Cat Fanciers' Association: Vaccination Guidelines

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Feline Vaccine Guidelines

Diane R. Eigner, V.M.D.

Vaccine guidelines promised by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Academy of Feline Medicine¹ have finally been completed. Following is a summary of the over 30-page document, and included is the "short" version of the guidelines. You and your veterinarian can use this guide to establish an appropriate and protective vaccine program for your cat household. The American Association of Feline Practitioners thanks and acknowledges Fort Dodge Animal Health for their financial sponsorship and their support of this project.

In January 1997, the Advisory Panel on Feline Vaccines of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Academy of Feline Medicine (the AAFP/AFM), established practice guidelines for vaccinating cats. Information was incorporated from an extensive literature search and presentations from respected members from a wide spectrum of disciplines in veterinary medicine.

AAFP Vaccine Recommendations
Feline Vaccination Protocol

Vaccines continue to play an important role in the control and prevention of feline infectious disease in an overall preventative health care program for cats. This committee sought to promote the understanding of and to provide guidance for the use of currently available feline vaccines.

It is impractical to recommend a standard vaccination program for all cats because the risk of acquiring a specific infection varies due to the age and health of the patient exposure to other cats, and geographic prevalence of disease. A comprehensive physical examination of each patient at least yearly is important to reassess its health and address possible lifestyle changes that could affect vaccine recommendations.

The ubiquitous nature and the seriousness of infection with feline panleukopenia (FPV), feline viral rhinotracheitis (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and rabies justifies vaccinating all cats against these diseases. These vaccines will be referred to as CORE vaccines. Vaccines against chlamydiosis, FeLV, FIP, and ringworm will be called NON-CORE vaccines. Use of NON-CORE vaccines should be restricted to those cats with realistic risk of exposure to these pathogenic organisms.

Vaccines should be used in accordance with principles of immunology to allow for maximum protection against disease. Factors that affect the immune response to vaccines should be considered prior to vaccine administration. Though annual revaccination has been the professional standard, more recent information suggests that the duration of immunity (DOI) exceeds one year for many feline vaccines today. The panel recommends booster intervals for vaccines against FPV, FHV-1, and FCV every three years. Cats at high risk of exposure, such as those entering boarding facilities, or shown frequently at cat shows, may benefit from more frequent revaccination. DOI studies indicate that three-year rabies vaccines demonstrate effective immunity.

While vaccine administration is not an innocuous procedure, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks for the majority of cats. Cats should continue to be vaccinated to prevent recrudescence of infectious diseases that we now control. The objective of feline vaccination protocols should be to vaccinate more cats in the population, vaccinate individuals less frequently, and only for the diseases for which there is a risk of exposure and disease.

Additional facts:

Use of multiple dose vials is discouraged, since inadequate mixing may result in unequal distribution of antigens and adjuvant. In addition, unless multi-dose vials are consumed when first opened, iatrogenic contamination is a significant risk.
Vaccine site recommendations should be followed in accordance with those established by the AAFP and the Vaccine Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force. It is important to standardize vaccine sites.
Administration of vaccines more frequently than that recommended by the manufacturer is neither endorsed nor recommended. Administration of vaccines more frequently than every 21 days may attenuate immunological responses.
A routine physical examination is recommended prior to the administration of vaccines to cats. Patients in good health are the most likely to respond well to vaccination.
CORE vaccines should be administered to healthy FeLV and FIV infected cats. Killed virus vaccines are preferred for immunocompromised patients because of the potential risks for vaccine-induced infections with modified live virus vaccines.
Vaccinating cats receiving corticosteroid therapy is controversial. Depending on dose and duration, corticosteroids may cause functional suppression of immunity, particularly of cell-mediated immunity. Concurrent use of corticosteroids at the time of vaccination should be avoided if practical, but apparently corticosteroids do not result in ineffective immunization if short-term low to moderate dose regimens are used.
The actual risks associated with vaccination of pregnant cats are poorly documented. While the panel concluded that the risks of vaccinating pregnant queens are likely overstated and that there are circumstances when the benefits of vaccinating a pregnant queen outweigh the additional risks, the routine vaccination of pregnant cats should be avoided.
It is recommended that individuals administering vaccines record the following information in a permanent medical record of the patient: date the vaccine was administered, name of the person administering the vaccine, vaccine lot number or serial number, expiration date of the vaccine, name of the vaccine, vaccine manufacturer, and site of vaccine administration.

AAFP Vaccination Recommendations

The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Academy of Feline Medicine have actively participated in efforts to investigate the causal link of vaccinations to the development of tumors and have established two general guidelines for vaccine administration.

Veterinarians should standardize vaccination protocols within their practice and document the location of the vaccination, the type of vaccine administered, and the manufacturer of the vaccine in the patient's permanent record.
The following vaccine sites are recommended:
- Vaccines containing antigens panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus I, feline calicivirus (+/-Chlamydia) should be administered in the right fore region (RF) or be given intranasally. (IN).
- Vaccines containing leukemia virus antigen (+/- other antigens) should be administered in the left rear region (LR) according to manufacturer's recommendations. Leukemia=Left.
- Vaccines containing rabies antigen (+/- other antigens) should be administered in the right rear region (RR) according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Rabies=Right.

Feline Vaccine Protocol

Vaccine Antigen	Age at Initial Vaccination		Booster Interval	Panel Comments
	Under 12 weeks	Over 12 weeks
Panleukopenia parenteral MLV intranasal MLV	vaccinate at inital visit and then every 3-4 wks until >12 weeks ¹	1 dose	1 year later, then every 3 years	Highly recommended. Not for use in pregnant queens or kittens <4 wks or immune compromised
Panleukopenia killed	vaccinate at inital visit and then every 3-4 wks until >12 weeks	2 doses 3-4 wks apart	1 year later, then every 3 years	Highly recommended
FHV-1/FCV ^{* 2} parenteral MLV intranasal MLV	vaccinate at inital visit and then every 3-4 wks until >12 weeks	1 dose	1 year later, then every 3 years ³	Highly recommended
FHV-1/FCV ^* killed	vaccinate at inital visit and then every 3-4 wks until >12 weeks	2 doses 3-4 wks apart	1 year later, then every 3 years ³	Highly recommended
Rabies killed		1 dose	1 year later, then every 3 years ⁵	Highly recommended for all cats
Chlamydia avirulent live	1 dose	1 dose	1 year later, then annually	Recommended for use in cats at high risk of exposure
Chlamydia killed	2 doses 3-4 wks apart	2 doses 3-4 wks apart	1 year later, then annually	Recommended for use in cats at high risk of exposure
FIP intranasal MLV		2 doses 3-4 wks apart not earlier than 16 wks	1 year later, then annually	It is reasonable to vaccinate cats at risk of exposure to other cats with known or clinically suspected exposure to feline corona virus
FeLV killed	2 doses 3-4 wks apart; 1st dose > 8 wks; 2nd dose >12 wks	2 doses 3-4 wks apart	1 year later, then annually	Follow testing recommendatons as published in the AAFP/AFM Recommendation for Feline Retrovirus Testing. Recommended for use in cats with high risk ⁴ of exposure.
M. Canis killed		Prevention: 3 doses; 2 wks between 1st and 2nd, then 3rd dose 3 wks after 2nd dose. Treatment: 3 doses; 2 wks between 1st and 2nd, then 3rd dose 3 wks after 2nd dose. 3rd dose is at DVM discretion.	Guidelines for long term use or booster intervals not available	Not recommended for routine use. Insufficient data to evaluate use in prevention or elimination of M. Canis infection.

Notes:

Parenteral or intranasal vaccination of kittens between 4-6 weeks of age in high risk environments (catteries, shelters) and orphaned kittens may be indicated.
In environments with enzootic viral respiratory infection vaccination of kittens >2 weeks of age may be indicated using intranasal FHV-1/FCV or > 4 weeks of age with parenteral FHV-1/FCV.
Interval of booster vaccination based on risk of exposure. Cats at high risk, such as those entering boarding facilities or shown frequently at cat shows, may benefit from more frequent revaccination. Duration of immunity beyond one year is based on antibody titers and not challenge.
High risk of exposure to FeLV: includes outdoor cats, indoor/outdoor cats, stray/feral cats, open multi-cat households, FeLV positive households, and households with unknown FeLV status. Low risk of exposure to FeLV would include indoor cats and closed multi-cat households that are tested negative.
While the panel recommended boosters at three year intervals, actual protocols must comply with all local statutes.
*FHV-1/FCV = feline herpes virus 1 and calici virus

For Further Information:

1998 Report of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and Academy of Feline Medicine Advisory Panel on Feline Vaccines. J AM Vet Med Assoc 1998; 212:227-241.