Cat down after booster vacination

LegacyUser

Had both of my cats at the vet for their booster, flea and worm last Friday evening.

Since then the younger one (1 year 4 months), Elma, has been sleeping a lot and very "slitty eyed". Saturday and yesterday I just thought she is just fighting off the vacination. Today Elma looks like she has lost a little weight and she is still snuggled up on the sofa, not pottering around as much as usual.

I'm thinking to bring her back on Wednesday if she does not perk up by tomorrow. She is eating, as far as I can make out. She is just down in the dumps. The other cat Polly is a lot bigger than Elma, but not affected as much.

I'm sure lots of you with Cats have got their booster vacinations done, ever notice a change in their behaviour afterwards, if so am I over reacting by bringing her to the vet again?? Could it be a bad reaction??

Irish-Lass

what vac did your cat get......we got our 3 done earlier in the year and are 2 four years old got the 3 in 1 and were grand....but our 2 year old got the 4 in 1 and it affected her alot she slept alot and just wasn't herself, it took her a few days to come around, just make sure she is drinking something you don't want her to get dehydrated...trying incouraging her to eat with a little tuna not a lot and see if that gets a response

Rantorama

The same happened to my cat a few weeks ago,she was brought to the vet for a booster injection, but when we came home she was very listless and her breathing was also a lot quicker,I rang the vet and she said bring her down,she was given another injection just incase she was having a reaction to the booster.Shes fine now:).You might give the vet a bell,just to be sure.

LegacyUser

That is so true, what is wrong with me??/? A simple phone call to the vet earlier should have been done!

They gave her something called Fevaxyn Pentofel.
She seems to have had one extra that she didn't get last year .. Chlamydia .. along with Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Leukaemia and Panleucopaenia.

I also read a report about cats being drowsy afterwards.

She is definitely not herself, but she is eating. She knows the sound of the wet food bowl clattering on the counter.
Then I call "Elma, want some din dins" and she potters in .. she ate less than a quarter of a pouch .. but its more than she ate yesterday. I'm going by wet food only here, because the other cat doesn't really eat wet food (a dry food cat). Elma eats wet and dry.

Poor little thing. She isn't herself. She is usually pottering around the sitting room dragging her toys behind her. Not usually just sleeping on the couch beside me unless a food bowl rattles. Oh, and her coat is clumpy .. not the normal fluffy feeling

I'll ring the vet first thing in the morning.

Irish-Lass

I think it was the extra vac that has knocked her for seven....when I get mine vac next there they will all be getting the 3 in 1 no extras, mine don't go out so have a minimum risk of getting anything

LegacyUser

I didn't ask for the extra vac. From the info I accrued on the Internet, this is a new vac that is out .. and they all seem to recommend the extras. I'd rather she be protected, cause she is allowed out .. although she doesn't go very far .. other cats frequent the garden too,a dn I have my suspicions about just how vacinated those cats are. So, I wouldn't be inclined to say they vacinated her "too much" ...

Different for cats that are in the house all the time though.

She is looking a bit better now. I'm half thinking now that this also coincides with the weather getting colder and me turning on the heating for the last few days. Maybe they are just being lazy and cosy???

Going to call the vet in the morn anyhows.

LegacyUser

K, I rang the vet and she recommended getting some more Whiskas milk for her. As long as she is getting her fluids and eating a bit then she should be fine. If she isn't improved by Thursday then I'll bring her in.

All could be well when I get home from work today though!

Ramon

Some cats are sensitive to the Nobivac Tri-cat, for a cat with sensitivities ask your vet for an attenuated or dead vaccine. I wouldn't vaccinate for FeLV as it's a harsh vaccine and anyway it only actually works on a small percentage of cats. Sometimes live vaccines can cause symptoms of the viruses they aim to prevent and a cat may need antibiotic treatment to stop secondary bacterial infections. ALso be aware that cats can shed the virus after vaccination so any unvaccinated or weaker cat may pick up the bug.

Good Luck

Ramon

LegacyUser

Hi,
Shes grand now .. the little minx Got over it the day after my post.

BTW Fevaxyn Pentofel is a dead vacine.

B

Ramon

bubby wrote:

Hi,
Shes grand now .. the little minx Got over it the day after my post.

BTW Fevaxyn Pentofel is a dead vacine.

B

That's good news.

Although Fevaxyn Pentofel is inactivated I'm still dubious of it's FeLV component

Ramon

LegacyUser

Point taken .. BUT ..

My cats have ability to go outside and there are a few strays around etc. I'd like them to be vacinated for everything .. regardless (even if there is a chance it doesn't work .. ).
I went with my vet's recommendation on this one.

What makes you dubious about it? Is it Fevaxyn Pentofel's concoxion against FELv specifically .. or would you be against ALL vacinations of cats for FELV?

Ramon

I take your point - I didn't realise they were indoor/outdoor cats, I shouldn't have assumed they were always indoors.

I'm dubious about FeLV vaccines in general, particularly with kittens under 6 months as they can be very harsh on the system and through shedding can be a risk to cats who otherwise wouldn't have exposure to the virus, saying that Fevaxyn Pentofel's probably the safest to use. In your case I can fully understand why you use it - you're doing the best for your cats

LegacyUser

Ramon wrote:

I'm dubious about FeLV vaccines in general, particularly with kittens under 6 months as they can be very harsh on the system

I'd agree with you there 100% , I'd say it would be very harsh on a kitten. I think if Elma had this Fevaxyn Pentofel shot for her first when she was (hhmm .. trying to think when her first one was) 8 weeks that it would have knocked her out!

I'd have to hope that they might use either a smaller dose or a different vacine. Who knows!

Ramon wrote:

and through shedding can be a risk to cats who otherwise wouldn't have exposure to the virus, saying that Fevaxyn Pentofel's probably the safest to use.

Trying to understand this. I have read it Internet too. If it is a dead virus does the shedding risk still come into play?

Ramon wrote:

In your case I can fully understand why you use it - you're doing the best for your cats

Love them to bits the pair of them. I just want to make sure they are safe and that I do the best for them. I had only originally decided to take the little one, Elma, but she missed her Mum so much that Polly had to come too :rolleyes: Polly had been a stray cat in my boyfriend's back garden. He was feeding her, from about 5 months old. She was probably about 8 months old when she arrived into the garden, with a noticeable bulge (Elma and a few others). Her eye was serverely damaged, obviously from a fight. We both took her to the vet, where the eye was removed. We kept her in until the stitches were taken out. The plan was for her to remain as an outdoor cat (get her spayed) and find homes for the kittens. So, thats how I ended up with two little minxies! Every so often I look at Polly and see how much she enjoys life now, and how tough things were for her. She would surely have died if we did not spot the eye issue. We reckon that she may have been a badly handled kitten that got away. She used to be terrified of humans and now rolls over for a pet for me. So, for me, it is important that she has a safe and virus free life, with all the things that the original owner (if there was one) should have given her. She has come a long way .. she could never be a house cat after running wild, hence, I give her the best of both worlds .. a cat flap a magnetic key to her home, her own bed and food .. and whatever vacinations I have to give her. I get so much pleasure from having her in my home and I hope she will be around for many years to come .. no flus, no fleas, no worms .. thats for sure

Ramon

bubby wrote:

Trying to understand this. I have read it Internet too. If it is a dead virus does the shedding risk still come into play?

As far as I know, it's not the actual vaccine so much as the cats immune response to it that creates antibodies, which then have the potential to lead to symptoms and transfer.

finnjim

Beginning to hear more and more personal bad experiences with cats given Fevaxyn pentofel vaccinations, contrarily to the 'official' sites, which claim there is no danger.
My cat Hero had this vaccination thursday week ago. It was the first time he had been vaccined with the Leukaemia part included. By Saturday, he wasn't eating and breathing fast and with difficulty. In the emeergency hospital we found he had atemperature of 105F too. He was givem an antibiotic injection to reduce the fever and came home.
Sunday, back in the emergency hospital, his fever had gone up 105.6F and was taken in. Since then he's had IV fluid constantly, started vomiting and couldn't urinate either. He's been given regular jabs for: pain, antibiotics, antivomiting and a food tube inserted.
This Saturday, I'm told he has eaten a little chicken, but still needs all the treatments continued.
Firstly, why wasn't I warned of this possibility? OK, I may still have risked it, but should have been given the information to make an informed decision. All the official websites claim this can't happen; so hqave the vets.
Secondly, can it possibly be correct for the PDSA to deny me a chance to see him, even once. Worse, they have become very stroppy about even telephoning any more than once a day to ask how he's doing.
All this has me totally messed up, knowing this isn't right, but without a clue on how to set things right.

planetX

one of my cats had a very severe reaction to the Fevaxyn pentofel vaccine - very rapid breathing, shaking, she collapsed and I thought we might lose her (she pulled through). She gets the Tricat vaccine now and has never had a problem with it.
My vet told me recently they've stopped giving pentofel because they've seen so many bad reactions.

planetX

finnjim wrote: »

Beginning to hear more and more personal bad experiences with cats given Fevaxyn pentofel vaccinations, contrarily to the 'official' sites, which claim there is no danger.
My cat Hero had this vaccination thursday week ago. It was the first time he had been vaccined with the Leukaemia part included. By Saturday, he wasn't eating and breathing fast and with difficulty. In the emeergency hospital we found he had atemperature of 105F too. He was givem an antibiotic injection to reduce the fever and came home.
Sunday, back in the emergency hospital, his fever had gone up 105.6F and was taken in. Since then he's had IV fluid constantly, started vomiting and couldn't urinate either. He's been given regular jabs for: pain, antibiotics, antivomiting and a food tube inserted.
This Saturday, I'm told he has eaten a little chicken, but still needs all the treatments continued.
Firstly, why wasn't I warned of this possibility? OK, I may still have risked it, but should have been given the information to make an informed decision. All the official websites claim this can't happen; so hqave the vets.
Secondly, can it possibly be correct for the PDSA to deny me a chance to see him, even once. Worse, they have become very stroppy about even telephoning any more than once a day to ask how he's doing.
All this has me totally messed up, knowing this isn't right, but without a clue on how to set things right.

I hope he's doing better. It sounds awful not being able to see him, don't stop calling just because someone has an attitude.
I still feel angry because when I told my previous vet about the reaction my kitten had, his response was 'a reaction would be very rare' - like he didn't believe me (I'd had to use a different vet for the emergency). I wanted him to report it to the manufacturers, but he wasn't interested. Well of course reactions are going to be rare if no-one has a way to report them when they happen:mad::mad::mad:

finnjim

Thats unusual to hear that at least one vet admits to bad reactions happening, coz not a single professional has said that to me, nor could I find any mention on any official type websites! It's only through these discussion boards and forums that I've found out this side to the vaccine.
I have been given a link to where one can make known about any adverse reactions from a friend on catchat. I don't kn ow if its allowed to put links on these boards, but if anyone wants one, let me know and I wll try.
BTW Finally some excellent news about Hero : (party) Hero is eating, not throwing up and all round MUCH bettrer and he's looking 'bright' they say
He still has his feeding tube in, but not using it, so tomorrow they will take it out and consider letting him come home

planetX

good news that he's getting better!
It's at least two vets, cos my vet said he'd been comparing notes with a colleague and they'd both seen reactions to this one.

The Sweeper

From what I've seen/heard it's the chlamydia element in the combined vaccine that appears to have a negative effect. Two of my own cats (littermates) react to it (high temps, lethargy, pain), as does their third littermate owned by a family member. One of that family member's other cats reacts too.

They all had their kitten vacs, but as adults mine will be titre tested and vacc'd with the individual elements until we see what's causing the reaction. Even then they don't roam and are more likely to be vaccinated again due to travel requirements with a pet shipping company, for instance.

kittyo

We had a problem too with one of our cats last year. 1-day after his booster he became very sick - rapid breathing, high temperature, lethargy and no appetite. Vet diagnosed a respiratory infection and gave him an injection. 2-days later when he was still unwell i brought him back down to vets and he was diagnosed with Pneumonia. I was 100% sure it was because of the booster but vet disagreed. Must check now when i get home to see if the Fevaxyn Pentofel - if it was i will be discussing with my vet. He developed vestibular disease very quickly after the Pneumonia and i was always convinced that the booster and sickness were related. Thanks for the info all.