Vet Visit

[kgeorge]

I am going to be taking my Sundance to the vet's for his yearly appointment, and I keep hearing about the vaccines and reactions that can occur, also about a tumor at the injection site. Can anyone tell me how common this is. My cat stays indoors. Has anyone heard any bad reports about the rabies vaccine. Any info would be helpful.
Thanks

[catwoman]

It is not all that common, but it can happen with the rabies vaccines as well as the feline leukemia vaccine (the first identified culprit.) Therefore, my best friend who is also a vet, recommends for inside-only kitties:

* No feline leukemia vaccine
* 3-year Rabies vaccine instead of 1-year
* Give any vaccines low on back leg, in case tumor develops and amputation is required. (Loss is easier for cat to adjust to than loss of a front leg/paw.)


** NOTE: this advice is for STRICTLY indoor-only, no contact with others. cats! ***

This is the method I've been following with my indoor-only girls. It's six years now, and no problems with tumors at all.

Catwoman

[wolflady]

Yes, vaccine induced sarcomas have been known to develop in some cats. But they aren't too common, especially if your cat hasn't had years and years of shots in the same location.
I think these days, though, veterinarians are being careful about it and giving shots to the cats in different locations. Some clinics have also come up with a combo shot, so instead of the poor kitty getting jabbed 3 times, it's all in one shot. So, I think your sundance will be just fine Is this an indoor only kitty or an indoor/outdoor kitty? We'll be thinking about your babe

Don't let what I'm going to say next scare you!! By all means, I think my cat just had a reaction to a shot he's had before, which baffled me...but I wanted to get some opionions about it...

Catwoman, thanks for the points about the shots for indoor cats. I did have a very bad experience last time I took my Marius for shots. He must have had some horrible reaction to the shot (it was the Fel Leuk and the upper res shots...he's on 3 year rabies, so he didn't get that one this time, and hasn't ever had problems with shots before), and he got very sick and was vomiting blood. The vet wasn't concerned about it and said it was just a reaction due to the injection that was given in his smooth muscle (the vet gave the shot in his side this time). I was debating whether or not to even take him for shots again after that occurance. My 2 babies are indoor only, so the rabies would really be all they would need, huh? Should I avoid the Fel Leuk next time? What about the upper res? Aside from that, none of my animals have ever had any problems with shots...and they're just fine, lazy, lovable housecats!

[TheAntiPam]

Excellent question and excellent reply! This is a very important issue for cat owners! I lost my 6 year old cat to this type of tumor.

Your vet should know about the alternative injection sites and timing for various shots. If not, perhaps you have the wrong vet.

One additional caution: If you take your cat to a low-cost shot clinic, they might be rushed and not as cautious about where they inject the vaccine. Be sure to ask before the shots are administered! Low-cost does not mean less quality...but you need to do all you can to help!

Best wishes for a healthy kitty!

[4 feline house]

Site rotation appears to be the best method. Also, in some states, rabies has to be given annually by law.

[kgeorge]

Thanks for all the answers, I am going to take this page to the vets office with me.

[Edwina's Secretary]

My mother's cat (see Mother Needs a New Cat under Cat Rescue) was put down just a couple of weeks ago as a result. However, she was fifteen and an indoor/outdoor cat. So it was fifteen years of shots in the same spot before she developed the tumor.

[Logan]

SC requires annual rabies shots. Mimi had her immunizations today as a matter of fact. I noticed that unlike the dogs, the vet used three separate syringes and put the shots in three different spots on the lower part of her body. She has never suffered any problems as a result of her shots and today marked her 12th year of annual checkups!

Good luck.

Logan

[4 feline house]

Cookie's due this month for rabies but I haven't taken her in yet. My vet does the regular kitten shots and then one annual booster before going to the every-three-routine. In other words, Cookie got her first kitten shots, then the 3-week booster, then when she turned 1 she got all her shots again. But this year she will get only rabies (required every year by law).

My vet first told me about this about 4 or 5 years ago. At the time it was recommended that vets rotate sites, and also note the manufacturer and lot number given each year and at what site, because they didn't know if it was any shot, or if it was only one type, and only one manufacturer. Then, if the tumors continued, they could better study specifically what might be causing it. I haven't asked since then if there were further developments, but I will try to remember when Coo goes in.

[kgeorge]

Me again. I made an appt. with the vet for Sundance's Feline Luekemia shot and after reading more about this (Cat Fancy) has an article about Vaccine Induced Sarcoma's, I may cancel his appt. I am really afraid of the reaction. Sundance is an only cat and does not go outside, we have no others cats come into the house and my last cat lived to be 19 years old without any shots. I still don't know what to do, I just know I would be devasted it Sundance died because of me.

[catwoman]

Based on Sundance's lifestyle as you describe it, I would think that you could safely forego the feline lukemia shot. But make sure you get the rabies shot at the whatever interval is required by your state law. And make sure they note in the chart the location of all injections ... so they can rotate sites next time.

Good luck!
Catwoman

[4 feline house]

I forgot to ask for an update when I took Cookie! But I'm about 90% certain that when my vet first told me about this they suspected the culprit was the upper respiratory shot, not the rabies or FeLuek. But it may have changed, or my memory may not be reliable.