Senior's panel and vaccines

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Helene & Tizon

Helene & Tizon

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Hello!!

I have 2 questions - on which I should know the answer but i can't find it anymore.

I'm looking for the 'senior's panel' per Jojo for blood work for my old dude pls. Anyone saved that post?

Also... because I was at the vet today and they reminded me that Tizon's vaccines are coming due, I recalled a conversation re: diabetes and vaccines. What are the opinions on vaccines with a diet controlled diabetic cat? Any canadian input would be doublely helpful - although beggers cannot be choosers.

Thanks for your help!
 
Hi Helen

I don't know the senior panel post you're referring to, but IMO the standard tests for a healthy senior cat should be:
blood chemistry and CBC
blood pressure

Hope this helps.

ETA: Doh! Forgot T4. I knew there was something .... Older cats should have this done yearly, or sooner if there is any hint of symptoms. I have seen two cats this week suffer severe, life-threatening heart failure from untreated hyperthyroidism :-(
 
I am not currently vaccinating my indoor cats agains rabies or upper respiratory viruses. If you plan to introduce new cats to the household, if your cat goes outside, if your cat goes for boarding, or if you want to cross the border, you may want to re-evaluate. You can do a titre to test the levels if he has been vaccinated in the past.
Bear usually gets a "senior wellness profile" or a "feline geriatric profile". According to the lab website, it includes:
Alanine Aminotransferase
Albumin
Albumin/Globulin Ratio
Alkaline Phosphatase
Calcium
CBC Full with differential and platelets
Creatinine
Globulin
Glucose
ISE Panel
Sodium, Potassium,
Chloride, Na/K Ratio
Phosphorus
Protein (Total)
T4
Urea
 
My cats are all vaccinated as kittens, and then that's it. Personally, I wouldn't vaccinate an indoor senior cat, unless required by law or for other reasons.

Senior panel should include liver and kidney function.
 
Regarding the vaccines, the FVRCP (vaccine that includes URI diseases AND feline distemper, a highly contagious disease that you can track into your house and give your indoor cats) vax lasts at least three years and probably up to seven in most cats. Also, I used to be more carefree about the rabies until Robin (Robin & Peri) and her husband found their two unvaccinated cats playing with an injured bat in the basement ... There published reports of indoor-only cats getting rabies. I vaccinated Dillon last year for the first (and probably last) time.
 
To reduce expense, a free T4 is usually not done unless the cat has symptoms of hyperthyroidism or the T4 test results are in the questionable range for an older cat. Usually the lab doing the test retains the blood for a weeks or so so addition tests can be done.
 
Jess & Earl said:
Regarding the vaccines, the FVRCP (vaccine that includes URI diseases AND feline distemper, a highly contagious disease that you can track into your house and give your indoor cats) vax lasts at least three years and probably up to seven in most cats. Also, I used to be more carefree about the rabies until Robin (Robin & Peri) and her husband found their two unvaccinated cats playing with an injured bat in the basement ... There published reports of indoor-only cats getting rabies. I vaccinated Dillon last year for the first (and probably last) time.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't going to drag out my bat story again, but quite a few years ago I did hustle all of my indoor cats to the vet for rabies shots when I had a colony of bats living in the house :o And I vaccinated my aggressive cat against Rabies this year after he bit a human (me) quite badly, and the Health department came around asking questions. Another risk factor for upper respiratory viruses would be if you have a petsitter come into the house - mine works at an animal shelter, and she is very careful with changing her clothes and washing her hands, but she can bring viruses indoors. Another risk factor - my cats have picked up upper respiratory viruses after visits to the vet.
 
I didn't think of my DPS... good point.

I had been putting all the vaccines in one basket, but it looks like I should be separating them and thinking of each one individually. More thinking is required on this subject....
 
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