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Kitten Cat Rabies Shots
Hi, thanks for watching our video today. My name is Dr. Ken Overmyer from Shorewood Animal Hospital in Shorewood, Illinois. Today I will be using my friend here and I’d like to talk a little bit about vaccinations, types of vaccines available, vaccines we recommend for your feline and a schedule for these vaccines. Each animal hospital is different so I’d like to share our thoughts with you on the subject. (New clients can register here.)
Kitten Cat Rabies Shots At 8 Weeks.
First of all, we typically start out vaccinating kittens anywhere from 8 – 9 weeks of age, although we might do it at 6 weeks of age if the kitty came from a cattery that has a lot of cats. The first vaccination we give is called feline distemper, FDRCP for short, and that includes feline viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopemia virus. We want to protect our feline patients from these viruses that could cause upper respiratory infection and stomach problems which could be deadly if not taken seriously. So, we give the patient its first vaccination between 6-8 weeks of age, followed by a second booster vaccination at 12 weeks of age.
Kitten Cat Rabies Shots At 16 Weeks.
The last vaccine that we routinely give at 4 months or 16 weeks of age is the rabies vaccine. What may set us apart from other animal hospitals is the fact that the vaccines we use are non-adjuvant vaccines that do not contain aluminum salts acting as preservative. We have avoided using the traditional rabies vaccine that contain aluminum salts in the last 7-8 years because research has shown that cats vaccinated with the traditional vaccine has a higher likelihood of developing vaccine-induced sarcoma. Our rabies vaccine does not sting as much as the traditional vaccine either. Vaccines for feline leukemia and immuno-deficiency are given only if needed. They are not routinely given to every cat. If you have an indoor-outdoor cat or if you have a lot of other pets in your household, then, it is important to give the patients the vaccine. Traditionally, at 12 weeks of age, we would like to test the patient for the leukemia and immuno-deficiency virus and if the results are negative, we go ahead and give the vaccine at 12 weeks of age, and at 4 months or 16 weeks of age, we follow up with the 2nd vaccination, along with the rabies vaccine.
Kitten Cat Rabies Shots Are Used Only As Needed.
We try to avoid vaccinating every animal for everything. It is not necessary and over-vaccinating could become a problem in itself. These are the traditional vaccines we give throughout the kitten’s first 4 months. At this time we also would like to give the cat a fecal test to make sure there are no intestinal parasites which can cause diarrhea, weight loss, vomiting, poor nutrition and poor growth. Fecal testing is also a part of our kitten wellness care. The following year we repeat the vaccination for distemper, feline leukemia, if needed, and at this time we can now give the 3-year rabies vaccination, if the pet owner chooses. As far as distemper, we at Shorewood Animal Hospital give the vaccine once a year up to and until the cat is 9-10 years of age after which the vaccine may be given once every 2 or 3 years. Research has not shown that the distemper titers last for longer than a year. Some people think the opposite; but, our governing body does not support that. Distemper vaccines for cats are a little different from dog vaccines. Incidentally, we have a video on dog vaccines. So, these are some of our thoughts on vaccinations. We hope we gave you good information and if you have any questions, please contact us. Thank you very much.
Kitten Cat Rabies Shots www.ShorewoodVet.com
YouTube Link
Youtube Title: Cat and Kitten Vaccinations by Veterinarian in Shorewood IL 60404
Kitten Cat Rabies Shots are required by law. However, we do not vaccinate every cat for every thing. Indoor only cats still need vaccinations and examinations.
