Ask the Veterinarian/Vaccinations

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Expert: - 8/14/2010


Question
Firstly, thank you for your time and your help.

My question is a simple one. I have my first cat. I have had her for 7 months now. She is about 2 years old. I got her as a stray and took her in to the vet to get shots and test for the feline leukemia virus, feline AIDS virus, worms, etc. back in January.

Anyhow, after dealing with my vet on several other occasions with my other pets, I sometimes feel that they exaggerate the need for me to come in and I waste money on "check ups" and the like. They say she is "due for her shots again in January".

Do cats need shots every year and if so, which ones so I don't end up getting screwed into unnecessary treatments. Do they need the feline AIDS and feline Leukemia vaccines every year or are those good for life?

Thank You,

Sari

This will be 1 year since she

Answer
They need a leukemia, FIV and distemper vaccination yearly. They need rabies once every three years. Some vets are selling the feline 4-ways, as we call them, that are good for three years. Some vets don't believe in three year vaccinations as they haven't been around long enough to know whether or not they are still effective after three years.

I vaccinate mine every two years and rabies every three. I was doing yearly but skipped a year by accident and kept that schedule.

She should have a check up each year. This is how problems are caught and treated early. Since you are already in the office, some people opt to renew their vaccinations then.

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

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I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

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Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

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Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

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Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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