Cats shots & Cancer
Giving your cat shots, or vaccinations, on a regular basis is an important part of keeping them healthy. These shots protect your cat from diseases such as flu and feline enteritis.
We’re all aware that sometimes, animals can have a bit of a reaction to a vaccination, but can giving your cat shots lead to more sinister effects???
In the last 20 years, veterinarians noticed an increased number of fibrosarcomas developing in the area where we usually give cat shots. These are very aggressive tumors which often regrow after they’ve been removed. While it’s not a definite that if you give your cat shots it will get a tumor, it’s happening often enough to cause concern. Vets have set up a task force to find out if there is a definite link between cat shots and cancer. One step they have been taking is to change the routine site for vaccination from between the shoulder blades to on the side of a hind leg. This has two effects – firstly, if there are more fibrosarcomas developing on the side of the leg, it will strengthen the suggested link between cat shots and cancer. Secondly, if a tumor does develop, it may be easier to remove from that area.
How do you know if your cat will develop a tumor from its vaccinations? You don’t. As with any part of pet care, being observant is very important. You’ll notice your cat may have a small swelling over the vaccination site for a little while after he has his shots. This is often just a local reaction to the vaccine being injected under the skin, and disappears after a few weeks. If it persists, see your vet to have it checked. If it does turn out to be a sarcoma, then surgical removal while it’s small has the best outcome.
If you’re thinking that it would be better to avoid giving your cat shots at all, that’s not a good idea either. I think a balanced approach is necessary to deal with this potential problem. Firstly, speak to your vet about what shots are necessary for your cat. Secondly, discuss how often your cat needs its shots – in many cases, you don’t need to give them shots every year. Thirdly, it may be worth giving your cat shots in a different location each year. For example, one time between the shoulder blades, the next time on the side of the right hind leg, the next time on the left hind leg etc. Your vet will keep a record of where a shot was given.
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