A severe shortage of feline vaccines has caused concern in the pet care industry ahead of the holiday season.
The annual F3 vaccination – which protects cats against parvovirus, feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus – is in short supply across the country, leaving vets scrambling to meet pet owners’ needs.
Andrew Kapsis is head vet at Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Melbourne and said there was a global shortage of cat vaccinations that was unlikely to be resolved until next year.
A combination of increased pet ownership during the pandemic and a shift in manufacturing facilities to produce COVID-19 vaccines has nearly halved the amount of vaccine available to Dr. Kapsis.
“I’ve been a veterinarian for over 20 years, and this is the biggest shortage I’ve seen since I’ve been a veterinarian,” Dr. Kapsis said.
He said his clinic was delaying about 200 cat vaccinations a month as a result of the shortage and was forced to prioritize kittens, who are more at risk of infection.
“For an adult cat that’s been regularly vaccinated, a delay of two to three months is unlikely to reduce the level of protection, so that’s what we’re telling the owners and that’s helping to reassure them,” Dr. Kapsis said.
“My concern would be if the vaccine shortage continues beyond early 2024, we need to try to prevent outbreaks of infectious disease in the cat population.”
In a statement, the Victorian government said it was aware of the feline vaccine shortage, but said it was a matter for local councils to deal with companies.
“We do not manage the production or supply of feline vaccines, however vaccine suppliers have confirmed that more supply will become available later this year before normalizing in early 2024,” an Agriculture Victoria spokesperson said.
“We encourage councils to work with their registered shelters and boarding facilities to identify suitable alternatives until the vaccine supply returns to normal.”
