Matrix vaccination guidelines

Overview:

In 2013, the ABCD published ‘Matrix vaccination guidelines: ABCD recommendations for indoor/outdoor cats, rescue shelter cats and breeding catteries’ in a Special Issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (Volume 15, Issue 7, pages 540–544). The ABCD’s vaccination recommendations were presented in tabulated form, taking into account that there is no universal vaccination protocol for all cats. To support the veterinarian’s decision making, recommendations for four lifestyles were made: for cats with outdoors access, cats kept solely indoors, rescue shelter cats and cats in breeding catteries. This update article follows the same approach, offering current and, where relevant, expanded recommendations.

Introduction

It was evident during the preparation of the ABCD vaccination guidelines that no single vaccination protocol would be appropriate for all cats across Europe. Rather, it is important to conduct a vaccination interview in order to devise a strategy appropriate to the lifestyle, geographical location and disease risks relevant to each feline patient. These matrix vaccination guidelines, like the 2013 version, were compiled to assist veterinary surgeons during the vaccination interview, summarising the ABCD’s vaccine recommendations. The ‘core’ vaccines should be administered to all cats, whereas ‘circumstantial’ vaccines are required under specific circumstances (eg, for cats travelling to areas where rabies is endemic, or cats with outdoor access and therefore at risk of infection with FeLV), and ‘non-core’ vaccines are recommended only for cats at risk of specific infections.

Abbreviations used in the matrix tables

DOI Duration of immunity

FCV Feline calicivirus

FCoV/FIP Feline coronavirus/feline infectious peritonitis

FeLV Feline leukaemia virus

FHV Feline herpesvirus

FPV Feline panleukopenia virus

MDA Maternally-derived antibodies

MLV Modified-live vaccine

PV Primary vaccination course