Preventative Health Care for your Kitten

Having a preventative health care plan for your kitten is very important to ensure a lifetime of health and well being as a member of your family.

Vaccination Plan

• 9-12 Weeks: FVRCP/C and fecal
• 13-16 Weeks: FVRCP/C, Leukocell and fecal
• 17-20 Weeks: Rabies, FIP and fecal
• 21-24 Weeks: Leukocell, FIP and fecal
• 6 Months Spay or Neuter*
• Yearly Rabies, FVRCP/C, Leukocell and FIP

A fecal check, general dewormer, office visit and examination are all included in the package.

*20% off will be given at the time of spay or neuter if your pet goes through the kitten vaccination series.

What are all of these vaccinations for?

Vaccinations

Many serious infectious diseases of cats can be prevented by vaccination. With over fifty million pet cats in the United States and Canada , your cat is bound to come in contact with an infectious disease at some time. Even indoor cats can be exposed to viruses carried in the air, in dust or on clothing. Vaccination is an inexpensive protection against costly treatment or the premature death of your cat.

Vaccinations for cats work just like vaccinations for people. Researchers have been able to change viruses so that they are no longer able to produce sickness and disease. When the safely altered virus is given to your cat, he or she responds by producing antibodies. These antibodies circulate in your cat's blood, protecting him for infection. Booster shots, or revaccination, should be given annually to continue this protection for the rest of your cat's life.

As soon as you get a new kitten, it should be vaccinated. Although kittens may receive some disease immunity from their mothers' milk, it is difficult to predict how long this protection will last and to what extent. All kittens that go through this series of vaccinations will be protected against: Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, Feline Leukemia Virus, and Feline Infectious Peritonitis.

Things to Remember about Vaccinating your Cat:

1. Vaccination is an economical protection against a number of costly and often fatal diseases. Many of these diseases cannot be cured, only prevented.

2. Even cats kept indoors can be exposed to infectious diseases and should be vaccinated.

3. Vaccination is a preventative measure only. It will not cure an existing disease.

4. While kittens may receive temporary immunity from their mothers, this immunity is unpredictable and usually disappears by 9 to 12 weeks of age. Kittens should be vaccinated at this time.

Parasites

Roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and coccidia are four of the most common parasites that can reside in your cat's digestive tract. They rob your cat of good health and nutrition. The vomiting, diarrhea, anemia and dehydration associated with intestinal parasites weaken a cat, making it more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections and diseases. One study estimates that 10 percent of the early deaths of kittens are parasite related. They are easy to detect and easy to treat, so don't take the risk!

Fecal Flotation

Why?

Fecal flotation tests are performed once a year on adults because cats can easily become infected from fleas, walking in contaminated grass, sniffing infected areas and from eggs carried in on your shoes. Kittens can become infested with worms during fetal development or after suckling on their mother's milk. They should have a fecal exam at 9-12 weeks of age and then at each subsequent visit during the kitten series. Females to be bred should have a fecal examination done prior to breeding.

How?

A narrow test tube is filled with a salt or sugar solution. The eggs of hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and coccidian are lighter than the solution used, so the eggs float to the top and stick to a glass coverslip placed on top of the test tube. The slide is then examined under a microscope. Intestinal parasites may show no visible signs, or they can cause weakness, bloody diarrhea and sometimes death. A fecal examination is very simple and the treatments are easy.

Find additional information about parasites that affect your cat here.

Dental Care

• Kittens receive 26 temporary teeth at about two to three weeks of age. They develop 30 permanent teeth at about three to four months.
• Studies show that by age three, about 70 percent of cats show signs of gum disease.
• Cervical line lesions are the most common dental disease of domestic cats. The disease, which is also referred to as neck lesions, was virtually unrecognized until the mid-1970s. Recent studies show that about 28 percent of domestic cats show at least one lesion. These lesions often begin below the gum line, so they can develop undetected. Often, the first sign to the pet owner is a severely inflamed gum around a single tooth. Other signs include bad breath and tooth sensitivity. Pet owners should seek veterinary care if their cats exhibit any of these symptoms.
• What can you do to help prevent dental disease?

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