Fip Cats

Keep Your Cat Healthy With Vaccinations

Vaccinations can protect your cat against serious infectious illnesses, but they aren't one size fits all. Your veterinarian can help you select the vaccines your cat needs based on age, health status, lifestyle and other risk factors. Even though he may not need vaccines that often, your cat should have a veterinary checkup every six to twelve months.

Core vaccines are those that are recommended for nearly every cat and include Panleukopenia, Feline Herpesvirus-1, Feline Calicivirus, and Rabies. The first three are usually combined in a single injection that is given to kittens starting at 6-8 weeks of age and repeated every 3-4 weeks until at least sixteen weeks of age. Adult cats receive two doses initially, given 3-4 weeks apart. Thereafter, the combination vaccine is repeated every 1-3 years. The Rabies vaccination is given first at twelve weeks of age and repeated one year later. After that, Rabies vaccine is repeated every one to three years as determined by the laws in your area.

Feline Panleukopenia, or Feline Distemper, is a serious gastrointestinal disease. Symptoms resemble Parvovirus in dogs and include fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, miscarriage in pregnant cats, and nervous system damage in newborns. It is highly contagious and commonly fatal in non-vaccinated cats. Panleukopenia is rare in properly vaccinated cats.

Feline Herpesvirus-1 (Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus) and Feline Calicivirus cause respiratory illness. Non-vaccinated cats may get severely ill or even die. These viruses are extremely contagious. Vaccination gives incomplete protection, but vaccinated cats get only mild symptoms if they get sick at all.

Rabies is an incurable disease of the nervous system that is nearly always fatal. Worse yet, it is transmitted between most animal species, including humans. Although rabies transmission requires direct body fluid contact, even indoor pets can be at risk since sick wild animals may enter homes or backyards. Regular rabies vaccination is mandated by law in many areas.

A myriad of other vaccines are available for cats. Your veterinarian can help you determine the right ones for your cat.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is an incurable immunosuppressive disease that causes cancers and makes cats extremely vulnerable to other illnesses. Although infected cats can remain healthy for several years, it is eventually fatal in most cases. FeLV is transmitted by close, direct contact between cats, so vaccination is most important for cats that go outside or otherwise contact potentially infected cats. Cats should be tested for FeLV before vaccination, since the vaccine doesn't help cats that already have the virus. Two doses of vaccine are given 3-4 weeks apart, as early as eight weeks of age. Annual re-vaccination is recommended.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is another incurable immunosuppressive disease, sometimes called Feline AIDS. Infected cats often appear healthy for years, but it is ultimately fatal in most cases. FIV is usually transmitted by cat bites. Unfortunately, available tests for FIV cannot distinguish an infected cat from a vaccinated cat.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is an incurable disease that makes the immune system turn itself on. It is usually fatal. The vaccine is most beneficial when given to cats that have previously tested negative and that are about to enter a high-risk environment such as an animal shelter or cat breeding facility.

Feline Chlamydia causes a severe eye infection. Its spread by direct contact and is common in places where large numbers of cats are housed together. Vaccination is recommended for cats at risk.

Feline Bordetella causes upper respiratory illness and coughing. Its highly contagious, but is primarily a concern for animal shelters and cat breeding facilities. Vaccination is recommended for cats at risk.

Ringworm is a contagious disease that causes hair loss and skin irritation. It can be transmitted to other animals and people. However, the vaccination seems to be mainly beneficial for treating cats that already have ringworm.

Preventive health care for your cat means more than just vaccinations. Checkups every six to twelve months can catch many health problems while they are easily treatable. Parasite control, including heartworm prevention in endemic regions, good nutrition, and regular dental care are other keys to keeping your cat healthy for years to come.

Debra Garrison, DVM is a small animal veterinarian in Spring, Texas. Her goal is to promote the bond between the veterinarian, pets and their caretakers through education and information.tvet.com

Is it safe for FIV+ cat to live with FIP+ cats?
Our cat died from FIP one year ago. As a multi-cat household, we're guessing our other cats have the disease, but symptoms have not presented themselves. Though, we have also not had them tested. We recently brought in a stray to our vet, as he needed medical attention. Following some tests and vaccinations, he tested positive for FIV. He is entirely secluded from the other cats. 1) He has recovered from his injuries, is it safe to implement him into the general population (of cats)? I'm worried that FIP could hurt his compromised immune system (having "probable" FIV) since testing is unreliable. 2) Also is there a vaccination for FIP?

Get the answers...

alright so this is the case of which you need to help me figure out what YOU think the problem may be?
alright. 2 days ago i got this egyptian mau, turns out he had FIP. so obviously i had to get rid of him because 1 day after i got this lil guy my dad went out and got me another cat. they spent a total of maybe and hour and a half actually side by side. the rest of the time they were doing their own thing. (FIP cat was sleeping. and Good Old Healthy cat was running around doing his own thing.) so i split em up about maybe 7 hours after haveing the new cat cuz the vet called me and told me to separate em ASAP. (so duh i figured and i did) well anyways i got rid of the FIP cat yesterday. and this new cat seemed fine. so anyways, this cat had solid feces untill today (i think it was untill today) anyways i know he had milk the other day cuz i caught him drinking it from my cereal bowl. so that could have given him the diarrhea he has now. or he could have gotten the FIP. if he has FIP he is doomed to the grave yard. and i know he doesnt have worms. he does have a few ear mites and i cant remember if sometimes ear mites and/or the medication for them can give cats diarrhea or not. so my question is what do you think is wrong with him? i cannot get him checked for FIP for 2 weeks cuz it will take that long to show up in a test. so what do you think? could it be A. the milk he gulped down. B. the ear mite medication. C. the ear mites. or... D. he is having early cases of FIP. just tell me what you think...THANKS! =] the only reason im not taking him to the vet is cuz he was just there a day ago. so dont tell me to take him to the vet. i already did and she said he was fine. i personaly think it was the milk. right now i am giving him minerals and superfood. i give it to my dog when she gets sick and it helps her alot. AND i have had manymany pets and they all lived and were and are happy. i just give them to to friends when i move. SO dont tell me to take him to the vet. just tell me what YOU think. =]

Get the answers...

New Puppy: How to get the parents on board?
I've had my eye on Siberian Husky puppies for a while now and I'm really considering adopting one. I am currently 13 years old and being under 18 means you have to deal with the worst thing a teenage could ever possible think of... the horrible... dreadful... parents....... Now here's the story. In the past I've had several different pets. I started off terribly. I first owned my "very own" pet in 1st grade. Bad Idea, I know. It wasn't my parents fault. My 18 year old sister bought a rabbit for me before she left for college. Nothing they could have done. Do you expect a 6 year old to know how to take care of a rabbit? No. I couldn't take care of it. After a year of owning this rabbit which migrated to the garage (I know terrible) my parents decided to "send it to my sister to live with her in her dormitory". It was just recent when I found out her dormitory has a no pet policy. After that my pets had ended very dramatically. Guinea pig had a heart attack when cousin's Rottweiler took it out of it's cage. Cat was diagnosed with FIP (he got over it and now poops on the floor randomly). The only normal pets we have is our family dog, a turned hostile cat from when I was 7, and a 2 year old beta fish. I'm currently searching for a special needs program to sign up my FIP cat, we just can't take care of him anymore (plus my dad has allergies from him not cleaning himself for a year now). And a home for my cat that turned hostile on us. We no longer are going to keep cats. I guess I understand why my parents don't think I'd be a good pet owner but it's been a while since any of these animals went disastrous. I'm also the kind of person who spends their Saturday nights on Yahoo Answers so I'd love a companion. I've been looking into Huskies for several reasons. - They're ADORABLE! (I know, doesn't count :]) - I read somewhere they can be very annoy when they don't get enough attention, therefore it will be hard for me to ignore them (which is apparently what I've done in the past >.>) - I need a good buddy to exercise with. - Current dog cannot pull me on a long board (Just a joke, don't freak out) - I'll need a good buddy who likes the snow (I plan on taking him to Nevada for College) - Did I mention how beautiful and ADORABLE they are? I honestly think I've changed since my last pet. Actually my last pet was the cat with FIP. I still take care of him and give him attention, we just can't give him a good quality life that he deserves. So its been a good 4 or 5 years since my last gone bad pet, which is a lot of time for change in a kid. I've been trying to show my parents that I am able to take care of a dog, too. The past week I've taken our current family dog to the park and played with him there everyday. I've also been giving him lots more attention, he doesn't usually ask for it so it's hard to tell when he's bored or just chilling. I've also been looking up every bargain for a Siberian I can find. I know your going to think I'm a greedy rich kid because I already have a dog but every pet I've owned was because I wanted a companion of my own. Now that were loosing my cat, I'll be lonely again. I respect that my parents are saying no, but there's a part of me that's saying I could really take care of this guy and I just can't stop obsessing. There's also a part of me that think's I'll never be able to convince my parents again. My mom had said before herself, If we can find safe homes for our cats we can try another animal. I can also pay for it myself... What I need from you is your opinion on this situation. 1. Do I deserve a husky now, or should I wait until I'm out of the house? 2. What should I do to convince the parents? (I showed my mom some irresistible Husky puppy videos and she lightened up a bit at their cuteness. Any suggestions of videos?) 3. If I can't convince my parents how do I get over my yearning for Husky puppies? Are there any clubs or gatherings I can go to to meet Huskies and Husky owners? 4. For something extra, do you have any cute husky stories? Thank you for your help and I will respect your advice if it's to leave my parents alone, I just want to know what is best. In the beginning God created evolution: Thank you sooooo much for all these new details! I will strongly reconsider the situation and reason with myself, the facts, and my parents opinions. However I am even more interested in this dog. But honestly I think it's exactly what I need to teach me discipline. I will wait for a while until I'm ready, older, stronger, and have everything ready. For these control issues would it be best to leash train huskies while their still small? Our yard is so big our dog got lost in it the first time he went out there so that won't be a problem. It's also fenced and theres a concrete barrier around it so I think it might be a bit harder to get out of. I also think I'll need to work with huskies before I adopt one. If you know any California state-wide husky clubs that do gatherings so I can work with adult and puppy huskies I'd love to hear about it. Thank you once again! 4Her4Life: Thanks for the advice! I do plan on exercising my current dog about everyday too. He can only go for about 20 minutes before he gets tired. I'm thinking of joining a club for now and possibly getting a husky later in my life. I want to prove to my parents that I'm not going to give up on this one and I want to prepare by joining a club. Thanks for the link too, I'll check out their website. Giagal: Thanks for your opinion, I think I agree. I'll try to show my parents I'm more responsible, too. That video was really cute :] Thanks for the link :D

Get the answers...

Fip Cats News

Joey the Garden Cat health update

Dr. Terry Dew has good news about Joey the Garden Cat's biopsy report .

The Post published Kittens needed for feline survey

Article

Kentwood Cat Veterinarian Announces Therapeutic Laser Services

KENTWOOD, Mich. -- Kentwood Cat Clinic and Cat Clinic North announced that the cat clinics are now offering therapeutic laser services. The cat care centers now have new laser equipment for performing ...

3 treated after 2 new rabies cases found in Oneida County

VIENNA — Two more cases of rabies have been confirmed in Oneida County and three people are undergoing treatment as a result of exposure to the virus.