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Going to a new vet - vaccinations?

1791 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  catinthemirror, 
C
So my two cats are headed for their first visit to an all feline vet on Thursday. I'm nervous :???: I've been to three different vets with my cats in the past three years.

The website of the feline only vet says they do vaccinations based on risk of exposure, but when I was making the appointment they really seemed interested in knowing the vaccination history for both my cats. I guess that's normal? None of the other vets I went to seemed interested in what vaccinations they had and when. I guess I should prefer a vet that's interested in my cat's health history rather than one that doesn't care.

But I've done the most research into nutrition for my cats, and I'll admit I don't know as much about vaccines as I should. My mother was always very anti-vaccine for both animals and humans, but I'm trying to take a more moderate and informed approach in the future. If you guys have any resources I could read about vaccinations for cats I would appreciate it a lot. I don't want to go to this appointment and just agree to whatever the vet says because I don't know any better (which is why Moxie was vaccinated for rabies when she definitely didn't need to be, and why Sassy was given a dewormer when she didn't need one), but if my cats are missing any important vaccinations I want to make sure they get them. I've just never had a vet actually explain what they were giving my cats and why, and I can't accept being ignorant in the future..

Sassy was last vaccinated in Sept 2010, and she was given FVRCP (which is apparently for rhinotracheitis, calici virus, and panleukopenia) and FVRCCP (which is for distemper I think?). Sassy is 14 and I'm not sure what vaccines she had as a kitten - we got her from the SPCA.

And Moxie was last vaccinated on December 10th, 2010 and she was vaccinated for distemper, rhinotracheitis, calici virus, chlamydia, rabies and FIV. Moxie is 2, and she was a stray living in our backyard that we took in, so she probably had no vaccines prior to this.

Thanks for any information you can give me - I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed but I want to try to figure out what's best for my cats.
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C
Awesome links Auntie Crazy, thank you so much!

Moxie does occasionally go out on a leash, but she has been vaccinated so I feel like she should definitely still be protected.

Thanks again, I feel much more confident about my decision not to give them boosters now that I have the info to back it up.
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Mitts & Tess
I did a lot of reading on line about vaccinations and I decided not to continue vaccinating my cats. I vaccinate fosters with the initial vaccinations to build an immunity and leave it at that. Ive had indepth conversation with my vet/friend about this and she agrees. Vaccinations are a big money maker for vets. Its a very controversial subject right now.

I liked Little Big Cats article on Vaccinations. Vaccination | Little Big Cat

Your cat is a senior cat and definitely should not be taxing its fragile immune systems fighting off diseases it wont encounter if its a indoor only cat. Esp if it has no exposure to other cats, like an indoor/outdoor cat would have.

Excellent resources Auntie Crazy
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Auntie Crazy said:
If your cats are indoors-only, they have already received all the vaccinations they should ever get.

This is a topic I intend to write about, but haven't yet, so here are some other links for you:Best regards!

AC
Click to expand...
Excellent links :)

Just a point of clarification, though, on your first sentence. Is that to say that if they were to go outdoors they should receive vaccination against additional diseases, or that they should receive boosters more often?

It's mostly academic curiosity at this point (ours are indoors and not receiving annual boosters, except for rabies because it's legally required); I'm just working on understanding the immune system better and am looking for all the resources I can get my hands on :wink:
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C
Well the vet visit was today. At first I really thought it was going great. This clinic advises grain-free wet food to their clients, and the vet I was speaking to really seemed willing to answer my questions and take time to explain things to me. When it came to vaccinations she took the time to explain everything she was recommending, that she does a schedule of vaccinations only every three years, and that it was completely my decision whether to vaccinate my cats or not.

I politely told her I wasn't going to vaccinate my cats at this visit. And suddenly she became very frosty and short with me. She then flat out refused to microchip my cats unless they were both brought in for sedation, preferably as part of an $800.00 teeth cleaning procedure. I booked this appointment specifically for a check up and microchipping, so it would really have been nice to know they only microchip under sedation BEFORE I came in! And funnily enough, this didn't seem to be her policy until AFTER I declined to vaccinate.

As well, the very last part of this visit turned into nothing but a sales pitch for all the other procedures my cats 'need'. Like $50 fecals for each of them 'just in case they have some exotic parasite'. When I asked what they could possibly have that Revolution wouldn't cover she wouldn't answer! I was sent home with FOUR separate estimates for other procedures, for everything from teeth cleaning to the sedation and microchipping. And on the estimate they're even going to charge me a boarding fee to keep my cats for a whole day to recover from their sedation and microchipping. When Moxie was spayed she was only at the vet for a half day!

I am just completely flabbergasted and disheartened. I had no idea it was this hard to find a vet that actually wants to help me keep my cats healthy, rather than one that just expects a closed mouth and open wallet!
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librarychick
Unfortunately I sympathize. I went through the same song and dance with a number of vets who were all about low vaccinations until they realized I meant it and therefore wouldn't be paying for them. I've found that most vets (8/10 that I've seen...) seem to be more interested in filling their wallets than listening to and addressing my concerns. Out of the two left (since I sure wans't going back to the rest of them!) only one was ok with raw feeding.

I love my current vet. I spent a hard 5 years looking for a good one and I'm keeping her!!! She can care for all my pets, is comfortable and enthusiastic about discussing the care I want and why, and always respects my descisions.

When you find a good one hold on with both hands! I give mine jam :)

Honestly though, they are out there. Are there other vets at the same clinic? I've spoken with another vet at the same clinic as my wonderful vet and I was thoroughly annoyed with him. It really depends more on the individual vet than anything else.
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C
Thanks! Believe me, I would settle for mostly decent vet at this point :-? Someone gentle with my cats, who doesn't stretch the truth to try to convince me to pay for services I don't need, who doesn't do things to my cats without my permission (this has happened twice - thankfully it was just a nail clipping and an unneeded deworming but I'm still angry about it!) and who respects my decisions about feeding/vaccinations. That's all I ask! If jam is what it takes I'll learn to make it :razz:

There's no other vets at this particular practice I went to, but there was a vet at the previous practice I went to that I was comfortable with. That practice actually has three different vets - I've been to them all, but she was by far the kindest and most patient (and the least pushy about prescription food). But when I asked about booking future appointments with her only I was told that they don't do that, and I'll simply be seen by whoever is there at the time. I guess I'll just have to try again and see if their policy has changed.
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