Recommendations from the Clermont County Humane Society and the Greater Clermont County Veterinary Medical Association Vaccinations - Many serious diseases can be prevented by vaccination. Vaccination is inexpensive protection against costly medical treatment or the premature loss of your pet. Please discuss the following vaccines with your Veterinarian. Rabies Vaccine - Required by law for all cats 4 months of age or older, even if housed strictly indoors. Cannot be given before 3 months of age. Must be administered by a licensed Veterinarian. Regular boosters are required, and owners must be able to produce a current certificate of rabies vaccination. Rabies is a fatal disease, which both people and animals may contract through bite wounds. FVRCP Vaccine - The so-called "distemper/upper respiratory" vaccine, protects against 3 different infectious diseases: panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, and calcivirus. Some Veterinarians also include protection against chlamydia. Panleukopenia causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, and is usually fatal. The other diseases cause severe, debilitating respiratory symptoms. Your Veterinarian will discuss an appropriate vaccine protocol for your cat, based on its age and vaccine history. Recommended for all cats, even those that live only indoors. Remember: after initial immunity is established, regular FVRCP boosters are required to maintain immunity. Feline Leukemia Vaccine - Feline leukemia is a contagious virus spread by direct contact between cats, and is transmitted by body fluids, usually through fighting and mating. It can also be transmitted from a mother to her kittens, either in the womb or through nursing. It is one of the leading killers of cats today. It depresses a cat's immune system and can lead to a variety of secondary infections and cancers, including leukemia. It is incurable, and usually fatal. If your cat is to go outside or be exposed to other cats that do, you are strongly urged to vaccinate your cat against this disease. Your Veterinarian will discuss other risk factors with you, and will recommend a vaccine protocol based on your cat's age and vaccine history. FIP Vaccine - FIP, or "feline infectious peritonitis," is a poorly-understood viral disease of cats which causes a variety of symptoms and is usually fatal. Cats at most risk are outdoor cats and those that live in multiple cat households. There is currently no reliable test for this disease. A vaccine exists, which may be recommended by your Veterinarian based on his/her assessment of your cat's particular risk of exposure. FIV - A disease for which there is no vaccine! FIV, or "feline immunodeficiency virus," has been labeled as the "cat AIDS virus" because of its similarities to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In cats, the virus is thought to be spread by blood to blood contact primarily through bite wounds. It is not transmissible to people or other animal species. Its incidence is highest amongst outdoor cats (especially male) which engage in fighting. Like AIDS, it depresses a cat's immune system making it susceptible to many secondary infections. There is a reliable blood test for FIV that can be done alone or in combination with the feline leukemia test. Keeping your cat indoors is its best protection against FIV and many other diseases. Annual Examinations - Annual physical examinations are essential if your Veterinarian is to have the opportunity to discover serious illness at an early stage, when steps may be taken to lessen the impact of the disease and prolong your cat's life. Many diseases of the heart and other internal organs are clinically silent until they have reached an advanced stage, at which time treatment options may be limited. In other words, your cat could have a serious ailment and appear completely normal to you, until it is too late. Annual examinations also afford you the opportunity to get helpful information from your Veterinarian on questions of behavior, proper diet, parasite management, flea control, disease prevention, allergies, and other topics of interest to you and your pet. The Humane Society will provide you with a list of area Veterinarians who offer a free initial examination for all pets adopted from the Clermont County Animal Shelter. Use this free exam as an opportunity to establish a relationship with one of the many fine Veterinarians practicing in Clermont County and Eastern Cincinnati. Intestinal Parasites - A variety of parasites can inhabit the digestive tracts of cats living in Ohio, leading to symptoms ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to anemia, weight loss, coughing and "scooting." Parasites commonly found include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, coccidia, and giardia. Your Veterinarian can detect the presence of these parasites through the examination of a fecal sample, which you are encouraged to bring with you to your cat's annual physical examination, or whenever your cat is experiencing the symptoms listed above. Once detected, these parasites can be treated with medications your Veterinarian will provide. Flea Control - In addition to making your cat itchy and miserable, flea bites often cause allergic reactions in the skin, leading to skin infections and other lesions requiring medical care. If swallowed, fleas can also transmit tapeworms to your cat. Now, with the introduction of newer, monthly preventatives available only through Veterinarians, including Program, Advantage, and Frontline, flea control has become much more efficient and less labor-intensive. There is no reason any longer to put up with fleas! Your Veterinarian will be happy to recommend products and strategies to help rid your cat and your house of fleas. Behavior - Other important considerations for the well-being of your cat are proper training and socialization. Many animals are abandoned, put to sleep, or placed in shelters each year as a result of behavioral problems, such as house soiling, marking, spraying, clawing and biting. It is important to devote the effort and the time now toward the prevention of these problems, rather than having to deal with them later. Your Veterinarian will be a great source of information and advice on this subject. Spay/Neuter - This surgery is recommended for all cats not intended for breeding, and is required for all cats adopted from the Humane Society. This surgery can significantly reduce the incidence of breast tumors, infections of the uterus (pyometra), testicular disease, prostate disease, and certain undesirable behaviors such as spraying. Of equal or greater significance is the role this surgery plays in reducing the number of unwanted pets in our community, lessening the need for the Humane Society and other organizations to put thousands of these homeless animals to sleep each year. Do your part - spay or neuter your cat! Most Veterinarians advise doing this surgery between 4 and 6 months of age, but it can be safely performed at virtually any age after 8 weeks. Most local Vets will honor the Humane Society voucher. [return to top]