Table 4.
Table 4 WSAVA Guidelines on Feline Vaccination for the Shelter Environment
Vaccine | Kittens (≤ 16 weeks) | Adult and Adolescent (> 16 weeks) | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
FPV | Administer a single dose prior to or at the time of admission as early as 4–6 weeks of age; then, every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks of age if still in the facility. | Administer a single dose at the time of admission; repeat in 2–4 weeks if the animal remains in the shelter. | MLV preparations are preferable. |
FHV‐1 | Use of intranasal FPV vaccines is generally not recommended in the shelter environment. Use of intranasal FCV/FHV‐1 MLV vaccines may be preferable when rapid onset (48 hrs) of immunity is important. Post‐vaccinal sneezing, more commonly seen following administration of intranasal FCV/FHV‐1 vaccine, may be impossible to distinguish from active infection. | ||
FCV | |||
The earlier recommended age (4 weeks) and short end of the interval (2 weeks) should be used in very high risk environments or during outbreaks. | |||
Rabies | If at all, a single dose should be administered at the time of discharge from the facility. | If at all, a single dose should be administered at the time of discharge from the facility. | The administration of rabies vaccine will be determined by whether the shelter is in a country in which the disease is endemic, and by local statute. |
The VGG does not recommend the use of other feline vaccines in the shelter situation.