Heather was listless and groggy. A beautiful beige colored kitty her person Penny consulted me saying she was not her normal playful self. She said Heather seemed “energy-less.” The once playful kitty had stopped playing.

Heather told me she thought it was related to something in her body that had been injected by a veterinarian, but her person said it had been 3 years since the cat had been vaccinated.

When Penny took a look at the scruff of Heather’s neck where the vaccine had been injected, she found a small open sore.

Vaccinations Come with Serious Risks

Heather was vaccinated for distemper, the feline leukemia virus, and rabies. Both the rabies and feline leukemia (FeLV) vaccines are commonly associated with injection site tumors in cats, which can be fatal. And several years after the injections, large open sores at the injection site of vaccines can appear.

Are These Injections Really Necessary?

The saddest part of this story was that Heather was an indoor cat who felt safe and secure inside, so there was no risk of her going outside.

That means that the FelV vaccine was not even necessary. FelV carries one of the highest risks of any animal vaccine for creating cancerous tumors.

Here’s what the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends:

We recommend vaccination of FeLV-negative cats allowed to go outdoors or cats having direct contact with other cats of unknown FeLV status. Vaccination is most likely to be useful in kittens and young adult cats, because acquired resistance to infection develops beyond 16 weeks of age.

As of 2006, the AAFP recommends primary vaccination of all kittens for FeLV, but the decision to administer booster vaccines is based on risk assessment. Vaccination is not recommended for FeLV-positive cats and indoor cats with no likelihood of exposure to FeLV.

–AAFP

A type of malignant tumor linked to rabies vaccines in dogs, cats and ferrets called vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS) is not that uncommon, but since these vaccines are required by law, it’s important to give only one vaccine at a time. The effects can also be mitigated by homeopathic vaccine detoxifiers.

Indoor Cats = No Vaccinations Needed

Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian has her own comprehensive recommendations:

If your cat lives entirely indoors, I highly recommend weighing vaccination risks vs. benefits. If she never leaves your home, consider foregoing vaccinations altogether. The risk of not vaccinating is that if your kitty is ever accidentally exposed to disease, her immune system will be naïve from having lived entirely indoors. She could become very sick or die.

Generally speaking, however, for careful pet owners, a cat’s indoor-only lifestyle virtually eliminates her risk of exposure to infectious diseases. It is my belief over-vaccination is one of the primary reasons the general health of housecats is deteriorating. Keep unvaccinated indoor cats from interacting with any other cats and your pet’s risk is virtually none.

Dr. Karen Becker

Simple Rules

Dr. Becker says that when it comes to vaccinating cats that have disease exposure, seek out a holistic or integrative vet. Non-traditional veterinarians are generally more willing to proceed very cautiously in the realm of re-vaccinations, she says.

• Ask for a vaccine titer test that will measure your cat’s immunological protection against diseases. You can’t add immunity to an already immune pet, so don’t keep vaccinating. If your pet needs a booster make sure the following criteria applies for each vaccine:
• It is for a potentially fatal disease (this eliminates many on the list immediately).
• Your cat has the opportunity to be exposed to the disease (indoor cats have little to no exposure).
• The vaccine is considered both effective and safe.
• If your cat does need a vaccine, ask your holistic vet to provide a homeopathic detox remedy called Thuja, which will help neutralize the effects of all vaccines other than the rabies vaccine.

Since rabies vaccines are required by law Dr. Ronald Schultz, a pioneer and expert in the field of veterinary vaccines, recommends the 1-year non-adjuvanted vaccine for cats (not dogs). He says to ask your holistic vet about the homeopathic rabies vaccine detoxifier called Lyssin. If your pet is a kitten, ask to have the rabies vaccine given after four months of age, preferably closer to six months, to reduce the potential for a reaction.
“Do not vaccinate your cat or any pet if he has had a serious vaccine reaction,” he warns.

Who To Avoid

Drs. Schultz and Becker recommend avoiding veterinary practices promoting annual or more frequent re-vaccinations without testing your animal. Try not to patronize any boarding facilities or other animal care service that requires you to vaccinate more than necessary.

Well-educated people in the pet community will accept titer test results in lieu of proof of vaccination.

Dr Ronald Schultz