Veterinarians try to keep the number of vaccines and their frequency to a minimum
While vaccinating a cat one day, the pet owner observing the process commented that I was vaccinating the cat very low on its back leg. This pet owner had never seen the vaccine given so low on the leg. I explained to him that the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends giving the vaccines as low as possible on the leg. The reasoning behind this is the very low risk for feline sarcoma secondary to vaccination. The frequency of vaccine related sarcomas is not known for sure, but the data indicates up to one in 10,000 cats that are vaccinated will develop a vaccine related sarcoma. If a cat does develop a sarcoma, the treatment of choice is surgical removal of the lump. The purpose of vaccinations being given very low on the leg is to make removal of the sarcoma easier for the surgeon if it occurs.
Veterinarians are advocates for keeping the number of vaccines and their frequency to a minimum. While vaccine related sarcomas are rare, one time is too many when it happens to your cat. These sarcomas are fast growing and relentless. Even with the best of surgical technique, complete removal can be difficult.
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We minimize vaccines by looking at which vaccines and what frequency will give us the required protection with minimal risk exposure. This is done by breaking vaccines down into core vaccines that are considered imperative, and non-core vaccines which are considered optional and are determined by the pet’s life style risks. The core vaccines are generally agreed to be Rabies and Distemper. The ‘Distemper’ vaccine contains the three viruses Feline Herpesvirus 1, Feline Calicivirus, and Feline Panleukopenia.
Following the recommendations of groups such as the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association, veterinarians vaccinate for Rabies and Distemper every three years.
The non-core vaccines include Feline Leukemia, FIV, Virulent Calici Virus, Chlamydia, and Bordetella. Of these, the Feline Leukemia is the most likely vaccine to be added to a cat’s vaccine protocol. Feline Leukemia is a high risk for outside cats. In kittens that have an unknown future, we give the Feline Leukemia vaccine in a series of two boosters given three weeks apart. If the cat continues to go outside, Feline Leukemia will be a yearly vaccine. The Feline Leukemia vaccine has demonstrated protective titers for only one year after administration of the vaccine. The other non-core vaccines should be given on a case-by-case basis, looking at exposure and prevalence of the disease or possible epidemics.
You can be proactive in your cat’s health by monitoring the sites of the vaccines for any signs of lumps. If a lump develops at a vaccine site and it does not go away in three to four weeks or if it is getting bigger, then you should take your cat back to the veterinarian for evaluation of the vaccine site reaction as soon as possible. By minimizing the number of vaccines and monitoring vaccine sites, we give our cats the best care possible.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Veterinarians try to keep the number of vaccines to a minimum
