And my cat is desperate to get out all the time. I don't think it's
because she's mistreated. Some cats want different things.

Rabies and FeLV vaccines are both known to cause sarcomas in some of the
animals they're injected in to. However, that problem is not caused by the
viral component of the vaccination, but by the adjuvants - other things
added to improve the efficacy of the vaccine. While improving efficacy is
a noble goal, I'm not willing to expose my kitties to sarcoma
unnecessarily. PureVax does not contain adjuvants.

One of the other reasons for injecting rabies vaccine into a rear leg is
to identify which vaccine caused any sarcomas that show up. I don't have
notes in front of me, but the standard recommendation is to inject rabies
vacc into one of the hind legs, FeLV vacc into the other. But using
non-adjuvanted vaccines makes those concerns pretty much a non-issue.

Rabies vaccine is given only to humans at high risk, such as
veterinarians, people who expect to be in the remote areas of countries
with large numbers of rabid animals, etc.  Given the hazards of the
booster vaccines, however, people who have been vaccinated are tested
first for blood antibody levels.

If the levels are adequate for protection, no booster is needed that
year. If they are low, then the booster is given.

I don't know the costs of the antibody testing, but, if this were made
an option for cats, it might constitute a scientifically valid method
of exposing the furkids to the least possible number of rabies
vaccinations.

My cats are very large and very fiesty and during the injections, so much
commotion was going on with both the tech and me restraining them I didn't
notice which shot went into which leg (!) but it seemed like a waste of
money to get the 3-year rabies if vet said studies proved it not effective
for the full time. None of my cats over years have ever got any lumps at
injection site nor sarcomas. I
was amazed re the revelation about germs traveling into
house by foot (mine). We live and learn. The cats were upset bigtime by our
vet visit - not by their treatment, but
just coincidence - LOL - Santa was there that day, posing for photos with
many large dogs, who, while waiting, came over to sniff the doors of my
carriers, initiating much hissing, "popping", and yelling from the
incarcerated ones.

http://www.local6.com/news/5699220/detail.html?treets=orlpn&tid=265305504881

3&tml=orlpn_dailyforecast&tmi=orlpn_dailyforecast_1_04000112292005&ts=H

I live in Zephyrhills and I go to Dr. Roberts off 301.  I like him and
he
really seems to love animals.  Some vets are cold, you know?  Where are
you
located?

kili

We are near rt 19, and go to pasco animal hospital on 19 just north of
main st in new port richey, they are just south of  a lincoln mercury
dealership there. It was a practice of 3 vets, and was just bought out
by a newcomer to the area, and only one of the former vets stayed.
Prices have of course tripled.... they do a lot more 'preventative'
measures now, covering their butts and recommending lots of testing and
doing xrays and stuff...... spay/neuter used to cost 50-75 ish bucs, now
its 125...they do preop tests...use the new  meds for anesthesia and
stuff..  I guess I liked it more in the olden days when if i wanted the
fancy stuff, I could ask for it, but if things were routine, then all
was ok, and it didnt cost a fortune.  Never once had they recommended
dental cleanings for our doggie, and  the first time she was seen by the
new regeime,  it was she needs cleaning, needs anesthesia, needs preop
testing before anesthesia, needs to have a test done on her heart before
anesthesia because of a heart murmmer.  The ultimate cost for a very
needed teeth cleaning was $1800  - but no previous vet ever even
recommended it.
We also have Koko who i have written about previously who has recurrent
uri's and  feline herpes.  The 'new' improved vet has never even heard
of 3/4 of the meds that she is on, but when i read online about feline
herpes, its not really NEW treatments, or NEW meds  that she is on.....
So , we just go with the flow sorta, and see how they do treating her.

this page http://pascoanimalhospital.com/750722.html has a pic of koko
when she was just a tiny baby....... the staff there are wonderful to
us, always take us if there is an emergency (during normal times) ......
so that  is mostly why we have stayed so far.
 And i guess, because when we do want to try something new or that they
havent heard of, they do at least try to work with us, at least so far.

laurie
www.richandlaurie.com

koko
kady
gabby