The number of rabies cases for felines (outdoors and indoors) is a growing threat in the U.S., now surpassing the number of rabies cases for dogs!

Cascade Hospital for Animals is pleased to announce a new safer alternative rabies vaccine specifically for cats.

Until now, we have been using the Pfizer Defensor 3™ vaccine which is a 3 year injectable, and is a killed Rabies vaccine.

What is the new vaccine?

The new rabies vaccine we are recommending is the Merial PureVax™ injectable feline rabies vaccine. This new vaccine uses the live canarypox virus, which cannot replicate in mammals.

Why the change?

The PureVax™ vaccine does not contain adjuvants, as all other rabies vaccines do. Adjuvants are substances added to a killed vaccine to increase the body’s immune response to the vaccine (since the virus is killed and doesn’t stimulate an adequate response on its own). Unfortunately adjuvants have been known to cause anaphylactic vaccine reactions, and significantly increase the risk of vaccine associated sarcomas (cancer at vaccination sites) which can occur in cats.

What else is different?

The PureVax™ vaccine is an annual vaccine, and is not yet licensed for 3 years, although studies are in progress currently to prove immunity for 3 years.

The newly introduced Merial PureVax™ feline rabies vaccine is currently the safest feline rabies vaccine on the market.

Summary:

While we will continue to offer the Pfizer Defensor 3™ vaccine, we would strongly recommend that you consider the Merial PureVax™ as a safer alternative. Although the annual duration may be an inconvenience, we feel that the peace of mind associated with a safer vaccine is well worth it.