cat boosters over the age of 7

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Claire Cameron — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:20:30 GMT

[quote user="Helen SCD"]

Thanks Claire.

Perhaps the veterinary nurses can help educate them

[/quote]

Great idea

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Helen Freer — Sat, 22 May 2010 14:28:45 GMT

Thanks Claire.

Perhaps the veterinary nurses can help educate them

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Claire Cameron — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:41:01 GMT

[quote user="Helen SCD"]

Claire I agree with 'he said she said' and the pressure owners try to put on cattery owners and staff as we are not qualified .

[quote user="Claire 'Duke' York RVN MBVNA"]

[

I think, from my experience, the vets may have asked clients to ask the cattery as some catteries have fairly large isolation facilities for situations like this. S

[/quote]

This may be the case but the isolation facilities are purely there for cats that become ill after arriving and not who come in ill (infectious or contagious) or unvaccinated, as both break our licence conditions (under model licence conditions for catteries) which could lead to us loosing our licience. (The model licence conditions are a more detailed and stricter interpretation of the Animal Boarding Act 1963).

[/quote]

I totally agree. But a lot of vets don't know that.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Helen Freer — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:33:03 GMT

Claire I agree with 'he said she said' and the pressure owners try to put on cattery owners and staff as we are not qualified .

[quote user="Claire 'Duke' York RVN MBVNA"]

[

I think, from my experience, the vets may have asked clients to ask the cattery as some catteries have fairly large isolation facilities for situations like this. S

[/quote]

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Claire Cameron — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:18:55 GMT

[quote user="Helen SCD"]Thanks Claire, That is why we instist on them having completed the course (due to our licence conditions that cats must be vaccinated as per manufacturers instructions and the insurance company requiring it) but it does not seem to stop owners asking us to take their cats after the 1st vaccine and telling us the vet told them to ask if we would! [/quote]

I think, from my experience, the vets may have asked clients to ask the cattery as some catteries have fairly large isolation facilities for situations like this. S

Most likely 9/10 the vet has advised them to ask you but there's a huge chance you'll say no. But as we all know selective hearing is a wonderful thing! and it turns into a game of 'he says, she says'

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Helen Freer — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:14:40 GMT

[quote user="Claire 'Duke' York RVN MBVNA"]

[have any data for off license use of their product. Therefore if you have a problem you have no back up

Does that help?

[/quote]

Thanks Claire, That is why we instist on them having completed the course (due to our licence conditions that cats must be vaccinated as per manufacturers instructions and the insurance company requiring it) but it does not seem to stop owners asking us to take their cats after the 1st vaccine and telling us the vet told them to ask if we would!

It just feels sometime that someone is passing the buck and we are piggy in the middle and have to spoil someones holiday . Or is it more likely that the general public have selective hearing and do not want to listern to any thing they do not really want to hear!Sorry I am ranting again but why do people book their cat in 2-3 months in advance and then sort out the vaccinations the week before!! I feeel like pulling my hair out sometimes.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Claire Cameron — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:00:49 GMT

[quote user="Helen SCD"]Then why is it that I have just had to refuse two cats boarding (who have been in before over 2 years ago) due their vaccinations being out of date by over 18 months,and the vets starting them again with them having to go back for the 2nd vaccination in 3 weeks.[/quote]

Because vaccine manufacturers don't have any data for off license use of their product. Therefore if you have a problem you have no back up

Does that help?

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Anonymous — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:45:14 GMT

[quote user="Dove"]

Someone has been told that cats don't require boosters over the age of 7, apparently they 'simply aren't needed and can do the immune system more harm than good'. Has anyone else heard this?

I know there is the whole argument that there might be immunity there, but a blood titre would have to confirm this surely?

[/quote]

Re: serological testing for titres - in canine vaccination, there is currently interest as to whether there are 'protective titres' or whether the mere presence of ab's indicates the animal could be protected. i.e. are we looking at an actual value, or 'are there some or not'.....I'm not enirely sure about it's use in feline vaccination.

Re: 'more harm than good' - maybe referring to potential for fibrosarcoma incidence?

Maybe you would find this interesting

http://www.wsava.org/SAC.htm - look at the 2007 guidelines. Although I think they are going to be reviewed.

Beth

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Helen Freer — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:58:33 GMT

[quote user="Claire 'Duke' York RVN MBVNA"]

An informed decision should be made on the basis of a risk-benefit analysis, but annual boosters are particularly important to cats that may be exposed to high risk situations e.g. entry to boarding catteries, breeding cats.

[/quote]

Then why is it that I have just had to refuse two cats boarding (who have been in before over 2 years ago) due their vaccinations being out of date by over 18 months,and the vets starting them again with them having to go back for the 2nd vaccination in 3 weeks.

But the owner saying that the vet said it was ok to board!!! We refuse due to being part way through the course and our licence requiring the cats to be fully vaccinated. We often have to refuse booking even though it is on our leaflet and contract the owners sign.

Does anyone know where the idea that putting cats into a cattery after only the 1st vaccination of the course started?

Sorry for the rant but I get fed up and the owners blame us for the problems they now have. I know they do not always listern but it crops up so often that it must come from somewhere.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Dove — Mon, 17 May 2010 01:09:12 GMT

It's someone on a forum telling others that she was told by vets that cats don't need (any) vaccines past the age of 7, she has used the information she was told to not vaccinate her pets anymore.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Rachel Jayne — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:24:41 GMT

I once worked with a vet who would hapilly tell her favourite friendly clients that there was no need to vaccinate cats over 5 for Felv as the incidence of disease over this age is less than 2%

Maybe this is kinda what you heard?

I wouldn't suggest people just didn't give anything past a certain age, as immune systems are going to get weaker with age rather than strengthen...

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Fiona Leathers — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:12:27 GMT

If you use Intervet vaccines they now recommend Doing Tricat & FeLV for initial course, the Tricat/FeLV for first booster, followed by Ducat/FeLV for the next 2 years then Tricat/FeLV etc etc etc etc

Basically the enteritis part of the Tricat now has 3 year duration but the herpes, calici & FeLV virus part only have year long duration, hence the protocol.

We're promoting this protocol and our owners certailny seem to be happy with it, but I have heard the increased immunity arguement before

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Dove — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:47:18 GMT

Thank you for that, that's very informative.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Claire Cameron — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:21:28 GMT

I have never heard about cats over 7 years not requiring vaccines.

However with regards to 3 yearly vaccines the ABCD (Advisory Board on Cat Diseases) issue guidelines and fact sheets. http://www.abcd-vets.org/

http://www.abcd-vets.org/guidelines/feline_leukaemia_virus/chapter-7.asp

"No data have been published to support a duration of immunity (DOI) longer than 1 year after primo-vaccination. Therefore, most vaccine producers recommend annual boosters. However, considering the significant lower susceptibility of adult cats to FeLV infection, the ABCD suggests that in cats older than 3-4 years, a booster every two to three years would be sufficient."

The ABCD suggest that 3-4yearly vaccinations may be sufficient but the vaccine datasheets state annual boosters are recommended, so they will not support any illness that occurs outside their guidelines.

http://www.abcd-vets.org/guidelines/feline_herpesvirus/chapter-7.asp#chapter2_7_2

Although the issue of recommended intervals between boosters is controversial, in view of currently available scientific evidence, ABCD recommends that boosters should be given at annual intervals to protect individual cats against FHV field infections, with the exception of cats in low-risk situations (e.g. indoor-only cats without contact to other cats). In these cases, three-yearly intervals would be recommended. An informed decision should be made on the basis of a risk-benefit analysis, but annual boosters are particularly important to cats that may be exposed to high risk situations e.g. entry to boarding catteries, breeding cats.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Dove — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:33:44 GMT

Apparently info comes from a few vets on an animal behaviour degree course.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Tracy Windler RVN — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:08:39 GMT

Just realised, this thread was aimed at Cat Vaccinations!! Ooops! I'd say pretty much the same, although perhaps you might not vaccinate cats againsts Lepto etc!

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Tracy Windler RVN — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:06:23 GMT

I don't suppose they were willing to say who had told them this? Perhaps to bck up the arguement, you might get some info on the drug company website? I should inagine there is quite a great deal of data regarding this, as they have published studies re: efficacy of vaccines recently. Hence now only needing to do Pi and L every year, the others every 3rd year. I THINK they believe the Parvo lasts for up to 10 years, but have no data to back this up yet. I might be wrong on that, though, and wouldn't risk it for my dog.

I have never experienced adverse effects from "over-vaccination" in my career, so would have no problems vaccinating throughout my dog's life, if anything, when they are older and starting to have other problems is when they might be more susceptible to preventable diseases, if you ask me.

Re: cat boosters over the age of 7

Claire Cameron — Thu, 13 May 2010 11:38:31 GMT

Never heard of it. I guess like anything a degree of immunity is acquired but I've never read any studies proving this.

Usually urban myths stories like this, but on speaking to certificate holders they also don't believe this to be true nor have they seen relevant data