Are you a cat owner and like to know what does FVRCP vaccine protect against? In this article you will get a detail information about this.
FVCRP is abbreviated form of a cat vaccine which is considered as one of two core vaccines necessary to protect cat’s health. You can take this vaccine shot for all the cats regardless of indoor or outdoor. Rabies is recommended to be the other core vaccine. At the same time, vaccination your cats against rabies has become mandatory by law in some parts of the world.
As a cat owner, you may think that my cat remains at home in an indoor environment. So, why do I need to vaccinate my cat against those diseases?
The reality is that, the virus can survive in the environment without a living cell for up to around one year. So, whenever, your cats have a chance to go outside even for a moment, this can fall them at risk of getting viruses by contact with environmental objects where the viruses might exist.
Moreover, those viruses that cause cat flu are so common to cause infection to any healthy cats.
As there is every chance to cause death to your cats, this is wise to have this vaccine shot to prevent the disease. This is an important part of core vaccination protocol for your cat. That’s why you need to know what the FVRCP is, what the viruses against which it works are and how it helps keep your lovely cats safe from such unexpected situation.
In this guide I shall discuss focusing on what does FVRCP vaccine protect against for your cat in details. You will also know some other relevant topics frequently asked on this issue by going through this post.
Let’s discuss step by step regarding the vaccine.
What does FVRCP vaccine protect against?
Before going to the main point, let’s know some preliminary idea on this.
What is the FVRCP vaccine?
This vaccine is very common and one of most frequently used one for protection your beloved cat against three different disease. All of those diseases are extensively contagious that can cause serious health effect cats especially in case of kitten.
These three diseases are considered as life threatening risks for your cats.
You can tell it as a combined vaccine which works against three different diseases. These three diseases are –
- Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis
- Calicivirus, and
- Feline Panleukopenia
So, FVRCP vaccine has been prepared for combatting the above three diseases. I am describing further details below the name of those three diseases one by one in next para.
Read more – why is it important to vaccinate your cats?
What does FVRCP stand for and what does FVRCP vaccine protect against?
It’s an extremely important vaccine combination against three different highly contagious life-threatening viral infections in order to help your cats keep protected.
Now, I shall explain how this abbreviated terms derived or what does FVRCP stand for.
This term comes from the name of three different viruses or diseases combining which the vaccine is produced. These are as follows –
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR)
The causal agent for this condition is feline herpesvirus 1 or FHV-1 which is considered to be the cause of around 90% of all upper respiratory tract infection (UTI) in cats.
The virus can cause severe inflammation in the trachea, larynx, and inner membrane of nasal passage which are the parts of upper respiratory tract in your cat. This leads to sneezing, runny nose, itching sensation, nasal congestion, and etc.
However, the disease is not so severe in healthy adult cats. The symptoms show often in milder form. The kitten, immunosuppressed cats or older cats are comparatively more susceptible to this virus.
The disease condition can become more complicated due to secondary bacterial infection.
In milder form of disease, the symptoms can disappear within 5-7 days where as in severe form it can last even up to 6 week or longer.
Once recovered from the disease, the virus is not completely eliminated from the cat’s body. The infected cats remain as the carrier of the virus in dormant state.
Now, let’s see the next part of FVRCP.
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Here, the ‘C’ from FCV comprises the ‘C’ of FVRCP which stands for calicivirus. The full scientific name is feline calicivirus or VCV. The way how FVR causes disease effect to the cats, FCV works in the similar way to strengthen their combined force to affect.
Symptoms also are almost same as the former one. In addition, there might develop a painful and irritating ulceration on the tongue surface, lips, palate or nose due to the infection caused by FCV. The eyes can also be affected which shows swollen symptom and there might have watery discharge as a common phenomenon.
This is important to note that there are different strains under this virus group. Some strains are milder and some are more sever. The intensity of the disease depends on the types of virus strain affected your cats. Depending on the severity, the disease symptoms can move to some other internal organs causing pneumonia, joint ill, and lameness and so on.
Sometimes, the disease becomes fatal due to infection by more severe strain of the virus.
Now, let’s move toward the next part of the vaccine.
Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV)
This is the last disease out three against which this combined vaccine works.
The ‘P’ from FPV makes the last letter ‘P’ of the FVRCP.
The feline panleukopenia is another important and highly contagious virus in this combination that can cause deadly effects in your cats. It’s another name is feline parvovirus. The mortality rate is usually higher for kitten affected with this virus.
Though the disease starts with mild symptoms like loss of appetite or decreased energy, after that the condition progresses towards diarrhea and vomiting.
This virus has a detrimental effect on white blood cell by affecting bone marrow of the cat that ultimately suppresses body immune system. This is how your cat becomes more vulnerable to secondary infection due to infection with this virus.
When should your cats get FVRCP vaccine shot?
In order to get the best possible result, you should start FVRCP vaccine shot for your cat at around 6-8 weeks of age. As the disease is more serious for kitten and mortality rate is usually higher in kitten, you should emphasize more to start vaccination from this age.
After that, a booster shot need to be provided at every three to four weeks interval until 16-20 weeks old.
When your cat will be one year old, another booster should be given. Then continue at every one year interval until expire.
This is how, FVRCP vaccine may protect your cats producing a uniform level of antibody to fight against those microbes.
Any side effects of FVRCP Vaccine?
The good news is that there is no such remarkable side effect after vaccination. However, in some cases, there might have a bit of swelling at the injection place or a slight rise of body temperature from normal, or may be self-central for one or two days, like this.
In rare cases the post vaccination symptoms can be more serious like swelling around the eyes and lips, itchiness, vomiting, diarrhea or even difficulties in breathing.
However, if you observe any such reaction mentioned above, contact your vet as soon as possible for necessary action.
How much does FVRCP vaccine cost?
Actually there few different manufacturer companies produce this vaccine worldwide. So, the cost of FVRCP vaccine depends on the brand your will be choosing. Furthermore, the country or place where you live.
Regardless of brand and place, the cost of this vaccine can range between $20-30 USD. To know the price, you can visit your nearby pet hospital.
Read more – How much does cat vaccine cost?
Conclusion
If you are a cat owner, you need to have this vaccine for your cats at particular time interval mentioned in the above. You already got know what does FVRCP vaccine protect against as well. As it’s a combined vaccine works against three different diseases, the things have become easier for you to tackle.
