What happens if you vaccinate a pregnant cat

Many shelters spay pregnant females when they can. When kittens will be carried to term, having pregnant queens immediately enter foster may lessen the likelihood of exposure.

But even when the plan is to carry the kittens to term, it is probably best to vaccinate. If it is possible to avoid housing them in a shelter in a location where the risk of panleukopenia is extremely low, then waiting to vaccinate might make sense.

However, even most foster homes have at least a minimal risk of having panleukopenia exposure so in most cases vaccination is best. You are correct in stating that kittens can be infected in utero if the mother does not have immunity. The cerebellum continues to develop for approximately two weeks after birth in kittens.

Kittens infected in utero before birth , along with kittens infected up to 9 days after birth can develop cerebellar hypoplasia. Vaccines work by provoking an immune response, because they contain antigens that mimic the organism causing the disease. When Kitty gets her shots, her immune system is stimulated and she produces antibodies to fight the antigens in the vaccine.

If she's ever exposed to the real disease, her immune system has been prepared to recognize it and fight it off or minimize its impact on her. Not every cat needs every vaccine, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners classifies vaccines as core or non-core.

Core vaccines are considered to be vital to all cats, and include feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type 1, panleukopenia feline distemper and rabies. Non-core vaccines are given based on Kitty's lifestyle, such as whether she goes outside or stays indoors, and include bordatella, feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and chylamydophila felis. Your vet will recommend which vaccines are important for Kitty's health.

And on the 23rd, Saturday, I could feel about 1 inch fetuses. I have never birthed a female cat So I canceled her spay appointment and started researching. Pretty quickly I found out that you should not vaccinate a pregnant cat, especially in their first 3 weeks of pregnancy. I figure, by the time she started showing, that we vaccinated her in her 4th week.

She got a modified live panleukpenia, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, FIP vaccination. From what I read, and by what my vet says, her babies are probably dead because of the panleukpenia.

I am freaking out. And I feel so guilty! Has anyone had experience with vaccinating a pregnant cat? My vet feels it is appropriate to spay her now and get rid of any dead fetuses.

I know this may be the safest thing to do, but she is growing bigger by the day and I still have hope that she will deliver live babies. I feel so guilty. I guess I am looking for someone to tell me the babies will be fine but I know that is not realistic. In the meantime mama kitty, her name is now Annie, has been confined to the bathroom. She has a constant supply of Purina One and gets a can of Merit cat food as soon as she finishes the previous haha , she has a nest box I guess I am lucky, huh?

But otherwise, she has been eating like crazy and growing day by day. I figure if her babies are dead, she should miscarry them I figure I should be expecting babies within the next weeks Joined Jan 31, Messages 1, Purraise It's possible that the kittens will be born with defects, but it is also possible that they can be born without them.

Don't feel guilty, you did what would have been best for her if she were not pregnant, not knowing that she was. I won't sugar coat it, there is a chance that they will be born already dead or with defects I'm a vet tech- so i've had to deal with this problem more than once. Pregnant cats who are subjected to anestesia or vaccines do have a higher chance of loosing their babies or having defects. BUT that being said- there is also a chance they can make it and be ok. The one thing you absolutely should have done is an ultrasound.

Please get her into the vets office for one- it will help determine how many kittens are present and if they're viable or not. If the vet determines that they are likely dead- a spay is a must- otherwise the momma kitty could have some pretty serious complications. I'm only a pm away if you have any questions or need to talk.

But would she still be growing if the babies were dead? It seems like everyday the lumps in her tummy get bigger. My vet thinks it is best to spay her, regardless if the babies are dead or alive I just can't do that, though. Is it realistic to say that if in 3 weeks, I don't see any movement, the babies are dead? I don't want anything to happen to her Around what week do the queens start to loose fur around their nipples? I noticed tonight that she has lost hair around one of her back nipples.

I can feel at least 3 kittens in her belly. I was looking at pictures from 6 days ago and she was very skinny then. In just this short time she has exploded. Drinking lots is essential for mum to stay hydrated and healthy. Giving your cat more frequent but smaller sized meals throughout the day will help her stay energised.

You can also leave dry food out for her to snack on throughout the day, to fit in with your daily routine. See Feeding during pregnancy and nursing for more information. Taking your time will help your cat avoid an upset stomach. If your cat is on a special diet for health reasons, or has a sensitive stomach, speak to your vet before making any changes to her feeding routine.

This area will be very sensitive, and any touching there could cause her discomfort or hurt her unborn kittens. You will need to help her stay as calm as possible at this time, and anything too energetic could cause her stress. Ideally, your cat will be up-to-date with all her vaccinations prior to breeding. Healthy mothers pass on immunity to their kittens through their milk, so it's good to ensure her antibody levels are at their peak.

Your vet can conduct a blood test to check their anti-body levels to confirm if they need to be vaccinated or not. Remember that if your cat is already expecting and her vaccinations are due, some vaccines cannot be used during cat pregnancy. Speak to your vet to confirm what vaccinations are safe for both mum and kittens. Everything should still go smoothly, but if you have any concerns, speak to your vet. You should also keep up her flea treatment — just confirm with your vet that any medication you use is safe for her and her kittens.