Contrary to the saying “cats have nine lives,” a feline pet may not be as resilient to the possible illnesses within its environment.
On that note, pet vaccination is a long-term solution to keeping your furry friends strong against the most common diseases. The FVRCP vaccine for cats was made to protect against threats to their respiratory and immune systems.
We’re here to explain what the FVRCP vaccine is, how it is administered, and what you may need to expect from your cat’s behavior post-vaccination.
What Is FVRCP Vaccine?
The FVRCP vaccine is named after the three most common cat illnesses that it tries to prevent: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (the FVR), Feline Calicivirus (the C), and Feline Panleukopenia (the P).
According to the online organization American Humane’s pet vaccination list, it’s one of the two core vaccines for our young felines, the other being anti-rabies.
Let us discuss the three infections that FVRCP protects against to know more. Here’s a breakdown of each virus below:
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1)
Also known as Feline Herpesvirus Type-1 (FHV-1), this infection is known to cause a large portion of a cat’s upper respiratory problems.
It clogs out the sinuses and windpipes, causing an affected pet to breathe heavily and move sluggishly at most. It can also cause complications for pregnant cats.
Some common symptoms are fever, sneezing, and eye and nose inflammations (which may also secrete clear/yellow discharge). For healthier cats, this may last up to 10 days but can last for more than 6 weeks based on severity.
The most severe symptoms may be observed with cats with lower immunity, elderly felines, and kittens—causing depression, appetite and weight loss, and mouth sores.
The virus may remain dormant in the body, even after the symptoms have cleared up. This may lead to further instances of infection in a cat’s lifetime.
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
This infection is similar to FHV-1 in virtue of both being upper respiratory cat ailments. They both share initial symptoms as well, including fever, appetite loss, and eventual weight loss.
In 2-3 days, the cat will suffer nasal congestion from the discharge through their eyes and nose. Their eye areas will also start swelling during this period.
What differentiates it from FHV-1 is that it brings worse oral diseases, specifically ulcers on the nose, lips, tongue, and palate. Added symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, lethargy, and squinting.
For diagnosis, remember that FCV may have different sub-strains. Some cause pneumonia, while others lead to locomotor problems like lameness or joint pain.
Feline Panleukopenia (FPL)
The FPL virus is extremely common and dangerous. It damages a cat’s bone marrow, lymph nodes, and intestinal lining. This infection leads to depression, lethargy, appetite and weight loss, dehydration, high fever, vomiting, nasal discharge, and severe diarrhea.
Cats suffering from FPL, if not treated promptly, may contract secondary infections. While the virus can latch into cats of any age, it might be fatal in kittens.
There are currently no removal methods for the FPL virus once it enters a cat’s system. Thus, the symptoms can only be relieved by intravenous fluid therapy and intensive care (veterinary clinic/animal hospital confinement).
Image source: Google
How is FVRCP Vaccine Administered?
Here are some guidelines followed by professionals for pet vaccinations. These are based on the documentation by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) pro site.
- Following the routes specified in the vaccine’s product labels
- FVRCP vaccines should be administered to subcutaneous areas (fatty tissues under the skin)
- The right front leg is the most standard injection area for FVRCP vaccination
- Vaccine injections are to be administered in the subcutaneous areas below the elbows/knees whenever possible (if the animal is difficult to handle, ensure the vaccine administration takes priority over injecting in a desired precise location)
- A full dosage must be re-administered in cases where the vaccine dose wasn’t completely injected (like if the pet darted out with the needle still stuck in its skin)
- Clean spilled/mis-injected doses of the vaccine thoroughly to avoid accidental ingestion
Here are the standard steps pros follow for injecting the vaccine into your pets:
- Tenting the skin to reveal desired injection area
- Pushing the needle through the skin up until ¼ of the needle’s length is buried within
- Drawing back the plunger (might require needle repositioning if blood or air bubbles enter the syringe)
- Pushing the plunger to dispense the vaccine into the tissue
- Withdrawing the needle swiftly and gently rubbing the injected area to relieve discomfort
When Can Cats Receive FVRCP Vaccine?
It’s best discussed with your trusted veterinarian as to how soon and how often your fur babies can receive the FVRCP vaccine. However, here we have some information from ASPCA’s standard practices that we can derive our findings from.
Kittens can start receiving a series of vaccines at around 6-8 weeks of age. A small dose for each vaccine type may be administered every 3-4 weeks until the kitten reaches 16 weeks old.
Before 6-16 weeks, however, it’s best to allow the mother to provide the fundamental immunity boosters through the milk she produces.
For adult cats, they may be re-vaccinated every 1-3 years, depending on the type of vaccine.
Veterinarians will often check for the cat’s medical history, ensuring that there would be no complications based on their current physical state and age.
Are There Any Side Effects that Require Observation After FVRCP Vaccination?
There are, and most of them are expected to be mild such as soreness/swelling at the injection area, fever, and decreased appetite and activity. If administered intranasally, symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose 2-5 days post-vaccination.
In rare cases, more serious symptoms may show, such as allergic reactions, injection site tumors, diarrhea, vomiting, and burdened breathing.
Contact your veterinarian immediately once these signs appear.
Conclusion
As we have established, our feline friends will need their FVRCP vaccinations to keep them safe from the three most common viral infections. For questions about similar vaccines for pets, you may contact your trusted local veterinarian. Thank you for reading!
Featured image source: Google
