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Littleton West Animal Hospital provides all the services and expert care you will need for your new kitten.

In the first year of a kitten’s life there are typically more visits and preventative treatments than any other time in the cat’s life.  The first three visits include vaccines, deworming, leukemia testing, fecal testing and much education regarding this new kitten.  The timing of these appointments are at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age.  The spay or neuter surgery is scheduled at the last appointment for approximately 1-2 months later.  Vaccines for a kitten are pretty standard and then once the cat is an adult they are administered more on an individual basis.

  • FVRCP combo vaccine includes Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calici Virus and Panleukopenia.  There must be three injections given 3-4 weeks apart.  Any vaccines given too early in the kitten’s life can be inactivated by maternal antibodies and may need to be repeated.
  • FeLV is leukemia vaccine which is given twice, at 12 and 16 weeks of age.
  • Rabies vaccine is given at 16 weeks of age with a tag and rabies certificate

The goal is to separate as many vaccines as we can in order to not give too many at one time.  At any time in a cat’s life they can have a vaccine reaction.  This can be anything from mild lethargy to anaphylactic shock.  The most common reactions are tiredness for 24-48 hours and less common is facial swelling.  We must be informed of any vaccine reaction, but if there is a symptom other than mild lethargy we must see the pet back right away.  If there is a history of vaccine reactions then that pet’s protocol for the future will be altered accordingly.

Deworming is done on a regular basis for most internal parasites, however the fecal exams are necessary for identifying and treating some additional parasites that are not treated unless they are found on the exam.

Spay or neuter appointments are scheduled approximately 1-2 months after the 16 week vaccines are given. The health benefits for this timing are important to prevent many possible problems later in life.

Pet Insurance is an option to look into for everything from preventative care starting as a kitten, to just accident and illness coverage.

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