Welcome to Sphynxlair! Connect with Sphynx owners & enthusiasts around the world!

FHV and vaccines

Reina

Lairian
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
106
Points
61
Hi all. I need some help! My Odis has been sick since shortly coming home from the vet..it started with an eye infection, which turned into a URI and finally got the confirmation that he has FHV.
Odis was on an antibiotic for two weeks and we started him on a lysine regime of 250 mg twice a day. We have done this for a month. He does really well then suddenly has a snotty day or two. He sometimes breaks into this weird "hacking" outbreak which our vet has said is his way of clearing his throat.
All throughout however, he has never lost his spirit. He is very lively and such a troublemaker!

Here is my dilemma though. He needs to get his shots ( I am not sure how long you can wait to give them their 3rd FVR-C-P [is for same as fhv? Does he still need this?] and rabies shot)and I was initially told by the vet tech that they won't do it if he is sick(before we learned he has fhv).

Well since he out breaks like once every two weeks, what do I do about his shots? Is it safe to just wait til he has a good day? I haven't called to ask the vet yet! I am unfamiliar with fhv (while I have done my research..living with it is another thing!) as Odis is the first kitten I ever had with it, and while I know you just have constant flare ups, how does this affect them getting their normal shots?

I appreciate any help! Sorry I am such a worry mum!
 

Dallassummer

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
692
Points
178
You could probably do it while he is not flaring up. We think Simba has a similiar issue, or allergies. We are going to do his when he is not sick, since the virus is then dormant.

How did you confirm he has Herpes?
 

admin

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
23,725
Points
643
Hi all. I need some help! My Odis has been sick since shortly coming home from the vet..it started with an eye infection, which turned into a URI and finally got the confirmation that he has FHV.
Odis was on an antibiotic for two weeks and we started him on a lysine regime of 250 mg twice a day. We have done this for a month. He does really well then suddenly has a snotty day or two. He sometimes breaks into this weird "hacking" outbreak which our vet has said is his way of clearing his throat.
All throughout however, he has never lost his spirit. He is very lively and such a troublemaker!

Here is my dilemma though. He needs to get his shots ( I am not sure how long you can wait to give them their 3rd FVR-C-P [is for same as fhv? Does he still need this?] and rabies shot)and I was initially told by the vet tech that they won't do it if he is sick(before we learned he has fhv).

Well since he out breaks like once every two weeks, what do I do about his shots? Is it safe to just wait til he has a good day? I haven't called to ask the vet yet! I am unfamiliar with fhv (while I have done my research..living with it is another thing!) as Odis is the first kitten I ever had with it, and while I know you just have constant flare ups, how does this affect them getting their normal shots?

I appreciate any help! Sorry I am such a worry mum!
If the vet said hold off with the vaccinations, I would take that advice. Here is a good thread on vaccinations - http://sphynxlair.com/community/threads/vaccines.4627/ also, during herpes flare ups, I know others bump up the Lysine to 500mg (ask vet first obviously.) see this thread on Lysine - Feline Herpes

Here is the current vaccine protocol (most sphynx owners DO NOT do the "Optional" especially the FIP & FeLV vaccines, which can also void your kitten contract):

Healthy kittens and adult cats should be vaccinated for "life threatening" diseases like panleukopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus (FVRCP), and rabies. These are considered the “core” vaccines – ones that every cat should receive. While vaccines come in a variety of form and combinations, the most commonly used FVRCP vaccine is a multivalent vaccine: it contains viral antigens for several diseases. The rabies vaccine is a monovalent vaccine. It contains viral antigens for one virus: the rabies virus.

Optional or “non-core” vaccines available for cats include Chlamydophila felis(a respiratory pathogen, formerly called Chlamydia), the feline leukemia virus(FeLV), the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus, Bordetella (another respiratory pathogen), Giardia (an intestinal protozoan), and ringworm (a skin fungus). Some of these vaccines are believed to be fairly efficacious, while others are considered nearly useless.

Kittens, typically presented to veterinarians at 6 to 8 weeks of age, should receive an FVRCP vaccine, with additional boosters given every 3 – 4 weeks until 12 weeks of age. Kittens older than 12 weeks of age, and adult cats with no known vaccination history should receive an FVRCP vaccine, and one additional FVRCP booster 3 – 4 weeks later.

All cats should receive a rabies vaccine at 12 – 16 weeks of age.

At one year of age, or one year after the last vaccination, an FVRCP and a rabies vaccine should again be administered.

How often these “core” vaccines should be administered is not entirely clear. Vaccination is a medical procedure, and like all medical procedures, it carries some degree – granted, a very small degree – of risk The goal of veterinarians should be to vaccinate as many cats as possible, but reduce the number and frequency of unnecessary vaccines.
 

Reina

Lairian
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
106
Points
61
This is perfect @admin! I really appreciate your response, the vet tech had said before we even knew what he had that we needed to wait if he wasn't well but now that he is better but still with minor outbreaks I wasn't sure if we still needed to wait.. I should clarify with our vet! The info on the vaccines is great and sometimes they throw all these vaccines and you don't really understand what each one is about. This is why I asked.

@Dallassummer our Odis had all the symptoms and after being treated for the eye infection and a URI the vet then confirmed that since it still was around after being treated with meds that it was fhv and he recommended the lysine. Me being the worrisome mum I am had still questioned if it really is, or some.type of allergy as his snotty days are so brief. Our next visit, I'd like to bring it up however, those could also just be his outbreaks. It's still all new to me.
 

Dallassummer

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
692
Points
178
Yea simbas vet goes back and forth between allergies and herpes. There is no blood test to figure it out either. :-(
 

MunnkieSphynx

Lairian
Joined
May 13, 2014
Messages
205
Points
51
My contract with the breeder says I can't get him FeLV, FIV and another one or two. Why is that??


If the vet said hold off with the vaccinations, I would take that advice. Here is a good thread on vaccinations - http://sphynxlair.com/community/threads/vaccines.4627/ also, during herpes flare ups, I know others bump up the Lysine to 500mg (ask vet first obviously.) see this thread on Lysine - Feline Herpes

Here is the current vaccine protocol (most sphynx owners DO NOT do the "Optional" especially the FIP & FeLV vaccines, which can also void your kitten contract):

Healthy kittens and adult cats should be vaccinated for "life threatening" diseases like panleukopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus (FVRCP), and rabies. These are considered the “core” vaccines – ones that every cat should receive. While vaccines come in a variety of form and combinations, the most commonly used FVRCP vaccine is a multivalent vaccine: it contains viral antigens for several diseases. The rabies vaccine is a monovalent vaccine. It contains viral antigens for one virus: the rabies virus.

Optional or “non-core” vaccines available for cats include Chlamydophila felis(a respiratory pathogen, formerly called Chlamydia), the feline leukemia virus(FeLV), the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus, Bordetella (another respiratory pathogen), Giardia (an intestinal protozoan), and ringworm (a skin fungus). Some of these vaccines are believed to be fairly efficacious, while others are considered nearly useless.

Kittens, typically presented to veterinarians at 6 to 8 weeks of age, should receive an FVRCP vaccine, with additional boosters given every 3 – 4 weeks until 12 weeks of age. Kittens older than 12 weeks of age, and adult cats with no known vaccination history should receive an FVRCP vaccine, and one additional FVRCP booster 3 – 4 weeks later.

All cats should receive a rabies vaccine at 12 – 16 weeks of age.

At one year of age, or one year after the last vaccination, an FVRCP and a rabies vaccine should again be administered.

How often these “core” vaccines should be administered is not entirely clear. Vaccination is a medical procedure, and like all medical procedures, it carries some degree – granted, a very small degree – of risk The goal of veterinarians should be to vaccinate as many cats as possible, but reduce the number and frequency of unnecessary vaccines.
 

admin

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
23,725
Points
643
My contract with the breeder says I can't get him FeLV, FIV and another one or two. Why is that??
Most breeders have added this into their contracts as so:
'Feline Infectious Diseases, Chapter 7, page 54, (first column, last paragraph), written by Niels C. Pedersen, D.V.M., Ph.D.'

Attached is the PDF with the said information their referencing in their contract about FIP. Also, some claim the FeLV vaccine can give false positives in cats and kittens and when tested for the virus can possibly cause the cat or kitten to be euthanized if the said cat or kitten is found lost or missing and winds up in a animal control type environment and never claimed by the owner. Also, some find the vaccines to be harmful in some case and particular cats and only find the vaccines acceptable if the said cat or kitten is exposed to "outside" cats.
 

Attachments

  • Feline Infectious Diseases Niels C. Pedersen, D.V.M .pdf
    1.5 MB · Views: 28

Helsinki

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
917
Points
218
How did you confirm he has Herpes?

I spoke to a vet about this... There is testing that can be done but it is expensive and inaccurate. I was told by several vets that somewhere around 90% of cats carry herpes, though only a small percentage show symptoms. My vet told me that if herpes symptoms are recurring (eye issues, upper respiratory issues), they simply assume herpes and treat accordingly.

@Reina - herpes positive cats actually benefit from boosters of the herpes vaccine :) it can help reduce the occurrence of flare ups as well as reduce the severity of symptoms. I am sure that your baby can get his vaccines scheduled once he is over any flare ups :)
 

Reina

Lairian
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
106
Points
61
@Helsinki that's really interesting! And I hope is true for his case. My vet thinks once he turns one it could lie dormant and he could not flare up again. I don't want to hold up hopes because he has had many flare ups... He will go a week perfectly fine and then get all snotty for a day or two then it goes away for another week.
 

Helsinki

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
917
Points
218
@Helsinki that's really interesting! And I hope is true for his case. My vet thinks once he turns one it could lie dormant and he could not flare up again. I don't want to hold up hopes because he has had many flare ups... He will go a week perfectly fine and then get all snotty for a day or two then it goes away for another week.

I wouldn't be surprised if it got better when he gets older. My friend has a herpes cat and she had a lot of issues when she was younger but she's an adult now and she really doesn't have any problems. She has a watery eye and that's about it.
 
Back
Top