As soon as we adopt or buy a kitten we have to check if the first doses of cat vaccines have already been given, know when the next ones are or start as soon as possible. Just like for humans, vaccines for kittens are essential to prevent communicable diseases, which can cause sequelae and even death of your pet.

In addition to the famous rabies vaccine, there are others that protect your cat from various diseases. Rhinotracheitis, Chalicevirus, Chlamydiosis, Panleukopenia and FeLV (Feline Leukemia) are other serious diseases that can be avoided by correctly following the vaccination schedule. To answer questions about the main diseases and their respective vaccines, we invited the veterinarian....Jackeline Moraes Ribeiro, from Rio de Janeiro. Follow the tips!

Vaccines for kitten cats: find out what are the first cat vaccines

Right from the first days with the kitten it is important to take it to a veterinarian. He is the one who will guide you with the vaccines and the initial care. "From 60 days of life, when maternal antibodies decrease, felines should be vaccinated with the first dose of the Quadruple (V4) or Fivefold (V5) Feline Vaccine. 21 to 30 days later, we apply the second booster dose of the same and the second dose of the same.From the 4th month onwards, the rabies vaccine is given", explains veterinarian Jackeline Moraes Ribeiro. For control, cats also have a veterinary vaccination card and it needs to be up to date. Check below the schedule of the main vaccines, when they should be given and what diseases they prevent.

V4 or V5: the basic vaccine that every kitten should have from the 60th day of life onwards

The famous V4 includes protection against the following diseases: Rhinotracheitis, Chalicevirus, Chlamydiosis and Panleukopenia. There is also the Fivefold (V5) which, in addition to V4, includes Feline Leukemia/FeLV. Learn more about protection against each of these diseases below:

Vaccine for panleukopenia The highly contagious disease can cause fever, vomiting, loss of appetite and diarrhea. In the most severe cases, it can compromise the motor coordination of the kittens. "Distemper (canine distemper) in cats is Panleukopenia, which is a serious viral disease, very contagious and fatal for young cats. It has a rapid evolution and can lead to death due to lack of vaccination, as this virus leads to the fall of the body's immune system.white blood cells, causing a decrease in the animal's immune defenses against the disease," explains Jackeline.

Rhinotracheitis vaccine Rhinotracheitis: caused by herpesvirus, rhinotracheitis can cause conjunctivitis, fever, decreased appetite and, in more advanced cases, can lead to death.

Calicivirus vaccine : is an infection that affects the respiratory system and its symptoms can be confused with rhinotracheitis. Just as serious, the disease can cause ulcers in the cat's mouth and lead to death if not treated in the early stages.

Chlamydiosis vaccine Chlamydiosis: caused by a bacterium, chlamydiosis is a disease that affects the front of the eyeball and can reach the respiratory system. The most common symptoms are conjunctivitis, runny nose, persistent discharge from the eyes, difficulty breathing, fever, pneumonia and lack of appetite.

Vaccine for FeLV or feline leukemia This disease is transmitted to healthy animals through infected animals and compromises the immunity of cats. This way, they become more vulnerable to infectious diseases, malnutrition and reproductive problems. Although it is a disease that can be controlled, it is important for owners who are thinking of adopting a new kitten to know if the new member of the family is contaminated, since it is a disease that can be controlled.just sharing the same water bowl can contaminate the healthy cat.

Rabies and leishmaniasis vaccine: two important defenses for cats' bodies

One of the most well-known diseases, rabies has no cure and, therefore, vaccination is extremely important. "Rabies is an acute viral disease that affects mammals as a progressive encephalitis. Vaccination is extremely important due to its lethality and, because it has high contamination within the urban cycle, it is considered a zoonosis ", explains Jackeline.

The most common symptoms of the disease are: behavioral changes, lack of appetite, discomfort with bright light and self-mutilation. In addition to being transmissible to humans, it can lead to your animal being sacrificed. The first dose is given from 4 months and should be reinforced annually. As a public health issue, there are free vaccination campaigns in some capitals of Brazil. Valeget informed!

In addition to those already mentioned, the leishmaniasis vaccine is also very important. "The most frequent in felines is cutaneous Leishmaniasis. The signs are not specific and resemble other dermatological diseases. The most common symptoms are nodular, ulcerated, crusty lesions, which can be on the nose, ears, eyelids and hair loss. Visceral Leishmaniasis is not common, it is reported that this typehas a high degree of natural resistance and the animals that are affected already have other diseases that compromise them immunologically such as FiV (feline AIDS) and FeLV (feline leukemia) ", explains the veterinarian. Treatment does not allow a complete cure. "In general, we achieve remission of clinical signs, but the animal can continue to carry the parasite, becoming a reservoir of the disease." DessaThis is why the treatment is often contested," he adds.

Is a cat heat vaccine indicated?

An unneutered cat comes into heat several times a year and this can generate a domino effect of unwanted offspring, abandoned animals, difficulty in vaccinating street animals, increased numbers of cats infected with various diseases. Therefore, owners who are unaware of the subject replace the castration of the animal with an injectable contraceptive, also known as "vaccine of ...".Although it may solve the problem of unwanted offspring, the heat vaccine poses a number of serious health risks to your pet. In the long term, the vaccine can cause uterine infections, mammary and ovarian tumors, benign mammary hyperplasia and hormonal imbalance.

Many owners still believe that castration offers risks and is an aggression to the animal, when in fact it is an act of love and responsibility. In addition to avoiding unwanted offspring, castration drastically reduces the risks of tumors and infections in the reproductive organs and breasts. We remind you that the indication of castration or any other surgical procedure with your animal must be done bytrusted veterinarians.

Cat vaccine: prices and other costs

The value of the vaccine should be included in the cat's fixed costs, along with food. The price varies between R $ 50 the rabies vaccine, R $ 100 the viral vaccine and R $ 120 the antifungal. The values may vary according to your region and the costs of application by the veterinarian. It may seem like a high value, but it is actually an investment in your pet's health. For those who want to save money,check if there are vaccination campaigns in your city, the most common ones are free rabies vaccination campaigns.

What are the risks of delaying your cat's vaccinations?

Jackeline Ribeiro recalls that after the initial phase of vaccines, it is important that they are reinforced once a year, only one dose of each, that is, a dose of Quadruple or Fivefold Feline and a dose of rabies. The professional also recalled that "one should not delay the vaccines of the animals, so that they are always immunized against infectious, viral and bacterial diseases".

The period recommended by the veterinarian should always be respected so that the animal is not vulnerable and exposed to risks that are often fatal.