What are Vaccines?

Vaccines contain viruses, bacteria or other disease-causing organisms that have been killed or altered so that they can no longer cause disease. When given to an animal, vaccines will stimulate the immune system to form disease fighting cells and antibodies to protect against the disease. Although the protection given by vaccines can be reduced by poor health and poor nutrition, most vaccinated animals will be resistant to the disease for which they are vaccinated.

 

When should puppies and kittens be vaccinated?

Puppies should be vaccinated at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age and kittens should be vaccinated at 8 and 12 weeks of age. Both puppies and kittens should also receive another booster 12 months later. It is very important that all of the vaccinations are given, and in the appropriate time frame to healthy puppies and kittens. Missing boosters or waiting too long in between them will result in the immune system not being properly stimulated and your pet will not be protected.

 

How often should adult dogs and cats be vaccinated?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions in veterinary medicine today. For over 30 years it has been recommended that pets receive annual vaccinations to keep their immune system primed. Recently there has been growing speculation that protection from vaccination is more long lasting than previously believed. Current research is focusing on determining just how often we should be vaccinating our pets. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association recommends that your pet receives an annual physical examination as the basis for good preventative health care. During your visit the veterinarian will discuss with you what diseases your pet is at risk for, and will then vaccinate accordingly.

 

Are annual check-ups important?

Annual examinations are very important. Our pets age more rapidly than we do and often do not show obvious signs of disease, nor can they always communicate discomfort to us. During an annual examination, problems can quite often be detected and taken care of long before they can cause discomfort or debilitation. This is especially true for dental disease, cardiovascular disease, skin problems and musculoskeletal disease. Your annual visit is also an excellent time to discuss nutrition and skin and coat care with us.

 

What vaccines does my pet need?

All cats and dogs should be vaccinated against those diseases that are widespread, cause serious illness and/or are highly contagious. These are the core vaccines. In addition, other non-core vaccines may be recommended based on the risk posed to your pet specifically.

 

Core vaccines for Dogs:

Canine Parvovirus: The disease caused by this virus is both serious and very widespread in our area. The virus damages the gastrointestinal tract leading to severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea. The disease is spread through infected feces and can lead to death in 48 to 72 hours without treatment.

Canine Distemper: This disease causes respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological signs in affected dogs and can be fatal. Recovered dogs may have permanent damage to their nervous systems. The virus is spread by discharges from the nose and eyes and is highly contagious.

Infectious Hepatitis: This virus is spread through infected urine and may cause liver failure, eye damage and respiratory problems which could be fatal. Common clinical signs of this disease are vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis: This disease is more commonly known as “kennel cough” and is usually caused by the canine parainfluenza virus. Occasionally it may be caused by a bacterium, Bordetella bronchiseptica. The signs of kennel cough include a hacking cough, discharge from the nose, and occasionally a fever.

           

Non-core vaccines for Dogs:

Vaccines are also available to protect dogs deemed at risk of developing leptospirosis, lyme disease and coronavirus and Giardia infection.

 

Core vaccines for Cats:

Feline Panleukopenia: This is a potentially fatal viral disease that causes vomiting, diarrhea, severe dehydration, fever, and sudden death especially in kittens. Kittens born to infected queens may suffer permanent brain damage.

Feline Rhinotracheitis,Calicivirus and Chlamydia: These organisms infect the airways of cats causing runny eyes and nose, sneezing, mouth ulcers, and sometime poor appetite. Although vaccines may not prevent infection altogether, they greatly reduce the severity of the disease.

 

Non-core vaccines for Cats:

Individual cats deemed at risk may be vaccinated again feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline infectious peritonitis virus.

 

Rabies vaccinations for Dogs and Cats:

All mammals, including humans, are at risk of contracting rabies which is almost always fatal. The risk of rabies in British Columbia is fairly low compared to the rest of Canada but given public health and safety concerns, its is a good idea to keep this vaccine current. It only needs to be boosted every 3 years after the initial series of vaccines had been given. Proof of rabies vaccination is required when traveling with your pet to the United States.

 

 

FAQs

Q: My pet is only indoors. Why do I need to vaccinate?

A: There are many ways for your pet to be exposed to disease-causing organisms. For example, healthy appearing animals can spread the virus and bacteria, and YOU could UNKNOWINGLY carry the disease causing organism to your pet on your clothing, hands or even your shoes!!!

 

Q: What is Feline AIDS?

A: Feline AIDS is caused by infection with a Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV causes a potentially fatal viral disease that interferes with the immune system of a cat. The virus lives in the blood of the infected cat and is carried in its system throughout its life. Cats are most commonly infected through bite wounds. Outdoor cats are at a higher risk for contracting the disease. Although rare, it is possible for a mother to pass the infection on to her unborn fetus. Cats infected with FIV may remain healthy for up to 6 years. While some infected cats show no sign of disease, other may display such initial symptoms as…

	Fever
	Loss of appetite
	Diarrhea
	Lethargy
	Swollen lymph nodes

As the disease progresses, symptoms may occur such as….

	Weight loss
	Sores in and around the mouth
	Eye lesions
	Poor hair coat
	Chronic infections

Eventually, the immune system become too weak to fight off other infections or disease. As a result, the cat will die from one of these subsequent infections.

 

Q: How Prevalent is Feline AIDS?

A: Up to 1 in 12 cats in North America test positive for the disease. Actual infection rate may be higher in sick cats. Outdoor cats are at the highest risk of disease. About 15% of cats that test positive for Feline Leukemia also test positive for Feline AIDS.

 

Q: What Can I Do To Prevent Feline AIDS?

A: Vaccination is the best way to prevent the disease. You should know there is no treatment for Feline AIDS. So if your cat becomes infected it will be fatal.

Along with vaccinations….

	Limit exposure of indoor cats to outdoor cats
	Using caution when introducing a new cat to a multi-cat household
	Having the new cat tested prior to joining the household
	Isolating an aggressive cat from other cats.

 

Q: Is my cat at risk for Feline AIDS?

A:     1.      Does your cat ever go outside?

2.      Has your cat ever escaped out of the house?

3.      Does your cat ever come into contact with outdoor cats?

4.      Does your cat ever get into fights with other cats?

5.      Has you cat ever been treated for a bite wound?

6.      Do you have a multi-cat household?

7.      Are stray cats ever brought into your household?

8.      Do you ever board your cat?

9.      Does your cat ever travel with you?

 

If you said yes to any of these questions your cat IS at risk for Feline Aids!

 

Q: How is Feline Leukemia (FeLV) spread from cat to cat?

A: The feline leukemia virus is excreted in saliva and tears and possibly in the urine and feces of infected cats. Prolonged, extensive cat-to-cat contact is required for efficient spread, because the virus is rapidly inactivated by warmth and drying.

 

Q: How long can a cat survive with FeLV disease?

A: A cat with FeLV disease may live for several weeks to several months, depending on how advanced the disease is at the time of diagnosis. However, it is impossible to tell how long any particular cat will survive.

 

Q: Can my children or I become infected with FeLV if our cat is infected? What about our dog?

A: Although the possibility that FeLV can be transmitted to human beings and cause disease cannot be ruled out completely, there certainly is no evidence to date that transmission does occur, despite decades of extensive research. Also, there is no known association of FeLV with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in human beings. It is true that FeLV can be grown in human cells in culture; the same is true of other infectious disease agents that nevertheless do not produce disease in human beings. Similarly there is no evidence that FeLV is carried by, or causes any illness, in dogs.

 

Q: What are the clinical signs of FeLV?

A: Common clinical signs produced by FeLV include anemia, jaundice, depression, weight loss, decreased appetite, diarrhea or constipation, blood in the stool, enlarged lymph nodes, respiratory distress, decreased stamina, excessive drinking and urination, fetal resorption, abortion, infertility, birth of "fading" kittens, and a syndrome resembling panleukopenia ("cat distemper"). FeLV also interferes with the cat's natural ability to ward off infectious disease agents, so that almost any severe, chronic illness may lead your veterinarian to suspect FeLV.

Cancer occurs in some FeLV-infected cats. In those cats, the tumor masses may cause such problems as respiratory distress, intestinal inflammation with diarrhea, vomiting or constipation, liver or kidney disease, cloudy eyes, and neurological abnormalities.

 

Q: Is there any cure for FeLV?

A: To date there is no cure for FeLV infection or disease. A variety of chemotherapeutic regimens have been developed, and in certain cases those regimens can produce a temporary remission, depending on the physical condition of the cat and the type of disease that is present. Those drug therapies may allow the cat to continue in a reasonably healthy state for a period of several weeks to several months. However, it must be understood that those are only remissions and not permanent cures. Chemotherapeutic drugs are very potent, and their effects must be monitored carefully, to avoid overdosing the patient.

Various antiviral compounds including interferon may also be used to treat cats with FeLV infection. Those compounds, while still experimental, are generally safer to use than chemotherapeutic agents, and may reduce the amount of virus present in the blood of the cat, and may extend the period of remission of clinical disease. As yet, antiviral compounds do not produce permanent cures for FeLV infection or disease. Hopefully, additional research will produce effective antiviral therapies that will cure FeLV disease.

 

Q: Is there a vaccine to protect my cat against FeLV infection?

A: Several vaccines are now available to aid in the protection of your cat against FeLV infection. The vaccines are produced by various methods, and either contain the inactivated ("killed") whole virus, or a subunit protein of the virus. The principle of protection is the same for each of these vaccines.

 

Q: Are the FeLV vaccines safe?

A: The FeLV vaccines are as safe as other commonly used feline vaccines. As with any vaccine in animals or humans, some reaction to the vaccine may occur in a relatively small number of vaccinations. The vast majority of cats vaccinated with FeLV vaccines will experience no reaction at all. Occasionally, your cat will experience some malaise for a few hours or for a day or two after vaccination. On rare occasions, an allergic reaction to one of the components of the vaccine may occur which will result in fever, diarrhea, and malaise. This allergic reaction can be treated by your veterinarian.

 

Q: How effective are the FeLV vaccines?

A: The FeLV vaccines are reasonably effective in preventing persistent FeLV infection should your vaccinated cat be exposed to the virus. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and this is true for the FeLV vaccines. The immune response produced by these vaccines will protect most exposed cats from becoming infected with the virus. Occasionally after exposure to the feline leukemia virus, a vaccinated cat will develop a transient viremia (temporarily become FeLV positive for up to 12 weeks), but the immune response produced by the vaccine will control the virus such that these cats will not develop clinical disease. Unfortunately, a small percentage of FeLV-vaccinated cats will not be protected against exposure to FeLV.

 

Q: What age should my cat be vaccinated for FeLV?

A: Kittens should be vaccinated twice starting at eight weeks of age, with the second dose of the vaccine given three to four weeks later. Your cat should receive annual revaccinations ("booster" vaccinations) against FeLV.

 

Q: If my cat has been vaccinated, is it safe to have this cat live with a FeLV-positive cat?

A: The FeLV vaccines are not 100 percent effective, and thus a degree of risk occurs when a vaccinated cat is housed with a persistently-infected cat (FeLV-positive cat). It is recommended that FeLV-positive cats not be housed with FeLV-negative cats, even those that have been vaccinated. Certainly, a cat vaccinated against FeLV will have a far greater chance of successfully withstanding an exposure to FeLV than an unvaccinated cat.