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How Regular Feline Vaccinations Keep Your Cat Safe And Healthy

27 18:17:13
You must vaccinate your pet in order to keep him healthy and safe and to ensure he lives a long, long life. Feline vaccines are administered on a schedule, and when you buy or adopt a kitten, you must establish veterinarian care right away to protect your pet. A cat vaccine like vaccines for humans stimulates the immune system so antibodies are produced against diseases which protects cats from being affected by environmental pathogens. If an immunized cat is exposed to dangerous pathogens, the vaccination ensures he won't get sick; antibodies react quickly to attack the disease, keeping your precious new pet safe and sound.

Kitten Vaccinations

Most vets agree that kittens should get the following vaccinations at 7-9 weeks of age:

• FPV

• FCV

• FHV

• CP

At 12-13 weeks old, they should receive boosters of these vaccines and then again at 16-18 weeks of age. They will also receive a feline leukemia (FLV) vaccination as well as the feline immunodeficiency (feline AIDS) vaccination. At 12-14 weeks of age, the kitten will also need a rabies vaccination. The vaccination schedule of kittens must be monitored by a trained vet because the immune system of kittens is immature and incapable of mounting a good antibody defense to the vaccines that we administer. Because it's not really known when to vaccinate, vets give a series of three or four injections so at least one of them will work.

Adult Cat Immunizations-

When your kitten becomes a cat, you have to continue to protect them from diseases by having adult immunizations administered. One benefit of requiring yearly vaccinations, such as rabies, is that vets get to see the pet once a year, which allows him to detect disease early before it progresses to a deadly stage. Having the vet examine your pets before booster shots, they can catch illnesses sooner. By law, rabies vaccines are required yearly, but studies have shown that a vaccination will provide up to three years of protection. But, still, vets give the shots yearly to keep your cat safe and healthy.

Most vets recommend that cats receive annual booster vaccinations for two years into adulthood for these diseases: feline panleukopenia, feline rhinotracheitis and feline calcivirus. After that, every four-five years is fine. Indoor cats require less frequent booster shots than outdoor cats, so be sure to ask your vet about that.

New Vaccines-

Pharmaceutical companies are working on more advanced dog and cat vaccines. Some companies are even marketing intranasal vaccines for cats--applied to your cat's nose! The Heska Corporation in Fort Collins, Colorado recently launched two intranasal feline vaccines for panleukopenia, calcivirus and rhinotracheitis. You'll want to pay attention to your pet vaccinations so they'll enjoy a long, safe, healthy life.