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CAT VACCINES
Your cat (s) should be annually vaccinated against the main viral diseases of Feline Enteritis, Feline Rhinotracheitis (Herpes), Feline Calicivirus as a bare minimum. We now reccomend and provide a five in 1 vaccine which includes these three vaccines as well as Chlamydia and Feline leukaemia.
When a pet visits the Balgownie Veterinary Hospital for their annual vaccines, it's not just given a needle and pushed out the door, our objective is to check the pet thoroughly to make sure there are no health problems.
When we administer a vaccine to a pet, it is usually contains a basic minimum of 3 viruses (see table below)
| Dogs | Cats | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Vaccines | Distemper | Feline Enteritis |
| Hepatitis | Feline Calicivirus | |
| Parvovirus | Feline Rhinotracheitis (Herpes) | |
| Additional Vaccines | Coronavirus | Chlamydia |
| Canine Cough | Feline AIDS (FIV) | |
| Leptospirosis | Feline Leukaemia (FeLV) |
Annual Health Checks are Very Important to Your Pet
Pets age at a considerably faster rate than humans, approximately 7 pet years to 1 of ours. Hence, annual health checks are vital to a pet's health.
If an owner decides to just see the vet once every 2-3 years, it's equivalent to approx. 14 to 21 years between visits.
What we check when examining a pet at its annual health check
The price your vet charges for an annual health check and vaccines is composed mainly of the consultation fee for his/her expertise in examining your pet.
| What your vet checks in a 15 minute annual health check | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teeth & Gums Loose/rotten/broken teeth Gums Tartar Tumours |
Ears Fly bite dermatitis Infection Parasites e.g. ear mites Deafness |
Eyes Cataracts Eyelids Glaucoma Ulcers |
| Skin Allergies Cancer Infection/inflammation Parasites: fleas, mites |
Glands Lymph nodes not swollen Mammary gland cancer Prostate not enlarged Testicles same size |
Body Condition Weight loss or gain since previous visit |
| Heart Murmurs Irregular rhythm Heart rate normal |
Lungs Crackles or wheezes Chest not dull on percussion |
Temperature Elevated may mean an infection or inflammation |
| Circulation Gums good colour- not anemic or bleeding Refill time good Doppler Blood Pressure |
Urine Analysis No blood No sugar (i.e. diabetes) |
Nails Healthy toes Nails not too long |
| Abdomen Kidneys normal No tumours e.g. large spleen tumours |
Joints Cruciate ligaments Patella (kneecaps) |
Anal Glands Not blocked |
There are hundreds of possible health issues that your vet is checking. That's why it takes so long to become a vet. Early detection of health problems is in both the pet's and owner's interests.
Annual Health Checks and Boosters
In order to maintain immunity and good health, we recommend an annual health check and vaccine booster.
Feline Enteritis, this viral disease is highly contagious and has a high death rate. Symptoms are depression, loss of appetite, uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhoea, often with blood and severe abdominal pain.
Feline Flu is normally caused by either Feline Herpes virus, Chlamydia, or Feline Calicivirus (from the same family of viruses being used on wild rabbits). It is possible to have these combined viruses together in the one infection. It is highly contagious and causes sneezing, coughing, runny eyes, nasal discharge, loss of appetite and tongue ulcers.
In the case of the Herpes virus, it may stay for the life of a cat. It acts in a similar manner to Herpes in humans in that the flu symptoms break out every time the cat is distressed e.g. new dog next door, change in the weather. This means continued visits to the vet for treatments.
Chlamydiacauses upper respiratory signs and can be a cause of chronic eye discharges. It can respond to tetracycline antibiotics but it is wise to vaccinate against this disease to prevent it.
Feline AIDS/FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), is a common virus worldwide with the number of infected cats dramatically increasing over the last 10 years.
In Australia approximately 7% to 29% of cats test positive to infection, many of which die from FIV related illnesses each year. Although FIV is very similar to the human AIDS virus (destroying the immune system leaving the animal susceptible to infections), humans cannot contract Feline AIDS (FIV) from infected cats. Transmission commonly occurs through blood transmission. Cats that fight and are outdoors are therefore more at risk.
Feline Leukaemia (FeLV), Cats can be infected by a highly contagious virus called Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV). The virus can be transmitted from cat to cat by grooming one another or sharing food bowls.
The virus causes immunosuppression which means cats will be predisposed to other illnesses like Feline AIDS. It also predisposes cats to certain types of cancers.
At BVH we now routinely vaccinate against Feline flu (Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus), Feline enteritis, Chlamydia and Feline leukaemia. THAT’S A FIVE IN 1 VACCINE WHICH GIVES BETTER PROTECTION THAN A ROUTINE THREE IN 1 VACCINE.