somewhat questionable veterinary advice

[Saffron]

We missed our cats' vaccinations this past winter. (Please don't judge us! Lots of other things have been happening. My father-in-law was ill then died, hubby working 8 days a week, baby awake 3x a night, etc...) Our vet's advice was rather than give booster immunisations, we should start the immunisation course over again. I agree and was fine with this. So we took our cats in and had the first set of jabs.

That was all fine, but here's where it goes a bit funny, imho. We were supposed to have our cats back for the 2nd set of jabs at three weeks. Hubby and I have been very busy, and I've not been well. So we weren't able to keep the 3 week appointment. We booked them in as soon as we could, but this made for a 5 week gap. Now our vet says that b/c we are 2 weeks late, we will have to restart the immunisation course AGAIN.

My understanding of immunity is that 2 weeks really should not make a significant difference. This seems like a bit of a scam to me. Are we being 'had' by an overzealous vet????

(Also when we had to rebook -- and we said what it was for -- they didn't tell us we'd have to restart the whole course!)

[DJKillaQueen]

Plenty of owners only have the first sets of jabs done and never have boosters and their pets do NOT go on to contract the various illnesses that innoculations protect from. I am yet to be convinced that booster jabs are even necessary tbh.

[Ridgley]

Will be getting a kitten, in a few weeks can you tell how much it will cost to have jabs done as I was told I will need a couple of injections as I have a garden?

[Ladygooner]

I have had two cats and never had them innoculated - one of them lived to be 20.

[Saffron]

I have no problem with people not vaccinating their pets, but you do have to be aware that you *may* lose them to preventable illnesses.

We weighed up the pros/cons and decided vaccination was the route for us. I just find it hard to believe that we need a re-restart on the immunisation scheme b/c we were 2 weeks off schedule!

My understanding of immunisations (and I am generalising here) is that once your pet (or child etc) has done the initial course, immunity should be very good against specified pathogens. This immunity will then fade over time, more slowly in some indiviudals and for some immunisation types.

I suppose the vet's mandate is to reccommend that all animals get as close to 100% immunity as possible? If we don't re-restart the course, will they just end up with 90% immunity or such?

I'm generally pro-vaccine b/c I believe in disease prevention. But this is torturing my pocketbook, not to mention extra stress for kitties :(

@Ridgley: You can check with Celia Hammond for info on costs etc

xx

[DJKillaQueen]

I've had every cat I ever had innocluated. I only had yearly boosters with one pet. the boosters made no difference to the life of that pet because it lived to a ripe old age like the others and eventually died from old age. So innonculate yes...boosters? not convinced and have yet to see any evidence they are really that necessary.

[Tarot]

I agree with D.J.K Q.Its been the same with cats I have had.

But My cats never went out,being Siamese.

There is an Aids decease that stray cats can pass on to your cat though,it doesnt affect humans in anyway.Only cats.

That is why they reccomend full innoculations.

In fact some catteries will ask for proof of innoculation, before taking your cat in,same thing applies if you want to breed your cat.

,Cat flu, Cat Aids, Lukiemia,etc. P.S. Get Pet plan Insurance to cover vet costs.

[Asset]

Pet insurance doesn't cover immunisations.

I had my cats inoculated when they were kittens but no boosters. They are 8 and 9 and are outside cats, never been ill.

[Sue]

Saffron, maybe you could phone a different vet, or the Celia Hammond people, or Battersea Dog and Cats Home, and ask their advice re whether restarting the immunisation programme is actually necessary?

They might not want to help, but worth a shot?

[Ann]

I can't add much other than that we have had our dog vaccinated yearly partly for her health but partly that we couldn't leave her at boarding kennels without an updated vaccination certificate; no current vaccine no holiday. I would be the first to admit that it could easily be by-passed if it didn't have family holiday implications and I'm being very honest here.

However I would say the annual health check is reassuring; I hadn't realised that cat's vaccine regimes were so strict, probably because they roam more than dogs who are more under owner control?

I sympathise Saffron. It's hard to know when you do what's best for the pet or what the vet recommends. It's not NHS and most of us I guess don't have private pet insurance.

[DeptfordDiva]

Initial vaccination courses are vital in both cats and dogs. Enteritis in cats and Parvo in dogs is usually fatal and an awful and preventable way for them to die. You can usually go 4 weeks between the first course with cats, but any later and you do need to restart. The isn't a vaccine against FIV in this country.

[huncamunca]

Its a cat - it will likely run off to someone who can provide them with more attention anyway - let them pay for the vacs.

[Frankito]

I lost my Siamese cat on Christmas Eve last year, he was only 9. He hald his vaccinations as a kitten but nothing after then and died of multiple cancers. If I could go back I would have yearly jabs as you never know.... I still miss him. Better to be safe than sorry....

[Saffron]

In the end, we (re)restarted the vacs for only one cat b/c she is younger/gets up to more mischief etc. We simply couldn't afford to (re)restart the vac for our other kitty at present. Our vet agreed with us that this wasn't ideal, but it would be ok. We'll simply restart for kitty 2 when we have the money. I didn't get to speak w the vet, as Hubby took kitty in for vacs.

But what I really wanted to know is what happens from an immunological point of view. Immunisation isn't an all or nothing process. Boosters are required b/c once peak immunisation is acheived, it then gradually wanes, faster for some types of immunity than others. So Kitty 2, who always had up to date vacs until recently, presuably has at least some immunity?

[Huguenot]

"He hald his vaccinations as a kitten but nothing after then and died of multiple cancers"

Makes note, immunisation prevents multiple cancers...

*scratch*

[Frankito]

Oi smartass, not very sensitive... Save your pop- up intellectualism for the Drawing Room, they seem to love you there, not!

[Fuschia]

Saffron

http://www.2ndchance.info/vaccat.htm

[Saffron]

Thanks Fuschia, and interesting read. :)