Welcome to Veterinary Healthcare Center, where our experienced veterinarians emphasize preventive measures to help your beloved cat enjoy a healthy and long life. In line with this, our Monterey Park vets highly recommend administering the FVRCP vaccine to all cats. Let's take a closer look at how the FVRCP vaccine safeguards your cat's well-being.
Core Vaccines to Protect Your Cat
As a cat owner, knowing about core vaccines that can keep your pet safe and healthy is crucial. The FVRCP vaccine is one of these core vaccines and is highly recommended for all cats, whether they are indoor or outdoor. The other core vaccine is the Rabies vaccine, which is mandatory in most states.
Even if your cat lives indoors, it's important to remember that viruses that cause severe feline illnesses can linger on surfaces for up to a year. This means that if your indoor cat sneaks outside, even for a brief moment, they could be exposed to the virus and get seriously sick. So, it's always better to take preventative measures and vaccinate your cat against these viruses.
Conditions That The FVRCP Vaccine Protects Against
This vaccine can protect your cat from three serious, contagious, and life-threatening illnesses. These illnesses are Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calicivirus, and Feline Panleukopenia. The vaccine is named after these three illnesses - the FVR stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, the C represents Feline Calicivirus, and the P at the end of the name stands for Feline Panleukopenia. Giving your cat the FVRCP vaccine is an effective way to keep them healthy and protected.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1)
Feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), also known as feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), is a highly contagious upper respiratory disease in cats. It's responsible for up to 80-90% of all feline respiratory infections. FVR affects the nose and windpipe of cats and can also cause complications during pregnancy. Common symptoms of FVR include fever, sneezing, inflamed eyes and nose, and discharge from nose and eyes.
In healthy adult cats, mild symptoms typically last around 5-10 days, but severe cases can persist for over 6 weeks. Kittens, senior cats, and cats with weakened immune systems are more prone to severe and persistent symptoms. FHV-1 can lead to depression, loss of appetite, severe weight loss, and sores inside the mouth of cats that are already ill. Bacterial infections often occur in cats with FVR. After the initial infection, the virus remains dormant in the cat's body and can reoccur throughout their lifetime.
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a virus that can cause upper respiratory infections and oral disease in cats. When a cat is infected with FCV, they may experience symptoms such as congestion, sneezing, eye inflammation, and discharge from their nose or eyes. Additionally, some cats may develop painful sores on their tongue, palate, lips, or nose.
Other signs of FCV infection include a loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, squinting, and lethargy. It's important to know that different types of FCV can cause additional symptoms such as fluid buildup in the lungs or joint pain and lameness.
Feline Panleukopenia (FPL)
Feline Panleukopenia (FPL) is a serious virus that affects cats and causes harm to their bone marrow, lymph nodes, and intestinal cells. Symptoms of FPL include depression, loss of appetite, high fever, lethargy, vomiting, severe diarrhea, nasal discharge, and dehydration. Cats with FPL often develop secondary infections due to their weakened immune system. Although this disease can affect cats of any age, it is particularly dangerous for kittens as it can be fatal. Unfortunately, no medication can cure FPL, so treatment focuses on managing the symptoms, such as dehydration and shock, through intravenous fluid therapy and intensive nursing care.
When Your Cat Should Recieve The FVRCP Vaccination
As a responsible pet owner, it's important to protect your furry friend from common cat diseases such as FHV, FCV, and FPL. One way to do this is by giving your kitten their first FVRCP vaccination when they are 6-8 weeks old, followed by booster shots every 3-4 weeks until they are 16-20 weeks old. Then, they will need a booster when they turn one year old and every three years after that.
If you want to learn more about the recommended vaccination schedule for your cat, visit our website for additional information.
Risk of Side Effects from The FVRCP Vaccine
Vaccines typically don't cause side effects in cats, but if they do, they're usually minor, such as a slight fever and feeling unwell for a day or two. Sometimes there may be a bit of swelling where the injection was given.
However, in rare cases, cats may react more seriously. This can happen right after the vaccination or up to 48 hours later. The signs of a severe reaction can include hives, swelling around the lips and eyes, itching, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. If you notice any of these severe symptoms in your cat, get in touch with your veterinarian immediately, or take your cat to the nearest emergency animal hospital.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.