The Truth about Rabies Why WRAH Chooses 1 year Rabies Vaccines for our Felines

What is Rabies?
Rabies is probably the oldest recognized infectious disease, and possibly the first recognized zoonotic disease (something that can be passed to humans). Rabies is a viral disease that causes infection of the peripheral and central and nervous systems. Rabies can be transmissible between many species including domesticated and wild mammals, including humans. According to the AVMA, “There are over 4,000 mammalian species which are susceptible to rabies, although only a few of these species are considered major reservoir hosts. In the United States, the most common reservoir species are raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes.”

How do felines get Rabies?
Cats are more likely to contract rabies than dogs because cats are more likely to roam outside unsupervised. Cats are also less likely to be vaccinated for Rabies because of the difficulty and stress of bringing them to the veterinarian. According to the AVMA, “In 2008, the number of rabies-infected cats was almost 4 times the number of rabies-infected dogs and 5 times the number of rabies-infected cattle.” Because West Ridge knows how stressful taking your cat to the veterinarian can be we have established a cat friendly room that eliminates some of the tension and promotes a more relaxing enjoyable visit for both you and your cat.

Vaccinating your Feline
Rabies is a disease the can be easily prevented through routine visits and vaccinations. It is recommended that all felines be vaccinated for this disease due to increased exposure and risk due to their curious nature. Even indoor cats can contract Rabies, and that is why WRAH would like all of our feline patient to be vaccinated. At West Ridge, we use a 1 year rabies vaccine as recommended by the American Association of Feline Practitioners, because it is the safest and most effective vaccine for felines.

1 year vs. 3 year Rabies vaccines for Felines
All vaccinations come with their own set of risks. For cats, one of the most serious is fibrosarcoma, a type of cancer that appears at the injection site and spreads rapidly. This usually occurs with vaccines that have an adjuvant added to a vaccine to stimulate the immune system to react to the vaccine and allow the immunity to last longer in the body. This product is usually found in 3 year vaccines. The adjuvant in feline vaccines is usually made up of Aluminum salts. Our hospital uses non-adjuvant Rabies vaccines. Due to the increased risk of Fibrosarcomas, we believe, along with the American Association of Feline Practitioner, that using a 1 year, non-adjuvant vaccines is the best option for our patients. Even though this risk of a fibroscarcoma to form is rare, it is a risk we are not willing to take. For more information on the risks of Rabies or Fibrosarcomas in Feline see the refrences listed below.

References:
The American Association of Feline Practitioners: Feline Rabies
      http://www.catvets.com/cat-owners/disease-and-conditions/rabies

The American Veterinary Medical Association Website: Rabies Background
      https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/LiteratureReviews/Pages/Rabies-Backgrounder.aspx

The Veterinary Partner Website: Vaccine Associated Fibrosarcoma
      http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=526