Cats are special creatures. They are the "purrfect" combination of independence and neediness wrapped into one furry ball. However, even simple things, such as routine vaccinations, have layers of complexity unique to felines.
As a cat owner, you may not have given vaccines much thought. Whiskers may get whatever shots your veterinarian says he needs. Or, you may think that vaccines are not necessary because Fluffy spends his days indoors only. Maybe you have heard about the cancer that some cats get from vaccines.
These concerns are not unfounded. But vaccines do save lives. The key is to understand what your cat needs and what he doesn't. Of the vaccines he needs, which ones are safest?
The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends all cats be protected against rabies and feline distemper. Rabies is a deadly virus that can affect all mammals. It is a public health concern because pets can be the vector that brings this disease from wildlife to humans. State laws require all cats, indoor and outdoor, be vaccinated against rabies. In my practice, I once diagnosed an indoor cat with rabies. The source of the infection remains a mystery. All family members sought immediate medical care. If a person is unknowingly exposed to rabies and does not seek prompt medical attention, the disease may not appear for weeks or months, but is invariably deadly when clinical signs do appear.
Feline distemper, or panleukopenia, is another deadly virus of cats and other wildlife. Even indoor cats can be exposed because this tough virus can survive extremes in seasonal temperatures and can be carried into homes on shoes. Vaccination is very effective at preventing panleukopenia. This vaccine was once given annually. However, studies in recent years have shown that most adult cats, after the proper kitten series of vaccines, can be effectively vaccinated every three years against feline distemper.
A third vaccine often administered to cats protects against feline leukemia. This is a lifestyle disease and not every cat needs the vaccine. The deadly feline leukemia virus is only spread by direct cat-to-cat contact. Outdoor cats are obvious candidates for the vaccine, as they might encounter an infected cat. Carriers can be asymptomatic, so the pretty kitty that crosses your yard is not necessarily disease-free. Other candidates are indoor cats that might be exposed to new or outdoor cats. Age also plays a big role in feline leukemia infection. Young cats are more susceptible to infection.
There is a myriad of other feline vaccines. For various reasons, I do not recommend them for pet cats in my practice.
The most serious risk with feline vaccines is the potential for vaccine-associated sarcoma. In the past two decades, a link has been found between the development of this aggressive cancer and certain vaccines in cats. It occurs months to years later, at the site of vaccine administration. Despite the best oncology care, these cats have a poor prognosis.
Vaccines stimulate immunity by tricking the body into believing it has been exposed to the disease it is being protected against. The disease organism in the vaccine is altered so that it is able to trigger the immune system without actually causing disease. The altered germ may be killed, modified-live or genetically recombinant.
Not all feline vaccines are equal culprits for vaccine-associated sarcomas. Their risk of causing this tumor depends on how they are made. The odds of killed vaccines causing cancer at the injection site are one in 1,000 to one in 10,000. Modified-live and recombinant vaccines are generally considered safe.
Similarly, not all cats have an equal risk of developing vaccine-associated sarcoma. Some cats have inherited a faulty gene that makes them predisposed to this problem. These cats have mutations of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene. Since most cats' family histories are unknown, carriers of the mutated p53 gene are also unknown.
So what can you do to protect your kitty?
Don't avoid all vaccines. Vaccines do save lives. Keep your cat protected against rabies, feline distemper and, depending on lifestyle, feline leukemia.
Avoid killed vaccines. Talk to your veterinarian and share your concerns. In most likelihood, your cat does not need a killed vaccine. Feline rabies, feline distemper and feline leukemia are all available as non-killed vaccines. These have been available for years and have demonstrated safety and effectiveness. Interestingly, administration of the non-killed, recombinant feline leukemia vaccine is not by injection, but instead by a small, painless device that blasts the vaccine into the skin.
Consider titers. Titers are blood tests that determine whether a vaccine booster is needed. Titers are available for feline distemper. However, there are no reliable titers for rabies or feline leukemia.
Your cat depends on you to make wise choices to protect him. Vaccine selection is among the first big decisions to help your kitty.
¢¢¢
Dr. Heidi Bassler is medical director of the Veterinary Center of Greater Newburyport (www.vetcgn.com). Do you have questions for Dr. Bassler? Send them to heidibasslerdvm@comcast.net.
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