At Manchaca Road Animal Hospital, we have recently incorporated a new vaccine protocol for our feline patients. Rest assured that we have always used the highest quality vaccines, administered at the recommended vaccination schedule.
Our policy has only changed because we believe these new vaccines have something extra…or more to the point, they don’t have something extra… the adjuvants added to most vaccines. Meriel’s Purevax vaccines have the highest safety protection available without the adjuvants that can cause, in a small number of cats, vaccine associated fibrosarcomas. Purevax vaccines are the only non-adjuvanted vaccines available.
So what are adjuvants? An adjuvant is not necessarily a bad thing. Adjuvants are added to vaccines to facilitate immune stimulation in a killed virus vaccine. This holds the virus in place under the skin for a couple of weeks so that it can release slowly. The problem lies when there is an unusual and rare reaction to this additive causing a malignant tumor called a fibrosarcoma to occur.
Malignant fibrosarcomas are difficult and deeply rooted tumors that can take anywhere from two months to several years to develop after a vaccine is administered. To add to the equation, malignant fibrosarcomas can also be caused by a virus or occur spontaneously. So you can see that this is a complicated issue. The best that we can do is to minimize the chances of vaccine associated fibro-sarcoma. Although this is a rare problem, it is a very serious one and one that inspired new recombinant technology used by Meriel to reduce the risks of vaccination even further. There is also a reduced risk of injection site reactions and inflammation. This new technology creates fast acting and long lasting protection for your feline friend.
Our new vaccines are:
Purevax 1 year Feline Rabies administered subcutaneously
Purevax Feline 3 administered subcutaneously
Purevax L
eukemia administered by transdermal injection