Does an effective feline herpes vaccine exist>

February 9, 2008 4:44 PM

Is there, or is there not, a feline herpes vaccine?

One of our cats has herpes and he's now given it to another one of our cats. Before we bring a new kitten into the house (yes, we're cat people--so sue us!), we want to make sure that we don't pass on the virus to another cat. Our vet says that a vaccine for feline herpes does not exist, but I've read conflicting information on the Web.

posted by Izzy to Pets & Animals (3 answers total)

I don't know for sure, but I was at the vet this week with a stray cat and I asked them to give the cat every vaccination possible. This is what the cat got, according to my receipt:

panleukopenia
rhinotracheitis
calici virus
rabies
leukemia
chlamydia
posted by 45moore45 at 5:30 PM on February 9, 2008

We have two cats, one demonstrates symptoms, one doesn't. The doc who sees both did not talk about a vaccine, so we're assuming that it doesn't exist.

We treat ours with the topical antibiotic to treat the secondary infections and that works well for us.
posted by iamabot at 5:35 PM on February 9, 2008

There is a vaccine for feline herpesvirus type 1 (also called FHV-1 or feline rhinotracheitis virus). Apparently 45moore45's cat was treated with a vaccine for FHV-1. The American Association of Feline Practitioners has released a set of vaccination guidelines for veterinarians titled 2006 Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel Report. Not only does it provide a comprehensive survey of all feline vaccines on the US market, it also suggests vaccination schedules and makes vaccine recommendations. It divides vaccines for all cats into three distinct categories: Core, Non Core and Not Generally Recommended. The Core vaccines are suggested for all cats, and include: panleukopenia (FPV), feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), calici viruses (FCV), and rabies. The Non-Core vaccines are those they consider optional, based on the cat's risk factors: feline leukemia (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), chlamydophila felis, and bordetella bronchiseptica. The last category, Not Generally Recommended, are those that they feel are ineffective or too risky: feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and feline giardia lamblia.
posted by RichardP at 7:34 PM on February 9, 2008