this time, but I’ve had bats in my house before (not here but in another house), and there’s nothing like the jolt of fear you get when you see your cat walk into a room with a bat hanging from her mouth. When I took my cats in for their check up about three weeks ago, I asked my vet about the rabies vaccine. It’s not required in Oregon. He does administer the Purevax, which is good, but it’s the one year. He said the three year is more than triple the price, but he’s more worried about the increased amount of whatever it is that protects them in the shot. He’s seen some evidence that suggests that may be a problem. He does administer in the leg rather than the scruff as recommended by the AVMA since the late ‘90s. He knows I don’t cut corners and would pay for the three year vaccine, but he’s not completely sold on it. I opted for the one year even though mine have never stepped one dainty paw outside in 14 years.

What I scare, I would have freaked out!! Sounds like you have a good, trusting vet who is up-do-date with meds. There's an article a member of the CatSite suggested I read it's by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM titled "we need to stop overvaccinating." It's a long article covering every type of vaccine. In it she suggests the 3 yr Purevax, once again, every person, vet, facility has different comments. It's difficult for us lay people to make decisions, putting our trust and belief in vets. I live in NY on long island, fortunately my area doesn't have a bat problem but there are places in other parts of the island that do and people actually make houses for them on the basis that they kill all kinds of bugs. Their were 2 vets caring for my sick cats, amazing, compassionate caring doctors who went above and beyond. Unfortunately, they left the practice and my Joey was left in the hands of a new doctor. I researched, supervised daily treatment for a year, the meds administered were exactly what he needed. He was never in pain, full of life till the moment I let him go. The reason I'm bringing this into the conversation is because the new vet and techs gave up on him, constantly forcing me to let him go while he was still himself. He was strong almost 20 and everything was normal. After a seizure I freaked out, thinking he was going to die and that's not what I wanted for him, I sacrificed every day taking him to the vet. The vet had to inject him twice, said he's so strong, doesn't want to leave you. After he died, she told me there was medication to prevent seizures but decided not to give it. I cannot explain my anger, her statement made me realized I have to try, somehow, to do more research and understand animal treatments because I lost my faith in vets. There aren't any privately owned vets in my area, they all belong to a corporation. A car ride is so stressful for a cat, the only private ones are at least 45 mins to an hour away. That prevents a problem if there's an emergency, that's why I stay with the facility that's 5 mins away. Joining the Catsite made me more educated, now I can tell the vet the part of the body I want the rabies vax injected and refuse the others listed on their "reminder card."

 

[Joey's mom]

A member responding to my concerns as to necessity of renewing rabies vax explained a very interesting fact, now I have something else to think about. Most of us don't like/agree shooting (unnecessary) poison into our cats, besides the vax being a law in some states, vets won't see a cat unless he/she is vaccinated. Here's this member's vet's thought. The 3yr vax is more powerful, injecting more into the cat. Now I'm thinking perhaps more studies to be done on the 3yr vax. Here I go again with a Catch 22 situation, my cats are young, healthy, maybe 3yr shot would be ok, then again, maybe side effects before renewal. I really like what this member's vet explained, it does make sense, if we don't want to shoot poison, why give them more?

 

[abyeb]

Charlie’s vet likes to recommend the three-year rabies vaccination, because then the cats don’t need to get the vaccine every year (getting a shot isn’t fun for kitties). The three-year rabies vaccine is safe, too, as there is a nonadjuvanted version available: 3-Year Nonadjuvanted Rabies Vaccine Available for Cats. The three-year rabies is more expensive upfront, but more cost-effective in the long run. Of course, you can always talk to the vet about any concerns!

 

[Joey's mom]

What I scare, I would have freaked out!! Sounds like you have a good, trusting vet who is up-do-date with meds. There's an article a member of the CatSite suggested I read it's by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM titled "we need to stop overvaccinating." It's a long article covering every type of vaccine. In it she suggests the 3 yr Purevax, once again, every person, vet, facility has different comments. It's difficult for us lay people to make decisions, putting our trust and belief in vets. I live in NY on long island, fortunately my area doesn't have a bat problem but there are places in other parts of the island that do and people actually make houses for them on the basis that they kill all kinds of bugs. Their were 2 vets caring for my sick cats, amazing, compassionate caring doctors who went above and beyond. Unfortunately, they left the practice and my Joey was left in the hands of a new doctor. I researched, supervised daily treatment for a year, the meds administered were exactly what he needed. He was never in pain, full of life till the moment I let him go. The reason I'm bringing this into the conversation is because the new vet and techs gave up on him, constantly forcing me to let him go while he was still himself. He was strong almost 20 and everything was normal. After a seizure I freaked out, thinking he was going to die and that's not what I wanted for him, I sacrificed every day taking him to the vet. The vet had to inject him twice, said he's so strong, doesn't want to leave you. After he died, she told me there was medication to prevent seizures but decided not to give it. I cannot explain my anger, her statement made me realized I have to try, somehow, to do more research and understand animal treatments because I lost my faith in vets. There aren't any privately owned vets in my area, they all belong to a corporation. A car ride is so stressful for a cat, the only private ones are at least 45 mins to an hour away. That prevents a problem if there's an emergency, that's why I stay with the facility that's 5 mins away. Joining the Catsite made me more educated, now I can tell the vet the part of the body I want the rabies vax injected and refuse the others listed on their "reminder card."

all want to avoid shooting (unnecessary) poison into them and maybe

Charlie’s vet likes to recommend the three-year rabies vaccination, because then the cats don’t need to get the vaccine every year (getting a shot isn’t fun for kitties). The three-year rabies vaccine is safe, too, as there is a nonadjuvanted version available: 3-Year Nonadjuvanted Rabies Vaccine Available for Cats. The three-year rabies is more expensive upfront, but more cost-effective in the long run. Of course, you can always talk to the vet about any concerns!

Charlie is adorable. Thanks for the info, definitely want a nonadjuvanted vaccine.

 

[genseeker]

About 15 years ago, I had a calico I rescued from the street that was a strict indoor only cat. This was before nail caps and due to deformity in both front feet, and on three separate vet offices and a vet school, I had made the decision to declaw her to stop the pain she was in. Anyways, I got a severe infection and had to spend several days in the hospital. It was no big deal to me because Sassy and my kitten Alex had a 16 lb dry feeder, plus 3 5 gallon water bowls scattered around the apartment and 2 clean litter boxes. While I was in the hospital, a storm busted a window screen and Sassy and Alex got out. Sassy had been born feral and she freaked at being outside. She was outside for 2 days, hiding under the dumpsters at my apartment building. A neighbor found Alex, little scamp begged for a bit of sandwich and had him but couldn't coax Sassy to safety. Even though she was indoors only, I followed state law and she had her rabies vaccine. When I got home, I discovered why she had been so freaked. She required a trip to the vet to get bites cleaned and antibiotics. Since her rabies was up to date, she didn't need the additional trauma of being penned up alone for 10 days or heaven forbid if she showed ANY possible sign of rabies, the vet would have to follow the law and killed her right then. Mostly likely a stray attacked her.

So even though you plan to keep a cat indoor, life happens. I know an elderly woman who had a fire and her 2 indoor only cats freaked out and got outside. Took me a week to trap them and she was sitting outside daily trying to coax them in. They'd sit under the bushes or a vehicle but if you took a step too close, they were gone.

 

[Joey's mom]

About 15 years ago, I had a calico I rescued from the street that was a strict indoor only cat. This was before nail caps and due to deformity in both front feet, and on three separate vet offices and a vet school, I had made the decision to declaw her to stop the pain she was in. Anyways, I got a severe infection and had to spend several days in the hospital. It was no big deal to me because Sassy and my kitten Alex had a 16 lb dry feeder, plus 3 5 gallon water bowls scattered around the apartment and 2 clean litter boxes. While I was in the hospital, a storm busted a window screen and Sassy and Alex got out. Sassy had been born feral and she freaked at being outside. She was outside for 2 days, hiding under the dumpsters at my apartment building. A neighbor found Alex, little scamp begged for a bit of sandwich and had him but couldn't coax Sassy to safety. Even though she was indoors only, I followed state law and she had her rabies vaccine. When I got home, I discovered why she had been so freaked. She required a trip to the vet to get bites cleaned and antibiotics. Since her rabies was up to date, she didn't need the additional trauma of being penned up alone for 10 days or heaven forbid if she showed ANY possible sign of rabies, the vet would have to follow the law and killed her right then. Mostly likely a stray attacked her.

So even though you plan to keep a cat indoor, life happens. I know an elderly woman who had a fire and her 2 indoor only cats freaked out and got outside. Took me a week to trap them and she was sitting outside daily trying to coax them in. They'd sit under the bushes or a vehicle but if you took a step too close, they were gone.

Absolutely right, anything can happen. A women brought a found kitten into the vet facility while I was there (I was there daily) said she wanted it vetted and would return, woman disappeared. During exam, kitten bit the vet and tech, rabies was determined, both needed shots. Vet believing what the woman said as to where the kitten was found, an alert went out. After further investigating, it was in a far away area. My concern and decision I'm trying to make is: 1yr vax vs. 3yr. My vet only does 1yr, some say 3yr is too powerful, shooting too much into the cat. I am so glad I found and became a member of the Catsite, obtaining a world of info from all over is so much more beneficial, educational, informative, than what we learn from (some) vets. I don't dislike them all, only angry with the 2 who held back meds/info on my Joey, forced me to let him go and he wasn't ready. (afterwards they said there was medication to help, they decided not to offer it.)