Sorry - I meant to add this part, explaining adjuvanted vs non-adjuvanted vaccines.
Just some info - I didn't realize that there are vets who would still use adjuvanted vaccines..or that they are still made! Most veterinary hospitals only use non-adjuvanted vaccines. An adjuvant is added to a vaccine to stimulate the immune system to react to the vaccine and thus increase the effectiveness of the vaccine (i.e. to make antibodies to protect your cat in the future). Unfortunately, many of the adjuvanted vaccines have come under scrutiny and may be causing a certain type of cancer (fibrosarcoma) in cats. Even though this vaccine-related fibrosarcoma is rare (about 1 in 10,000 cats), it is an aggressive tumor that is difficult to treat. Why take the risk? Most veterinarians do not use any adjuvanted vaccines for this reason; they strictly follow the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Vaccine Guidelines. The AAFP recommends core vaccines (rabies vaccine, FVRCP vaccine) to all cats. The AAFP recommends the non-core feline leukemia vaccine only to at risk cats (i.e. cats that spend any time outside, cats that interact with indoor/outdoor cats). FeLV (Feline Leukemia) Vaccine Most hospitals use the annual, non-adjuvanted Merial PUREVAXR FeLV vaccine to protect cats against the feline leukemia virus. Unlike traditional vaccines that are administered under the skin with a needle, this vaccine is administered with the Vet Jet transdermal system directly into the skin. Recently, the AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners) has recommended vaccinating all kittens against FeLV in their first year of life. After the initial kitten series (2 vaccinations 3-4 weeks apart), this vaccine is only administered to cats that spend any amount of time outdoors or are exposed to FeLV positive cats. A FeLV test is strongly recommended prior to vaccination. Feline leukemia is one of the major causes of illness and death in cats. The feline leukemia virus is typically transmitted through saliva or nose secretions associated with mutual grooming, sharing food or water dishes, or biting. This virus has been known to remain latent in the bone marrow making diagnosis difficult. Most cats infected with FeLV will not survive to the age of 2-3. Clinical signs associated with a viral infection are not specific and may include immune-mediated diseases, tumors, bone marrow disorders (i.e. anemia or a low number of red blood cells, decreased production of white blood cells, decreased production of platelets), and secondary infections. Vaccine Reactions Most hospitals use the safest vaccines currently available to the veterinary profession. They choose the above vaccines and follow the current AAFP Vaccine Guidelines to (1) minimize the number of vaccines we are administering to our patients and (2) to minimize the number of side effects to our patients. Even with best intentions, a very few number of cats may still have a vaccine reaction. Below is a summary of these reactions and what you should monitor. If your cat has had a vaccine reaction, they will need to tailor a specific vaccine protocol for your individual cat to help avoid such reactions in the future. Mild vaccine reactions, if they occur, may last for a couple of days after the vaccine is administered and may include: 1. Mild decrease in activity 2. Mild pain or soreness at the injection site 3. Mild decrease in appetite 4. A small lump at the injection site 5. Mild upper respiratory infection Severe vaccine reactions that occur within a few minutes to a few hours after vaccine administration. If you notice any of these severe vaccine reactions, veterinary attention is required IMMEDIATELY. 1. Vomiting / Diarrhea 2. Fever 3. Difficulty breathing 4. Swelling of the face Profound lethargy _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
