Cats - Plague - Immunizations

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Lynn Gerber - 16 Jun 2005 01:38 GMT

I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could answer a question
I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and recently a cat
was found on the reservation with plague. Apparently the cat acquired the
disease from contact with an infected wild rabbit. The incident happened
some distance from where I work.

I work at an Indian Health facility and the infection control officer asked
me if I knew whether there was an immunization available for plague
prevention in cats. One of the offices on our campus has been feeding some
cats. The folks from that department said the cats had received all of
their shots. I am thinking that plague isn't one of routine shots cats get.
Is that correct? If not a routine shot, is such an immunization available
for cats?

Your replies would be appreciated.

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Cheryl - 16 Jun 2005 02:03 GMT

> I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could
> answer a question I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Your replies would be appreciated.

Plague sounds just too general. Also sounds like a cop-out for a
near-future planned culling. I hope you find some answers.

Signature

Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

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claudel - 16 Jun 2005 02:28 GMT

>> I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could
>> answer a question I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>Plague sounds just too general. Also sounds like a cop-out for a
>near-future planned culling. I hope you find some answers.

Bubonic Plague is alive and well in the American Southwest.

It is hosted by fleas that live on rats and rabbits and other
small furry creatures.

Cat catches rat/rabbit, fleas jump onto kitty isn't *that* farfetched
although I've never read of plague transmission via a feline vector.

I don't believe cats are susceptible to the plague themselves, so a
vaccine wouldn't do much good. It seems that it could be possible that
outdoor cats could harbor the plague carrying fleas. I don't know if
there are different kinds of fleas and a rat flea can't live on a cat.

I'd kind of doubt it.

Claude

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Karen - 16 Jun 2005 02:49 GMT

>>> I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could
>>> answer a question I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>
> Claude

Well, considering that half of the Plague problem of the Great Plague is the
result of culling cats (being associated with witches) which allowed the
rodent population to explode, I kind of wonder about this too. But to the
original OP, no, cats are not routinely vaccinated for plague. I really
wonder about this diagnosis too.

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claudel - 16 Jun 2005 02:59 GMT

>>>> I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could
>>>> answer a question I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
>original OP, no, cats are not routinely vaccinated for plague. I really
>wonder about this diagnosis too.

There was a lot of ignorance regarding many subjects in the Middle Ages.

These days most authorities agree that fleas are the plague vector.

Lots of good info here

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/

For instance:

"People usually get plague from being bitten by a rodent flea that
is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an infected animal."

This suggests that the type of flea that carries the plague germ
wouldn't live on a cat...

Perhaps Cheryl is correct that there are excuses being made for
a planned culling. There definately is some misinformation.

The OP should check out the CDC website and pass along the correct info.
It doesn't appear that cats can either contract or spread plague.

Claude

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claudel - 16 Jun 2005 03:04 GMT

>>>>> I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could
>>>>> answer a question I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in
[quoted text clipped - 63 lines]
>
>Claude

Whoops, I read some more on the CDC site.

Another quote:
"Domestic cats (and sometimes dogs) are readily infected by fleas or
from eating infected wild rodents. Cats may serve as a source of infection
to persons exposed to them.
Pets may also bring plague-infected fleas into the home."

Claude

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KellyH - 16 Jun 2005 02:30 GMT

>I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could answer a
>question I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Your replies would be appreciated.

I honestly don't know, I didn't even realize plague was still around. Maybe
try some sites like the CDC or animal control websites? The vaccines cats
normally get are FVRCP (distemper), rabies, and sometimes a Feline Leukemia
vacc.

Signature

-Kelly

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Phil P. - 16 Jun 2005 05:49 GMT

> I was wondering if there is an expert out there that could answer a question
> I have. I live near the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and recently a cat
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Is that correct? If not a routine shot, is such an immunization available
> for cats?

A Yersinia pestis vaccine for cats has been in development for a few years,
but I don't know when it will hit the market. Its not in my latest edition
of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals & Biologicals. If it the vaccine was
available, it would be in the Vet PDR.

Because of low incidence of disease and effective treatment, I don't think
the vaccine is on the front burner.

Phil

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Lynn Gerber - 16 Jun 2005 06:24 GMT

Thanks for your responses.

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