Vomiting, Diarrhea After Vaccination

[sammiesmom]

Sammie went for her annual checkup on Friday and last year following her vaccinations she was mildly upset...lethargic and a couple small bouts of vomiting. This year with an anti-inflammatory to help control that and her feline leukemia vaccination, she was really sick. Vomited for about 10 hours through the night and diarrhea. By Saturday afternoon she was better and back to normal on Sunday.

I have read on various sites that the subject of certain vaccinations for indoor cats is up for discussion. Sammie is totally indoor. She does go onto a screened lanai and there are neighborhood cats that wander but never get closer to the screen than 3-4 feet.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Can this just be stress related from the vet visit itself? I'm thinking no, but I could be wrong...Sammie is my first kitty and I'm learning more and more about these wonderful animals every day.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[strange_wings]

Stress reactions are more likely to make a cat hide, not be as interested in food, and could possibly cause minor flare ups of preexisting viruses (which would be URI like symptoms).
What you saw was a vaccine reaction.

My suggestion is to do just the vaccinations that you absolutely have to and to space them out - only one vaccination given per week or two weeks. If you're not going to be bringing strange cats into the house and introducing them without FIV/FeLv testing first, you should consider skipping the FeLv vac as that is the one that usually causes the reactions.

You vet may or may not acknowledge that as a vaccination reaction to the FeLv vac. Mine will acknowledge a vac reaction after the fact when the cat is sick from it, but back tracks on it later and doesn't really believe the FeLv vac as being a common culprit.

I hope she's completely over this and stays healthy.

 

[darlili]

FWIW, I'd suggest calling the vet's office and asking them to update her records with her symptoms this year (if they haven't already). Just so it's in the record when the discussion comes up next year. Hope she's all better today.

 

[python]

Unfortunately, indoor cats can come down with diseases too but there is much less of a risk.

Many germs and viruses are airborne, some can be transmitted via clothing or shoes so even if the cat is an indoor only cat, vaccination is probably safer. You have to weigh up the pros and cons.

One of my dogs had his booster yesterday and he's fine. My other dog is due his in a few weeks time and I know he will be off colour for a day or two and probably have diarrheoa. It is a side effect in some animals but most are OK with it.

Definitely tell your vet about it though because there may be an alternative vaccine that could be used which doesn't give any side-effects.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by Python

Many germs and viruses are airborne, some can be transmitted via clothing or shoes so even if the cat is an indoor only cat, vaccination is probably safer.

Feline leukemia is not an airborne pathogen - it is transmitted from close contact with an infected cat that is shedding the virus. Sometimes mutual grooming is enough to spread it, but usually it takes something more substantial, such as a bite or breeding.

If a cat is spay/neutered, kept indoors or in a proper enclosure and never exposed to an infected cat, they won't get it.
Think of it more in terms of how humans contract/spread HIV.

 

[sammiesmom]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I was convinced in my heart it was a reaction to the vaccine and not stress, despite what the vet tried to say. I did call this morning and tell them what happened and asked them to update her chart.

She is totally indoor, spayed, no other cats come in, so my gut instinct is to avoid this vaccine and only go with the annual exam and the 3 year rabies (since it is required by law).

I could tell she was better on Sunday. She likes to chatter at me and was verrrrry quiet on Saturday. Sunday, she was back to walking up to me and meowing to start a conversation.

She's so good now...sitting on the coffee table in front of my staring at the ceiling fan

 

[strange_wings]

^Most people just do the core vaccinations - distemper (until senior), calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, and rabies. The first three are usually in a combo together - those are helpful in a single or healthy multicat home because many cats do already have calicivirus and rhinotracheitis (herpes) and the vacs can help keep those under control in cats already infected.

FeLv vac is a non-core vac, as are the FIP and FIV vacs.

Vets really don't like to admit it because 1) it makes them look bad, they gave your cat something that made it sick and 2) you likely won't want that vac again and may skip a vet visit entirely = less money for them. That as some people just don't like to admit to things like that.

I've had another vet that did not recommend FeLv vacs at all, and she outright said "a lot of kitties get sick from that one".

 

[mews2much]

There is no need for the leukemia shot.
It killed my Lucy.
My other cats do not get it and never will.
In fact I also have sphynx and it is in the contracts from the breeders that shot voids the contracts if the cats get it.
I would not do 3 year rabies either.
I would do the purvax 1 year rabies shots.
They are safer.

 

[python]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Feline leukemia is not an airborne pathogen - it is transmitted from close contact with an infected cat that is shedding the virus. Sometimes mutual grooming is enough to spread it, but usually it takes something more substantial, such as a bite or breeding.

If a cat is spay/neutered, kept indoors or in a proper enclosure and never exposed to an infected cat, they won't get it.
Think of it more in terms of how humans contract/spread HIV.

I didn't say Feline Leukemia was an airborne virus - read my post again.

Some types of cat illnesses are transmitted on clothing and shoes and you can and do get cross-contamination, just the same as you can get with human illnesses.

As for Feline Leukemia, the latest research shows that cats with that disease can live in close contact with cats who don't have the disease and even with mutual grooming, the risk of passing it on is tiny. If the cats are neutered/spayed that shouldn't be a problem.

As for vaccinating, again I will reiterate. You have to weigh up the pros and cons and make an informed decision.

My two half-Bengals, both indoor cats are vaccinated.

Quick edit. I am in the UK and the composition of some of our vaccines and medicines (both human and animal) differ from that in America and elsewhere. Some substances you use in your medication are banned here and no doubt vice-versa.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by Python

I didn't say Feline Leukemia was an airborne virus - read my post again.

The topic is reaction to feline leukemia vaccination - not other vaccines, not other viruses. Just FeLv, as that is the vac that made the OP's cat sick.

There are no pros and cons to be weighed concerning other vacs, again, because only FeLv vac is being discussed.

 

[momto3cats]

I would definitely not get that vaccine again for this cat, given her reaction and the fact that it was worse the second time - it could continue to get worse with more booster shots.

Personally, I avoid the Felv vaccine altogether. It has too high a possibility of side effects, IMO. My cats are indoors only, and any newcomers will be quarantined and tested - I feel this is enough to prevent an illness like Felv which needs close contact to spread.

 

[sammiesmom]

You guys are wonderful. And yes, this is the last time Sammie will get this vaccination.

I will look into the one year rabies also instead of the three year.

Thanks so much for all the feedback. It means more than I can say.

 

[strange_wings]

Yearly with the 1 year purvax, as that's the adjuvant free one. Thus lower sarcoma risk. If the vet tries to bug you to have the FeLv vac, be firm. As long as Sammie is still getting her check ups, too, the vet doesn't really have much to complain about. (the worry is that skipping vacs means people will skip the check ups)

I hope she's completely over her reaction and stays healthy.

Just remember, though, if you skip any vacs and ever want another kitty it's health has to be cleared first - which isn't so difficult to do since kitty intros can take a couple weeks anyways.

 

[taryn]

The only reason Maude got the FeLV vac was once because she was being boarded and then the other time was because Attitude and Nuts(both positive) were coming inside with her to live. We felt that was the best(and only) thing to do since she wasn't infected and was still negative when she crossed the bridge(liver failure.)

Personally I wouldn't get the vaccine unless I had an infected cat or the cat was allowed outside.

Mine get all vaccines that are core, other than that they don't need anything else.

Taryn

 

[carolina]

No way I would ever vaccinate any of my cats for FeLV - In fact I do have contracts on both Lucky and Bugsy that I can not vaccinate them for it. My vet is also against it.

A couple of weeks ago Bugsy had a very bad reaction to his rabies vaccine - it was the first time he took a regular 3-yr vaccine (he always had purevax in the past), and the vet told me there is a test you can do at 5 yrs old that tests the amount of Rabies antibodies in you cats system, and if there is enough, you can present that document to the city, and the can doesn't need to be vaccinated for life. Since Lucky and Bugsy are 2, and just got 3yr vaccines, that is what I plan to do before giving the next shot; I will try to get them out of it.

They also told me that I do not need to vaccinate them for anything - not even the 4-in-one vaccines, especially Bugsy who has reactions, if they are completely indoors - there is absolutely no need to, in their opinion.

So... I might only give them the distemper one because I am crazy scared about it, but my plan will be to try this test until I get them cleared and done with vaccines all together.