Feline
Vaccinations are divided into two categories:
• Core vaccinations, which are considered important
for any cat
• Non-Core vaccinations, which are not considered
necessary for all cats
Core Feline Vaccines include:
•
Feline Rabies vaccination
Rabies:
Required by law in Yellowstone County, because of the interspecies
& contagious nature of the disease and the fact that rabies
poses a danger to people. We recommend that Rabies vaccination should
be administered to kittens at 12 to 16 weeks of age. The first Rabies
vaccination will last for one year. Subsequent Rabies vaccinations
last 3 years.
•
Feline 3 way vaccine for: feline panleukopenia, feline rhinotracheitis
& feline calicivirus: These diseases are commonly found in the
environment. Almost all cats are at risk for these 3 diseases. The
vaccines for these 3 diseases are commonly incorporated into one three-way
vaccination.
•
Feline Panleukopenia (FPL); commonly known as
Feline Distemper, is a viral infection affecting
cats, caused by feline parvovirus, a close relative of canine
parvovirus. It is not related to canine distemper. Panleukopenia
is primarily spread through contact with an infected cat's bodily
fluids, feces, or fleas. Sometimes it is spread through contact
with bedding, food dishes, or even by handlers of infected cats.
The virus primarily attacks the lining of the gastrointestinal
tract, causing internal ulceration and, ultimately, total sloughing
of the intestinal epithelium. This results in profuse and usually
bloody diarrhea, severe dehydration, malnutrition, anemia, and
often death. Feline panleukopenia requires aggressive treatment
if the cat is to survive, as this disease can kill cats in less
than 24 hours. Almost all cats who survive make a full recovery.
• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR); A
serious disease, causing about half of all feline upper respiratory
infectious disease. FVR is found worldwide; caused by feline herpesvirus1
(FHV1). Also known as feline influenza and feline coryza. FVR
is very contagious and can cause severe disease, including death
from pneumonia in young kittens. Initial signs of FVR include
coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, and sometimes
fever (up to 106) and loss of appetite. Continuing symptoms may
include eye problems, skin lesions, and abortion. Infection at
an early age may permanently damage nasal and sinus tissue, causing
chronic lifelong nasal and sinus disease. All (felines) members
of the Felidae family (lions, tigers etc.) are susceptible to
FVR. FVR is transmitted through direct contact only. It replicates
in the nasal and nasopharyngeal tissues and the tonsils. The virus
is shed in saliva and eye and nasal secretions, and can also be
spread by fomites [Fomites are inanimate objects that carry disease-causing
germs that spread infections]. FVR has a two to five day incubation
period. The virus is shed for one to three weeks post-infection.
Many healthy cats are subclinical carriers of feline herpes virus.
Latently infected cats (carriers) will shed FHV-1 intermittently
for life. There is no specific drug for treatment at this time,
although there are a few that show some promise.
• Feline Calicivirus (FCV); Another serious
disease, causing the other 50% all feline upper respiratory infectious
disease. There are different strains of FCV that vary in virulence.
The prevalence of FCV varies depending on the environment. In
private households, FCV is present in about 10 percent of cats
(either in active or carrier state), while the prevalence in shelters
or catteries is 25 to 40 percent. FCV replicates in the oral and
respiratory tissues and is secreted in saliva, feces, urine, and
respiratory secretions. It can be transmitted through the air,
orally, and on fomites. Infected cats usually shed the virus for
two weeks. Following this period, infected cats never shed the
virus again -- or -- they become latently infected -- and shed
the virus continuously or intermittently throughout their life.
Coinfection with either feline herpesvirus or feline immunodeficiency
virus causes a more severe disease. Symptoms in cats infected
with FCV may develop acutely, chronically, or not at all. Latent
or subclinical infections often become symptomatic when the cat
is stressed, such as at the time of adoption. Acute symptoms of
FCV include fever, conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, sneezing,
and ulceration of the mouth (stomatitis). Pneumonia may develop
with secondary bacterial infections. In addition to stomatitis,
some cats may develop a polyarthritis. Initial symptoms include
discharge from the eyes and nose, ulceration in the mouth, anorexia,
and lethargy, and occur in the first one to five days. Later symptoms
include fever, edema of the limbs and face, jaundice, and multiple
organ dysfunction syndrome. There is no specific treatment for
FCV.
Non-Core vaccinations are recommended for cats who spend time outdoors,
or with cats who may not be vaccinated, or who may harbor disease.
No vaccine can be guaranteed to be 100% effective. Read
more on feline vaccinations here.
Cat
Normals: Know normals for temperature, respiration, heart
rate and pregnancy in cats By Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, About.com Guide.
The Simple Kitty Constipation Cure that’s Nearly Always Overlooked.
Discover the most common cause of kitty constipation - which you may never
have considered. Read this if you even suspect it... You'll quickly link
milder symptoms you may have not connected, and discover the 5 ways to
resolve it.
Study
Reveals Physics of How Cats Drink. A cat lapping milk strikes
a delicate balance between gravity and inertia, the research finds. Unlike
dogs, which use their tongues to scoop water into their mouths, a cat
uses the tip of its tongue to pull water upward, closing its jaws before
gravity pulls the column of liquid back toward earth.
(weblackey's note: "Most - 70 percent - of the research conducted
on the MIT
campus is supported by the US government, but the Institute is a national
leader in the amount of such funding received from private industry -
nearly 20 percent.") :o)
A new study shows that 50 percent of America’s dogs and cats are overweight.
In fact, the other day when a mouse ran across the room, my cat just
said “I really shouldn’t ... ”
