Jumpstart Your Puppys Immune System
In their first year of life, puppies will need to visit their veterinarian numerous times to get vaccinated for and become immunized against potentially fatal, yet preventable infectious diseases. The worst of these are Distemper and Parvo.
The timing and interval between booster vaccinations is critical to ensure your puppy is protected, as their mothers antibodies can interfere with a vaccinations ability to mount your puppys own immune response. Thus, puppies need a series of vaccinations to allow their immune system to break through waning maternal antibody.
How Much Does It Cost To Vaccinate A Cat
You just adopted a brand-new kitten, or maybe you plan to do so soon. This is a great idea since we know how much joy and unconditional love a pet brings to our hectic lives. But of course, adopting a cat comes with a lot of responsibilities, one of which is vaccination. You will need to budget for these annual costs, as it is important that your kittys immunization record is up to date. This guide will give you a good idea of those costs.
Read on to find out about other mandatory vaccines, why its so important to vaccinate your cat, and a few extras.
Wouldn’t It Just Be Easier To Vaccinate People For Rabies
Preventing rabies from spreading in animals is the best way to protect people. Many wild animals can carry rabies. Fortunately, the only wild animals in Washington that currently carry rabies are bats. Vaccinating pets is an important part of making sure rabies does not become more widespread in other animals in our state. There is a rabies vaccine for people in high-risk occupations, like veterinarians and animal control officers, that is given before being exposed to a potentially rabid animal. It consists of three shots at a cost of about $200 per shot . Rabies vaccines for animals cost $7-20 . The first booster shot is needed after one year, and subsequent boosters typically every three years.
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What Vaccinations Should I Make Sure My New Kitten Has
Vaccinating your kitten helps protect their health, making it vital they are placed on the right vaccination programme at the appropriate age.
There are several vaccines available, and in general terms they can be split into two categories:
- Core vaccines
- Non-essential vaccines
Core vaccines are recommended for all kittens and cats regardless of their lifestyle, whilst non-essential will be recommended depending on the risk of exposure to the specific disease or virus.
Your vet is the best person to recommend the most suitable vaccination programme for your kittens lifestyle.
What Vaccines Does My Kitten Need
Lucky for you, cats are a bit lower maintenance than dogs. That means fewer shots are needed to keep them safe! But Dr. Liff does recommend 3 important vaccines that will protect your kitten against unwanted viruses.
Rabies
Your kitten can be infected with rabies and pass it on to you. Bummer. Indoor cats may not need this shotbut, in most states, your kitty is required to have a rabies vaccination regardless of whether they ever leave your apartment.
FVRCP
A three-in-one deal! FVRCP consists of three core vaccines: FPV, FHV-1, and FCV. Heres what that entails, exactly .
- The Feline Panleukopenia Vaccine , a.k.a. Feline Distemper, prevents the highly infectious feline parvovirus, which is fatal for many kittens.
- FHV-1 is the technical term for the feline rhinotracheitis virus . Sadly, this high-risk virus can lay dormant in your kittens nerves and reactivate itself at a later date. Vaccinating your kitty will prevent a long battle with FVH-1 and symptoms like sneezing, sore throat, and pneumonia.
- FCV, the feline calicivirus, also impacts your kittens respiratory system causing sneezing, inflamed gums, hair loss, and, in some cases, death. Dr. Liff suggests this vaccine be given annually, after the initial kitten doses.
Feline Leukemia
Many cats can live with leukemia. But it might cause other conditions, like lymphoma or anemia.
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Costs Of Veterinary Care For Your Kittens First Year
An initial cost to consider when budgeting for your kittens first year is the cost associated with veterinary care. Veterinary care will play a vital role throughout your cats life, which is why it’s essential to find a vet as soon as you plan to welcome a new kitten into your home. Building a relationship with a trusted vet can help you set up your kitten for a healthy first yearand the rest of their life.
What can you expect for veterinary costs in your kittens first year? Weve broken it down into a few key categories to help you create a well-rounded budget.
The Cost Of Vaccinating Your Kitten In Britain With And Without Feline Leukaemia Virus Included
Though FeLV is not a traditional core vaccine, our research showed that a large majority of the veterinary clinics we surveyed offer the vaccine as part of their primary vaccination package.
While the average price of obtaining a FeLV-inclusive vaccine is higher than without, its worth paying the difference if your kitten needs it.
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What Diseases Can Vaccinations Protect Against
Cats are commonly vaccinated against:
- Cat flu
- Feline infectious enteritis
- Feline leukaemia virus
Your vet can advise which vaccinations your cat or kitten will need to help protect them from infectious diseases. When you get your kitten, one of the first things you should do is register them with a local vet, who will be able to carry out the vaccinations your kitten needs.
What If I Adopted My Kitten
If you adopt a kitten or cat from us, they’ll be vaccinated before they leave our care. That’s one of the reasons we charge an adoption fee when we rehome an animal.
Some kittens may be rehomed before they’re ready for their second set of vaccinations. If this is the case, we’ll let you know and may arrange for you and your kitten to come back at a later date. Otherwise, you can make arrangements with your local vet.
If you’re looking to buy a cat from a breeder, take a look at our advice on what to look for when buying a kitten.
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Costs For Emergency Vet Services
Visiting the emergency animal hospital might cost you $500$1,000 or more, depending on whether you have a cat or a small or large dog and what needs to be done. According to online emergency vet finder Emergency Vets USA, an exam and consultation costs $100$150 bloodwork, $80$200 X-rays, $150$250 wound treatment and repair, $800$2,500 and surgery, $1,500$5,000.
While theres no way to be fully prepared for vet costs, its good to be armed with the knowledge of approximately how much services will cost. My best piece of advice, Albright says is do some research. Compare vet prices in your area before you add any pets to your family.
Its Cheaper In The Long Run
It goes without saying that the more times you take your pet to the vet, the more money youll have to spend. Though a cat or dog may recover from an initial bout of illness, some diseases can severely damage your pets overall health, so you’ll need to take them to the vet more frequently in the long run.
For example, FeLV can seriously impact your cats immune system and make them much more likely to pick up other diseases and develop health issues like anaemia and cancer. A case of parvovirus can cause dogs to have problems with their organs and immune system down the road, too.
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Cat & Kitten Vaccinations
A vaccination appointment is a chance for your cat to get a thorough physical health check, as well as offering them protection against a range of diseases.
A routine procedure, a vaccination appointment is more than just a jab its a chance for your cat to get a thorough physical health check, as well as offering them protection against a range of diseases that can be debilitating, or even kill.
Vaccination appointments are performed by a vet, and should be a routine part of the care of all cats throughout their life even house cats. Although house cats may be less exposed to disease, many of the diseases we can vaccinate against are hardy, and can survive outside of a cat for some time. This means they can be transmitted inside the house, on people or objects, and are still a risk to cats via indirect exposure.
Keeping your annual vaccination appointment every year is really important for both you, and your cat. If you would like to learn more about vaccinating your cat, contact your local Vets4Pets practice here.
How Kitten Vaccinations Work
Kittens receive a series of vaccines over an 8- to 12-week period beginning at between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Some vaccines might be given together in one injection that is called a combination vaccine. At your kitten’s first veterinary exam, your vet will discuss a vaccination schedule as well as other treatments, such as deworming and beginning parasite prevention.
The vaccine injection itself is typically not painful. Your kitten may feel a little pinch or sting, but many do not react at all.
At the first vaccine visit, your veterinarian will do an examination before vaccinating your kitten. Vaccines should never be given to a kitten with a fever or illness as the vaccine will not be effective. Giving a vaccine to a sick kitten can actually make her feel worse.
After a vaccine is administered, immunity is not immediate. It takes about seven to 10 days after the second vaccination to become effective. However, kittens with remaining maternal antibodies for that disease will not be affected by the vaccine. There is no way to be certain if a kitten still has maternal antibodies, so boosters are necessary. True immunity is uncertain until about 16 to 18 weeks of age, or until all kitten boosters are completed. Avoid exposing your kitten to unknown animals until all vaccinations have been given.
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Where Can I Get Low
This rule was created with the help of veterinary medical professionals. Many veterinarians have told us they will help people protect their pets and their communities with low-cost rabies vaccines. You can also contact private veterinarians, animal shelters, and animal organizations in your community who can suggest low-cost options.
To Protect Other Animals And People
When lots of animals in a community are vaccinated, it becomes much less likely that a contagious disease will spread and cause harm to even unvaccinated animals. This is called herd immunity.
Some diseases can be passed from animals to humans, too these are called zoonotic diseases. One example is leptospirosis, which dog vaccinations commonly protect against. Though its rare, this unpleasant infection can be passed onto humans in the form of Weil’s disease.
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When Are Kitten Shots Given
Did you know a kitten’s disease-fighting ability begins with a healthy mother cat? According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , kittens take in disease-fighting antibodies from the mother cat’s milk when they nurse. Most kittens are weaned by around 8 weeks and receive their first vaccinations around the age of 6 to 8 weeks. Boosters will continue to be given every three to four weeks until the kitten reaches 16 weeks old or until the full series of vaccinations are complete.
If you adopt a cat older than that, your vet will help you identify what vaccines are recommended, what age you should begin with the shots and how long they’ll need to be given.
A Free Dog Can Cost You Around $370
When you first get a dog, you have to take him or her in for numerous tests and vaccinations. For a male dog, it can cost pet owners around $300, and for female dogs over $400! Be informed before you “buy” your next free dog. Better yet, play it safe and adopt one. We do all the tests, spaying and neutering, and vaccinations for you — all for our adoption fee of $200. That’s a savings of about $125 to $225 by adopting.
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Budgeting For The Cost Of A Cat Or Kitten
When it comes to the health and well-being of a family pet, there are certainly places that shouldnt be scrimped. But costs of cat and kitten nutrition and costs of cat fashion are two very different things. If youre looking to find ways to care for a cat that better fit your budget, here are a few simple tips:
- Think Adoption First. Adoption fees may be more economical than buying a pet outright, and many shelters cover initial health exams, along with spaying or neutering . Plus, you get the added benefit of giving a loving home to a pet in need. If youre looking for a specific breed, you can typically even find breed-specific rescues to work with.
- Be on the Ball with Veterinary Care. How much do cats cost to care for? It depends, and the best way to save on veterinary costs is to keep your pet healthy in the first place. Dont skip routine visits and stay up-to-date on vaccines. Emergency clinics are pricey , and regular visits to the veterinarian can keep them at bay. You can also check out pet insurance, which could help save on unexpected illnesses in the long-run. Average plans run around $10-40 per month, and can cover a variety of needs.
- Keep it Basic. Skip the fancy collar, opt for a simple stainless steel food bowl and try to resist that robotic, self-cleaning litter box. You can even DIY your own cozy cat tent or create a cat scratching postfrom scratch .
Should Female Cats Have A Litter Of Kittens Before Being Spayed
People used to think that female cats should have a litter of kittens before being spayed, but Corbett says theres no good reason for that. And if youre on the fence about spaying because youd like your children to experience kittens, he has an answer for that, too: become a foster family.
There are a lot of shelters that help moms and kittens and are able to provide that experience of raising kittens, Corbett says. But instead of adding more kittens to the world that need to find homes, youre helping homeless kittens.
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Will I Be Fined For Not Having My Pets Vaccinated
There is no enforcement at the state level, however the intent of this new rule is to educate pet owners about the rabies vaccine and encourage them to protect their pets, themselves, and their families by vaccinating. Any enforcement would come from cities or counties. Some communities already require proof of rabies vaccination in order to get a pet license. Contact your city or county animal control office or local health department if you have other questions.
Cost Of Rabies Vaccine For Cats
If you’re taking your cat abroad, they’ll need a rabies vaccine to return back to the UK. We found that a rabies vaccine costs around £63.2 on average in the UK, but prices in our study ranged from £46 up to £78. Some vet practices offer a “pet passport” package which includes the rabies vaccine and costs from £125. Top tip: be sure your pet is microchipped before getting the rabies vaccine so that the vaccine can be properly traced and linked to your cat.
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Why Should I Have My Animals Vaccinated
- Vaccinating pets prevents them from getting rabies and is one of the most effective ways in preventing rabies exposure in people.
- If your dog, cat, or ferret is not vaccinated, and is bitten by a stray or wild animal, the pet needs to be confined and observed for six months. This strict confinement of a pet could cost a significant amount of money and could harm the animal physiologically. If the pet develops signs of rabies while in confinement, it must be euthanized to be tested for rabies.
- The health risk, stress, and financial burden of a pet potentially being exposed to rabies are significantly less if the pet is vaccinated. Rabies vaccines for pets are an inexpensive way to protect people and other animals. It is worth spending a few dollars to vaccinate your pet instead of spending thousands of dollars on confinement and the potential tragedy of losing your pet.
Why Do You Need To Vaccinate Your Cat
Widespread use of vaccination prevents death and disease in millions of animals. Vaccines protect your pet from highly contagious and fatal diseases and improve your pets overall quality of life.
Indeed, the vaccine remains, to this day, the safest way to protect your animal from the most widespread diseases. Since vaccines contain living or dead bacterial substances, inactivated viral substances, or attenuated viral substances, they help the immune system to fight them later. With a few exceptions, animals that have been vaccinated are resistant to the disease if exposed to it.
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Which Towns And Cities Have The Best Access To Vets For Cat And Dog Owners
We compared the number of cat and dog-owner households in Britains towns and cities to the number of vets registered in each location on Google Maps Business Directory to gain an idea of which locations have the easiest access to veterinary clinics.
In London, we calculated that there are 1,294 cat and/or dog-owning households for every clinic registered on Google more than any other town or city in our analysis. In contrast, the North West city of Carlisle ranks as the location with the fewest pet owners per clinic.