How Often Do Cats Need Teeth Cleaning
I received an interesting question in the comments section on a Catster mail service I wrote about Advantage II flea medication:Do indoor-only cats need to be as heavily medicated or vaccinated as indoor/outdoor cats? I understand that I may bring fleas … into my business firm, so I am okay with using something like Revolution, … but practise [cats] really need to exist vaccinated for rabies every yr or get booster shots? I tin can't wrap my head around this. I don't think I can bring rabies home, and there is a lot of conflicting information out there about booster shots.This question is a very skilful one. And it touches upon the ultimate unanswered meg-dollar question of veterinary medicine: How ofttimes do cats demand shots and other preventative treatments?
How frequently exercise cats need shots and other preventative treatments? Kickoff, the basics
In fact, there are answers to the question, "How often do cats need shots?" just they're not very satisfying. Some plausible answers to the question, "How often exercise cats need shots?" are … It depends. Nobody knows.
The correct answer to, "How oft do cats need shots?" is it varies depending upon life stage, lifestyle, geographic location and allowed system function.
People who seek a unproblematic respond no doubt will be put off at this point. Although in that location is no straightforward, unproblematic answer to, "How often do cats demand shots?" there are some guidelines that can help to make sense of cats and vaccines, as well every bit cats and preventative measures.
1. How often practise cats need flea prevention?
The question, "How ofttimes practice cats need shots?" arose out of the context of flea prevention. Do all cats require flea preventatives, or are they more of import for outdoor cats? Many people believe that fleas are contagious and are transmitted from pet to pet. Although a flea-infested cat may spread the infestation to any cat with whom he comes into contact, retrieve that fleas, although thoroughly detestable, have a remarkable capacity for spreading and surviving. Fleas can roam freely and can make their style into houses under their own steam. Therefore, indoor-only cats are at risk of flea infestation even if they exercise not come into contact with any other animals.
This does not necessarily mean that every cat requires a monthly flea preventative. Cats with no pare problems and no visible flea infestation can oft become by with only occasional applications of flea preventatives. And so, in brusque, flea prevention tin can be considered optional for all cats, but especially for indoor cats.
Exist aware, however, that fleas are insidious, and it is not uncommon for cat owners to be unaware of pregnant infestations on their pets. Modern flea preventatives mostly are safe, and fleas can cause all sorts of health problems. Therefore, unless you really know how to monitor for fleas, it's amend to err on the side of using flea preventatives rather than risking an infestation.
2. How frequently exercise cats need shot heartworm prevention?
How about heartworm prevention? Heartworm disease is spread past mosquitoes, which are perfectly capable of making their way indoors. Although outdoor cats are more likely to be bitten, indoor-only cats have the potential to be infected with these serious parasites. The American Heartworm Society recommends heartworm prevention in all cats. And call back that most heartworm preventatives too protect confronting intestinal worms, which can spread to humans.
All the same, heartworm is more common in some areas than in others. Many cat owners elect against heartworm prevention, peculiarly for indoor-only pets. The simplest answer is that at that place is no simple answer.
3. How often practice cats demand vaccine booster shots?
Although in that location also is no simple answer to the question, "How often do cats demand shots?" I am happy to written report that there is an easy answer to the related question of whether indoor cats need booster shots every twelvemonth. That respond is no.
The importance of feline vaccination is roughly inversely proportional to age. Kitten shots are phenomenally of import, and unvaccinated kittens succumb to feline panleukopenia at high rates. I therefore recommend that all cat owners diligently have their cats vaccinated (with the so-called FVRCP) at 6-8 weeks, 10-12 weeks, and 14-xvi weeks. A booster should occur at one year of age. I practise not recommend that any cat receive subsequent boosters any more often than every 3 years; many owners of indoor cats elect a 5-7 year catamenia.
The FVRCP is the almost important vaccine kittens receive. At that place are 2 other vaccines that are in common use. One protects confronting feline leukemia, or FeLV. Indoor cats are non at gamble of contracting FeLV. Therefore, as long as at that place is no chance of escape, indoor cats don't need the vaccine for FeLV at all.
4. How often do cats need shots to protect against rabies?
The final common vaccine in cats protects against rabies. I have written many times that rabies is the most deadly infectious affliction of both cats and humans. Truly, there is no disease that should be more dreaded. Rabies is spread through directly contact with infected (rabid) mammals. Could an indoor cat exist exposed to rabies? Information technology is not probable but it is theoretically possible — I have heard of rabid bats flight downwardly chimneys or through open up windows.
Should the owner of an indoor cat vaccinate his pet against rabies? That depends upon a number of factors, including your tolerance for risk, local laws (which sometimes mandate rabies vaccination in cats), and a cat's likelihood of biting people (if your cat bites someone, your life — and your cat'south life — will be much easier if your true cat is vaccinated against rabies).
Some final things to consider when thinking, "How often do cats demand shots"?
Finally, one must consider the gamble of adverse vaccination events in cats. Cats are at take chances of cancers called injection site sarcomas. Although vaccines accept saved countless feline lives, they likewise take a non-negligible potential to crusade impairment.
And so, what is a concerned cat owner to practise? No honest person can offer a clearly defined thesis on the matter of vaccines and regular parasite preventatives in cats. Only I have been very consistent over the years with the post-obit recommendation. Here it is: Notice a good vet and talk it over. A good vet volition recognize the complexities of every cat's situation, and will take the time to aid y'all tailor a protocol to your and your cat's individual needs. Beware of whatever person who makes the subject sound simple — in truth, information technology is anything but.
Thumbnail: Photography ©Maica | Getty Images.
This piece was originally published in 2022.
About the author:
Got a question for Dr. Barchas? Inquire our vet in the comments beneath and you lot might be featured in an upcoming column. (Note that if yous have an emergency situation, please see your own vet immediately!
Read more on feline vaccines:
- What Vaccines Do Cats Need? A Guide to Shots for Cats
- Rabies Vaccine Required for All Cats in Illinois
- Cat Vaccinations: v Diseases to Protect Kitty From
Source: https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-often-do-cats-need-shots-and-other-preventative-treatments
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