4 Month Old Kitten First Shots

[Annabanana91]

Hello, I adopted a kitten about a month ago (he was 3 month then) from a resident home off of craigslist (online website where people sell/buy/rent anything possible). About 3 days ago I took my kitten in for his first distemper or 3in1 FRVCP shot. I  have heard and read that kittens need to get three of these from the early weeks of life. However, I was wondering if he just needs a 2nd one (a booster) since he is already 4 months old? Not 3, just 2? Also, I got him dewormed at the same time, and have read on various websites that they should get wormed every few weeks up until age 4 months, soo then what? Should he get wormed again? The vet I went to offers 3 kitten packs and supposedly you are to follow them 1, 2, 3. All of them list deworming, so I am confused on how many times he should be dewormed. This is for roundworms. 

Thank you so much for reading and your advice.

info: my kitten hasn't been neutered yet, no rabies yet, and was adopted from a residential home, where he lived with 3 other siblings :)

[starrlamia]

usually they advise to do the entire kitten protocol unless the cat is 1 yr + reason being is it is the best way no matter the age started to get immunity. Deworming is usually done several times to ensure that all of the worms are gone, doing it only once doesnt always mean that worms are completely irradicated.

[sunshadow]

We just got a new kitten, so I'm looking for information myself. I had lots of cats growing up and we never gave them the amount of vaccinations that vet clinics insist on. My mother was a nurse and she would just order the most important vaccines and do them herself. A few as kittens and then then a booster or two every few years. I can't remember the specifics, other than we had healthy outdoor cats without nearly the amount of vaccinations most cats get.

I am planning on following the guidelines I found on this web site: http://www.catinfo.org/?link=vaccines

I'll cut and paste the basics for kittnes

"Vaccinate kittens with FVRCP twice starting at 8-9 weeks of age with the second, and final kitten vaccine, administered when the kitten is no younger than 16 weeks of age."

"We wait until the kitten is at least 16 weeks old to receive his last kitten shot because the antibodies he got from nursing on his mother will have decreased to a low enough level that his own body can respond to the vaccine in order to make his own antibodies.""Unless there is a high index of risk, I prefer to limit it to 2 vaccines total for the kitten series."

So, I'd say you'd be fine with just two.

I haven't researched wormers yet. All I remember my mom doing was giving wormers when the cats had worms. If we saw a cat had worms, we gave them wormer. I don't remember ever giving them wormers as kittens, but I can't say for sure.
 

HTH

[nettster]

all puppies and kittens are born with worms hence why you are supposed to deworm puppies and kittens.

if you haven't looked up what can happen to you with it google the term "Larval Migrans"  that is what happens when you come into contact with the larva and eggs of worms, in some cases it causes blindness, brain damage etc. most common is just ugly scarring of the skin. 

Rabies is required by law at his one year appointment ask about the 3 year vaccine. and because of his age a 2 shot series will likely be necessary but DO NOT get the rabies vaccine done the same day leave a 2 week gap since it will be his first one and they can cause an allergic reaction (which can be exasperated when doubled with feeling ill from another vaccine that day) 

Most show cat breeders will actually VOID all health contracts if you receive rabies on the same day as other vaccines. the deworming shedual you are looking at seems about right since wormers don't wok like vaccines, roundworm eggs pretty much CANT be killed so they are killing them as they hatch to rid your pets body of the parasites.

follow ALL deworming instructions. especially if you have kids, cats self groom which means there is a high chance those eggs could wind up on the fur you pet (though it is rare it can happen) and the treatments aren't fun for an adult let alone a child. 

 the  1 2 3 catches the worms and kills them as they hatch and then die before they can reproduce. 

[Annabanana91]

Thank you so much for all that information SunShadow! I will see if we will get his 3rd after he gets his 2nd shot. I have read and heard that 98% of kittens are born with worms already inside of them or that they get them through the milk of their mother, so it is smart to deworm them just in case. I think the best thing would be to deworm them as kittens and then stop, and if there are worms in their adult life to treat them then not constantly every month of their lives. Good luck with you kitten! Congrats! What color is he/she? How old is your kitten? Best of luck:)