Diseases Kittens are Vaccinated for:

• Panleukopenia
• Rhinotracheitis
• Calici
• Chlamydia
• Feline Leukemia
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis
• Feline Immunofeciency Virus
• Rabies

Panleukopenia

•  What does it do? Panleukopenia causes a deficiency in white blood cells, which in turn lower the immune response. Cats that die from the disease usually die from secondary bacterial infections.

•  How is it spread? Known as distemper, this disease is highly contagious. Indirect contact is the most common means of infection, so contact with contaminated objects. Cat-to-cat contact is also a means of transmission.

•  What are the signs? Depression, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

•  What about treatment? As many as nine out of ten cats that get distemper die from it, so don't chance it! Young cats have a very low survival rate. Those who are infected when they are over 4 months of age must be given fluids and broad spectrum antibiotics to prevent secondary infections, and their own immune system must fight off the disease.

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Rhinotracheitis 

•  What does it do? Rhinotracheitis, or feline herpes virus, invades the lining of the nose, pharynx, throat, sinuses, windpipe and the membranes surrounding the eyes.

•  How is it spread? Directly through sniffing of infected cats; indirectly through sneezing cats spreading the virus throughout the environment and coming into contact with contaminated parts of the environment.

•  What are the signs? Sneezing, depression, loss of appetite, discharges from the nose and eyes.

•  What about treatment? Symptoms resolve in two to three weeks after the onset of symptoms. However, about 80% of cats who contract the disease harbor it for the rest of their lives. When their immune system becomes stressed, the disease flares up again and symptoms are shown again.

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Calici

•  What does it do? It is a very small virus that attacks the mouth, eyes and sometimes lungs of cats.

•  How is it spread? Direct contact in multi-cat homes and shelters allows repeated infection with the symptoms increasing each time; indirect contact includes equipment such as litter pans, food dishes, furnishings, clothing, etc.

•  What are the signs? Vary greatly depending on the age of the animal, amount of exposure, presence of other diseases and other individual differences; most commonly cold-like symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, fever, and runny nose.

•  What about treatment? Only supportive care of the symptoms can be used because this is a virus. This supportive care would depend on the symptoms seen.

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Chlamydia

•  What does it do? Chlamydia is a bacterium that causes upper respiratory infections.

•  How is it spread? This bacterium is spread through the air and is very contagious .

•  What are the signs? Fever, runny eyes with discharge, red or swollen eyes and runny nose.

•  What about treatment? High death rates are reported in kittens and geriatric cats, while otherwise healthy adult cats usually recover from the disease. Vaccinations are given to kittens to prevent infection.

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Feline Leukemia

•  What does it do? Feline Leukemia (FeLV) attacks a cat's immune system, lowering the number of white blood cells produced. Cats usually die from secondary bacterial infections or other diseases that they normally would be able to fight off.

•  How is it spread? The main source of transmission is through cat fights . This is because large amounts of the FeLV virus are shed through saliva and infect cats through bite wounds. It is possible for the virus to be spread through other means of saliva transfer (sharing food and water dishes, grooming one another, from mother to kittens before birth), but it is rare.

•  What are the signs? There is a test to check for FeLV that requires only a small amount of blood. Other than this test, only the presence of other diseases such as lymphosarcomas (cancers of the lymph tissues), anemia, abortion, arthritis and immune suppression can be signs of a leukemia infection.

•  What about treatment? Cats infected with FeLV rarely live four years past infection. Today this is considered to be the leading cause of cat deaths in the United States . A vaccination is available for kittens and adult cats.

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Feline Infectious Peritonitis

•  What does it do? Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a coronavirus that exists in two forms. The “effusive” form causes fluid to collect in the body cavities, which causes swelling in the abdomen and chest. The “dry” form of FIP does not present this way and would include some of the other symptoms, such as general illness, fever, weight loss and anorexia.

•  How is it spread? Through the mouth or nose because the virus may be shed in saliva, urine and feces of infected cats. It most commonly infects cats between 6 months to 2 years old and then cats between 11 and 15 years of age.

•  What are the signs? Swollen abdomen, discharge form eyes or nose, paralysis of hind legs, convulsions, personality changes, eye disease, general illness, fever, weight loss, anorexia and anemia.

•  What about treatment? Treatments may ease the symptoms of FIP, but it will not reverse the course of the disease and in the end is unsuccessful.

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Feline Immunofeciency Virus

•  What does it do? FIV attacks the cat's immune system and eventually prevents it from fighting off other bacterial, viral and protozoan infections.

•  How is it spread? It is mostly spread through bite wounds. Casual, non-aggressive contact between cats does not spread the disease.

•  What are the signs? They usually do not appear until years after the infection occurred. The virus is spread through the lymph nodes, causing a increase in the number of white blood cells produced and swelling of the lymph nodes. However, unless there is a large swelling of the lymph nodes, this stage of the infection usually goes unnoticed. After infection the cat's health may decrease progressively or go through stages of illness and health. The later signs include poor coat condition; persistent fever; lack of appetite; chronic recurrent infections of the bladder, skin and upper respiratory tract; and slow but progressive weight loss. Various forms of cancer and blood diseases are more common in FIV infected cats.

•  What about treatment? No treatment is currently available for FIV. If you cat has contracted FIV, please see the veterinarian for tips on how to manage his lifestyle, keep him comfortable during infection and prevent other animals from contracting the disease.

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Rabies

•  What does it do? The rabies virus affects the nervous tissue of all mammals, causing inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

•  How is it spread? The virus is shed into the saliva of an infected animal and is then transmitted through a bite wound.

•  What are the signs? Most commonly behavioral changes, such as lack of appetite, nervousness and apprehension, uncharacteristic aggressiveness and unexplained paralysis.

•  What about treatment? The disease is almost always fatal. The vaccine is required by Indiana state law and should be given for your and your pet's protection.

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