Vaccinations/shots

[cjandbilly]

When I got CJ and Billy vaccinated, (They are from the same litter) I got them vaccinated at a clinic that offered low cost vaccinations. It was a great price, and seemed like a good idea. Well, Billy did just fine, he was just as perky as he was always. CJ, however, had a pretty bad reaction to the vaccinations. She was lethargic, sore all over, you couldn't touch her without her crying, she wouldn't eat or drink, she just laid there all day, and it took all she could just to get up and walk. She got over it in a couple of days. However, my dilemma is that I'm going to find a veterinary clinic to volunteer at soon, and I would like her to be vaccinated. She didn't get her Feline leukemia vaccine, and neither of them will get it. I know the risks and all, but, I'm not going to do that. I would like to get her vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP, which is what she got last time, but I don't want these horrible reactions. Do you think it could be because we went to a lowcost clinic? Or do you think it was just her immune system? Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[stitchfl]

I think each cat reacts differently to vaccinations. Beaker is going through getting his kitten ones now and each time he has one he is down for a day. He'll eat/drink/potty, but other than that he just lays around for at least 24 hrs afterwards. If it lasted much longer than that then I would take him back to the vet.

Since Billy didn't have the same reaction then I doubt it was because you were at a low cost clinic. I think they still have to conform to medical standards even if they are a low cost clinic.

 

[rosiemac]

I only let Rosie have the leukemia shot twice and it made her all lethargic and all she wanted to do was to sleep on her bed

Although i was told this was a normal reaction for the first 24 hours i did my research into it as i'd heard so many reports on the leukemia shots, and after speaking to my vet and my friend Emma whos the vet nurse, i decided as they were indoor cats they weren't going to have it anymore.

We don't have the rabies shot here in the UK and you've seen what we charge for a spay in my other thread so their not expensive here either so i wouldn't know the difference between a normal vet and a low cost clinic?!

Out of curiosity how much do you get charged for the flu/enteritis shot over there?

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by StitchFL

I think each cat reacts differently to vaccinations. Beaker is going through getting his kitten ones now and each time he has one he is down for a day. He'll eat/drink/potty, but other than that he just lays around for at least 24 hrs afterwards. If it lasted much longer than that then I would take him back to the vet.

Since Billy didn't have the same reaction then I doubt it was because you were at a low cost clinic. I think they still have to conform to medical standards even if they are a low cost clinic.

So, it was probably just her reaction to shots, and she will probably have the same reactions the rest of her life, right?

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by rosiemac

I only let Rosie have the leukemia shot twice and it made her all lethargic and all she wanted to do was to sleep on her bed

Although i was told this was a normal reaction for the first 24 hours i did my research into it as i'd heard so many reports on the leukemia shots, and after speaking to my vet and my friend Emma whos the vet nurse, i decided as they were indoor cats they weren't going to have it anymore.

We don't have the rabies shot here in the UK and you've seen what we charge for a spay in my other thread so their not expensive here either so i wouldn't know the difference between a normal vet and a low cost clinic?!

Out of curiosity how much do you get charged for the flu/enteritis shot over there?

They haven't and will not receive Feluk shots... don't need it.

Flu/enteritis (FVRCP) is around $20 - $28 US dollars here at a normal vet. I don't know how many pounds that would be.

But, you can find it cheaper, if you are willing to wait for the clinics, and wait in line!

 

[stitchfl]

Originally Posted by CJandBilly

So, it was probably just her reaction to shots, and she will probably have the same reactions the rest of her life, right?

Yup, its most likely just how her body handles the vaccines. I'm not a vet though, so if someone else has any info please post it!

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by StitchFL

Yup, its most likely just how her body handles the vaccines. I'm not a vet though, so if someone else has any info please post it!

Thank-you for the help!!!

P.S. Beaker looks so cute!!!

 

[yin&yang]

Originally Posted by CJandBilly

When I got CJ and Billy vaccinated, (They are from the same litter) I got them vaccinated at a clinic that offered low cost vaccinations. It was a great price, and seemed like a good idea. Well, Billy did just fine, he was just as perky as he was always. CJ, however, had a pretty bad reaction to the vaccinations. She was lethargic, sore all over, you couldn't touch her without her crying, she wouldn't eat or drink, she just laid there all day, and it took all she could just to get up and walk. She got over it in a couple of days. However, my dilemma is that I'm going to find a veterinary clinic to volunteer at soon, and I would like her to be vaccinated. She didn't get her Feline leukemia vaccine, and neither of them will get it. I know the risks and all, but, I'm not going to do that. I would like to get her vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP, which is what she got last time, but I don't want these horrible reactions. Do you think it could be because we went to a lowcost clinic? Or do you think it was just her immune system? Thanks in advance for the advice!

Poor kitties - mine have reacted differently evertime I take them for vaccinations. The first time both were sluggish for a few hours and then back to normal. One time Yiin was fine almost immediately, but her sister Yang moped around all day. I think it depends on their mood when they go in. This last time they were both pretty unhappy campers for most of the day, but we were also in 'hurricane mode' at the time, so that didn't help either...

Hope CJ feels better soon.

Renee

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by Yin&Yang

Poor kitties - mine have reacted differently evertime I take them for vaccinations. The first time both were sluggish for a few hours and then back to normal. One time Yiin was fine almost immediately, but her sister Yang moped around all day. I think it depends on their mood when they go in. This last time they were both pretty unhappy campers for most of the day, but we were also in 'hurricane mode' at the time, so that didn't help either...

Hope CJ feels better soon.

Renee

This was a few months ago.. CJ's fine.. thank-you for your concern. Billy was an A+ student for the doctor... CJ, however, for some reason, HATES the vet! I don't know why, she did from the first time she went in. Some animals hate it, some don't!

Anyway, Billy was an A+, and CJ was a F- - -!!! She didn't do well at all, my poor baby! She hates needles, HATES thermometers and fecals, and she HATES vet hands!

It's weird, because I've had her all her life, and I don't know why she hates the vet so much! She won't even let me clip her nails, I think it's because that was the reason for her first vet visit... just a nail trim. She threw a fit! The last time she went to the vet (before vaccs) she was younger, and a little smaller... she weighed only 4.1 lbs, yet it took 3 vets to take blood for a Feluk test!

She DID NOT like that! I felt so bad hearing her crying and screaming in the back room!

<~~~ Me, her, and my mom crying!

 

[rosiemac]

Originally Posted by CJandBilly

They haven't and will not receive Feluk shots... don't need it.

Flu/enteritis (FVRCP) is around $20 - $28 US dollars here at a normal vet. I don't know how many pounds that would be.

But, you can find it cheaper, if you are willing to wait for the clinics, and wait in line!

It's normally half of what you would pay. I think our booster shots are about £12-£13

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by rosiemac

It's normally half of what you would pay. I think our booster shots are about £12-£13

Oh, okay... thanks!

 

[jcat]

Originally Posted by CJandBilly

So, it was probably just her reaction to shots, and she will probably have the same reactions the rest of her life, right?

Our cat had an adverse reaction to his first-year booster shots, while his four siblings didn't. My vet thereafter starting giving him a shot of antihistimine right before the boosters, and using vaccines from another producer. Last summer we tried the boosters without the antihistimine shot, and he was fine.

 

[mlsskate]

Please, only let your vet give one shot a day. More than that is an overload, espceially to kittens. It also confuses the body when building up immunties, which is the whole point of vaccinations. Don't rush shots, and do lots of research. There is a new thinking that maybe cats should only be vaccinated once in their life for certain things (You should do the research on which ones). Don't take the kittens in too early for the shots either. If they are not high risk, consider skipping vertain vaccines. Also, I have heard that the 3 year rabies shots is not good. Spend the extra time and money for the 1 year boosters.

Has anyone else heard this info?

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by mlsskate

Please, only let your vet give one shot a day. More than that is an overload, espceially to kittens. It also confuses the body when building up immunties, which is the whole point of vaccinations. Don't rush shots, and do lots of research. There is a new thinking that maybe cats should only be vaccinated once in their life for certain things (You should do the research on which ones). Don't take the kittens in too early for the shots either. If they are not high risk, consider skipping vertain vaccines. Also, I have heard that the 3 year rabies shots is not good. Spend the extra time and money for the 1 year boosters.

Has anyone else heard this info?

CJ and Billy are 9 months old. They are past the age for boosters. I did the one year Rabies vaccs... I don't trust the 3 years rabies shot. I am NOT going to get them the Feluk.... I thought they needed it at first, but they don't... so they aren't going to get it. I just want the FVRCP because I will be working at a vet, soon, and I want the rabies in case they get out.

 

[devlyn]

When I took Pippin and Merry in for their shots, Merry was just fine. Pippin, however, became lethargic, shakey and feverish. When I took him back in, he was given a cortizone shot and some amoxicillin. This happened on all three rounds of shots.
Apparently, Pippin is allergic to vaccines, so the doctor now gives him cortizone with the shot and some follow up amoxicillin to fight off the reaction.
The reaction Pippin was having was shock.
Who knew?

Dev & Crew

 

[kathryn41]

Originally Posted by jcat

Our cat had an adverse reaction to his first-year booster shots, while his four siblings didn't. My vet thereafter starting giving him a shot of antihistimine right before the boosters, and using vaccines from another producer. Last summer we tried the boosters without the antihistimine shot, and he was fine.

Several of mine have had the mild lethargy for a day afterwards, but Abbie has had severe reactions. She is dangerously allergic to the leukaemia vaccine so will never get that again. We separate out the others so she makes 2 trips -rabies on one visit, distemper/calicivirus on the other - plus she receives an antihistimine shot before each shot. We did try giving her benedryl at home before she went in (the vet determined the dosage for me) but she drooled so badly that there was no way to get it in her:-).

Tell you vet what happened last time and request an antihistimine before the shots and perhaps dividing the shots over several trips.

Kathryn

 

[cjandbilly]

Originally Posted by Kathryn41

Several of mine have had the mild lethargy for a day afterwards, but Abbie has had severe reactions. She is dangerously allergic to the leukaemia vaccine so will never get that again. We separate out the others so she makes 2 trips -rabies on one visit, distemper/calicivirus on the other - plus she receives an antihistimine shot before each shot. We did try giving her benedryl at home before she went in (the vet determined the dosage for me) but she drooled so badly that there was no way to get it in her:-).

Tell you vet what happened last time and request an antihistimine before the shots and perhaps dividing the shots over several trips.

Kathryn

Apparently, CJ isn't the only one.... everyone seems to be suggesting antihistamine.... I'll give that a try next time her vaccs come around. Thanks for the advice, everyone!