On Monday we discussed core vaccines for cats. Today we are discussing non-core feline vaccines.
The Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Vaccine can cause problems in diagnosis of natural disease. While FIV, like FeLV, is a uniformly fatal, untreatable disease, transmission is more difficult, so FIV is included on the non-core vaccine list.
Other protection is available for cats, including Feline Chlamydia Vaccine. In people, chlamydia causes an STD. In cats, an upper respiratory tract infection occurs. Unlike FeLV, chlamydia infections in cats can be treated. Therefore, if one’s kitty never intentionally goes outdoors, it can be categorized as a non-core vaccine. We discontinue its use after four years of age because protection appears to be long-lasting.
Feline Bordetella, like Bordetellosis in dogs, results in an upper respiratory infection. The disease is unusual in cats, and treatable, so the vaccine is placed on the non-core list.
Likewise, the Feline Giardiasis Vaccine claims to protect against a condition which is uncommonly seen, but usually easily treated.
See you tomorrow, Dr. Randolph.
