1/21 Updated, " Feline injection site sarcoma"
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Chloe007
Member Since 2019
Injection site sarcomas are a thing, at about 1 cat per 10,000 to 30,000 after a vaccination. A rare occurrence compared to the illness/diseases a cat would be at risk for if not vaccinated at all.
Just don't want anyone to read this and out of misguided fear, not vaccinate their cats at all. There's always going to be debate over how often a cat really needs their vaccines and in what circumstances, but I think it's important to point out that vaccinating is the responsible and sensible thing to do. It's never a bad thing to educate yourself about these possible, albeit rare complications though.
Just don't want anyone to read this and out of misguided fear, not vaccinate their cats at all. There's always going to be debate over how often a cat really needs their vaccines and in what circumstances, but I think it's important to point out that vaccinating is the responsible and sensible thing to do. It's never a bad thing to educate yourself about these possible, albeit rare complications though.
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
If you read the articles I posted you'll understand that no one is saying not to vaccinate. Although it occurs infrequently, the consequences of a malignant tumor developing at a vaccination site are devastating to the patient and owner.
" The rate of metastasis ranges from 10 to 28%. " " Vaccination should be performed as often as necessary, but as infrequently as possible "
Recommendation for FISS prevention is to inject cats only as necessary, whether with a vaccine, medication, or microchip. This recommendation is in accordance with current AAFP guidelines
Key Points
- Vaccination of cats provides essential protection and should not be stopped because of the risk of FISS.
- Vaccines are not the only injectable medical products associated with FISS.
- A reasoned vaccination schedule is important. Cats should be vaccinated only as often as necessary in accordance with current guidelines.
- Appropriate sites for injections should be selected. The interscapular region should generally be avoided. Vaccines should be injected at a site where a mass can be easily surgically removed, preferably distally in a limb.
- Vaccines should be brought to room temperature prior to administration, but should not be kept unrefrigerated for hours.
- Subcutaneous injection is preferred to intramuscular injection.
- Non-adjuvanted vaccines are generally preferred over those containing adjuvant. Thus, modified-live vaccines or recombinant vaccines, that are usually without adjuvant, are preferred over inactivated vaccines that contain adjuvant, if available and proven equally effective. Vaccines with a long duration of immunity should be preferred over those with short duration of immunity.
- Post-vaccination monitoring should be performed. Any lump at the site of injection that is still present three months after vaccination, that is larger than two cm in diameter, or that is increasing in size one month after vaccination should be surgically removed and submitted for histopathology.
Prevalence estimates from 1 in 10,000 cats to as many as 1 in 1000 cats have been cited. Studies reporting risk according to doses of vaccine administered/sold also vary (from 1 to as many as 36 cases per 10,000 doses).11-16
Reliably tracking and reporting prevalence, or the proportion of cats in the population that develop tumors subsequent to vaccination, are critical in learning whether recommendations to reduce or eliminate risk are effective over time. Tracking prevalence of FISS has proven challenging due to several reasons, including: low/inconsistent reporting of FISS, lack of a centralized database, and genetic influence.
The Feline Injection Site Sarcoma guidelines were first published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (Germany.) And
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JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
Very Good information from a Vet that really cares!
We need to talk about Feline Injection Site Sarcomas. I will call them FISS from now on. No one really wants to talk about this subject. It makes us uncomfortable. Our whole raison d’etre as veterinarians is to prevent and treat diseases in animals. Now we have to talk about a disease that we caused trying to prevent another disease? And it is horrible? No thank you. Some of the vaccine companies also do not want to talk about it. I am inviting you to get a bit uncomfortable and read on. I think it’s important.
https://hopevs.com/blog/need-talk-feline-injection-site-sarcomas/
We need to talk about Feline Injection Site Sarcomas. I will call them FISS from now on. No one really wants to talk about this subject. It makes us uncomfortable. Our whole raison d’etre as veterinarians is to prevent and treat diseases in animals. Now we have to talk about a disease that we caused trying to prevent another disease? And it is horrible? No thank you. Some of the vaccine companies also do not want to talk about it. I am inviting you to get a bit uncomfortable and read on. I think it’s important.
https://hopevs.com/blog/need-talk-feline-injection-site-sarcomas/
Ann & Scatcats
Member Since 2009
Injection site sarcoma happens to humans too where I think it is even more common. But as I understood sarcomas as more easily to remove than let's say the systemic Multiple Myeloma cancer my Gustav got. The protocol for his alkeran chemotherapy for cats said cats responded very bad to the chemo treatment, while dogs responded better. A friends mother also got the Multiple Mueloma cancer but yet with chemo treatment she only lived 5 years. So sarcomas seem to be the 'friendly' version of cancer which have a good rate in being surgically removed. You don't get to choose the types of cancer you get, and Simba has never developed sarcoma, so I guess it's all about the individual.
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
This cancer is considered to be very aggressive. That's why they started giving vaccines into the rear leg. The leg can be amputated. When the injection is given into the scruff it's nearly impossible to remove.
If you just take a look at the web site photos you'll see
http://www.abcdcatsvets.org/feline-injection-site-sarcoma-2/
It got me worried enough that I do NOT give injections of insulin into the scruff. A while back I read that someones cat had developed scar tissue from the repeated injections into the same area.
I now inject on his body.There a lot more places to give the injection.
Some doctors are saying it's not just the vaccinations that cause the cancer. It might be caused by the repeated inflammation from the injection. I also read certain animals are predisposed to getting the cancer. I just don't want to take a chance it might be my cat!
Larry and Kitties
Member Since 2009
Yes, the vaccines should be injectected in legs but the protocol is to inject different vaccines in different lags:
"Additionally, there are specific guidelines regarding where vaccines should be administered: rabies vaccines should be given as far down on the right hind limb as possible, feline leukemia vaccines should be given as far down on the left hind limb as possible, and all other vaccines should be given as far down on the right front leg as possible. Vaccinations should never be given between the shoulder blades."
https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/jintile/2012/dec/injection-site-sarcomas-in-cats-29517
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