A cat vaccine is used to trigger a response by the immune system to create antibodies. The creation of the antibodies is the process of training the immune system to react in future situations when presented with the same foreign agent. The overall usage of vaccinations is well meant and usually does not produce any complications. However, if your cat has allergies or you fear an allergic reaction, you may have some questions about whether or not your cat should receive the vaccine.
Can a Cat with Skin Allergies Get Vaccinated?
If your cat is having a current outbreak with a skin allergy, it's imperative that he is not vaccinated. Vaccinations are only meant to help; they are not meant to harm. However, in order for the vaccination to be effective, it has to be administered to an otherwise healthy cat.
When a vaccine enters the immune system, it basically needs to have the entire immune system all to itself in order to be effective. The immune system has to learn and understand the foreign organism which has entered the body and it has to learn how to fight it off. However, when your cat is experiencing a skin allergy, the immune system is torn between trying to fight the allergy, as well as the foreign organism. A vaccination cannot be effective in this manner.
When a cat is experiencing a skin allergy, the possibility of an allergic reaction to the vaccination is highly escalated. In order to ensure that a vaccine is effective and free of any complications, it's always best to wait until your cat is in a completely healthy state.
Can Vaccinations Cause Allergies?
Yes, the possibility of your cat being allergic to any vaccine exists. Unfortunately, there is no way to know in advance how a particular vaccine will affect your cat. When weighing out the options about whether or not you should allow your cat to have the vaccine, you should consider the frequency at which reactions occur and the potential harm of the viruses or diseases. Allergic reactions to vaccinations are very rare and typically only account for roughly one percent of all injections.
In contrast, the rate of infection of parvovirus, Lyme disease, rabies and feline leukemia are significantly higher among cats who are not vaccinated. You should also try to remember that once these viruses and diseases take over, they are not reversible, which makes the vaccination extremely worthwhile.
In the event that your cat does have an allergic reaction, you should keep in mind that there are medical injections available which can reverse the effects of a vaccine in the incidence of an allergic reaction. Because of this, it would be highly unlikely for your cat to die from an allergic reaction caused by a vaccine.