Looking for yet another reason to practice strict vaccination on (or before!) intake at your shelter? A study done at a Florida animal shelter should give you one.

Published in the November, 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, “Prevalence of serum antibody titers against feline panleukopenia virus, feline herpesvirus 1, and feline calicivirus in cats entering a Florida animal shelter,” presented data indicating the majority of cats coming into a shelter do not have immunity to the common feline diseases feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV1) and feline calicivirus (FCV).

Cats who were neutered and older than six months of age, or who were relinquished by an owner, were more likely to be protected, suggesting rates of immunity may be even lower in kitten populations, and in stray or intact cats.

Based on this data, the study authors concluded, “These findings supported current guidelines that recommend vaccination of all cats immediately after admission to animal shelters, regardless of the source or physical condition.”

DiGangi BA, Levy JK, Griffin B, et al. Prevalence of serum antibody titers against feline panleukopenia virus, feline herpesvirus 1, and feline calicivirus in cats entering a Florida animal shelter. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012; 241: 1320-5.

See also:

Lechner ES, Crawford PC, Levy JK, et al. Prevalence of protective antibody titers for canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus in dogs entering a Florida animal shelter. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010 Jun 15;236(12):1317-21.