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Old December 10th, 2010, 09:27 AM
nicor nicor is offline
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Lump at vaccine site after 13 days--still there 7 days later

Hi all--I came across this board after desperately searching the web for information on vaccine-related lumps.

Nico, our three year old tabby we rescued off the street as a kitten, went into the vet November 20 to get her rabies and distemper shots, as well as a microchip. The vet injected the shots near the shoulder blades (which i now know is a no no!), and then inserted the microchip in the same location. Nico had some sort of a reaction to the whole process, vomiting several times shortly after the shots. But she recovered over the next few days

On December 3, 13 days after the shots, I noticed a firm but not hard lump about the size of a marble (or when flattened, the diameter of quarter), at the injection size. It does not cause nico discomfort when squeezed and can be moved around with the skin (it appears to be part of or attached to the skin). We went back into the vet, and they were unsure what it might be, but suggested monitoring it for a week and going back.

Now its December 10, and the lump is the same size (and if my eyes aren't deceiving maybe even just slightly bigger), and i'm starting to lose my mind with worry that this might be a vaccine related sarcoma. I've read some other experiences suggesting that is its benign it might start to go aay in two weeks? Can anyone who's had similar symptoms confirm how long before their lumps started to subside? Any little thing to ease my mind would be much appreciated!

Nico
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Old December 10th, 2010, 10:44 AM
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Love4himies Love4himies is offline
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I would go back to the vet and have him check it again and have it checked for cancer cells, just to be sure.


Jasper's lump went away in about 2 weeks after vaccinations. He will not be getting any more, what a scare
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Old December 10th, 2010, 11:19 AM
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I have had a few kitties who have had the same reaction to vaccines. Not in the shoulder though. Recently one of my kittens had his shots at the same time he was fixed. A month later the lump was still there. It is now gone.
One thing if I may suggest... don't constantly check it with your fingers. Worrying with it and manipulating it may actually by making it larger. As hard as it is make yourself not touch it for a week. If after that time it has not shown signs of abating then take kitty in for a check.
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Old December 10th, 2010, 12:35 PM
nicor nicor is offline
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When you say the lump went away two weeks after, do you mean two weeks after the vaccine, or two weeks after finding the lump. I only found the lump 13 days after the vaccine (she'd lost hair around the lump and injection area, and i'd been monitoring the area sporadically).
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Old December 10th, 2010, 02:50 PM
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I found the lump about a week after the vaccine and it took two weeks for it to be gone. I kept poking at it cause I couldn't stop checking .
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Old December 10th, 2010, 04:12 PM
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I can't believe that your vet gave the vaccinations in the shoulder blade ....I thought they stopped doing that years ago.

I have heard of lumps lasting as long as 6 weeks but I would definitely watch it very closely to monitor if it's growing. If it is or lasts longer than that I would get it biopsied.

Good luck and keep us posted.
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Old December 10th, 2010, 04:57 PM
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My Vinnie had a large longish lump in his leg area after the vaccine,it felt liquidy,not solid and it did go away after a couple of weeks.
My cats are getting no more vaccines,other than rabies, at 8 and 14 yrs old.

Any lump is worrying whether it's large or small,but I hope your kitty will be ok
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Old December 13th, 2010, 11:56 AM
nicor nicor is offline
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We went into the vet on saturday for a followup. They took a look at the lump, poked and squeezed it a bit, and told us it was in their estimation a response to the vaccine, that it should go away in a months time on its own, and that if that is not the case to come back for a biopsy.

They also told me to apply something called "animax," which I understand to be a "anti-inflammatory, antipruritic (anti-itch), antifungal and antibacterial" compound. They had given this to us two weeks prior, because she had been scratching the lump and there was a red cut that needed to heal. That's healed now. They suggested applying it for 7-10 more days, twice daily.
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Old December 22nd, 2010, 12:24 AM
Crazy4kitties Crazy4kitties is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rainbow View Post
I can't believe that your vet gave the vaccinations in the shoulder blade ....I thought they stopped doing that years ago.
I wish The vet I used to work for always did it in the shoulder blades. Every vet I have ever taken my pets to has always done it there as well. Now I work for one of the most ethical, caring veterinarians I've ever met. She explained why it should NOT be done over the shoulder blades...for anyone who isn't aware, it's because pets can develop tumors at the vaccination site, and it is a heck of a lot easier to remove a tumor on a hind leg (or even amputate if necessary) than it is to do the same on the actual body of the animal. I can't believe there are vets who don't realize this! Seems like common sense to me
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Old December 22nd, 2010, 09:08 AM
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The FVRCP vaccine is still frequently given in the shoulder area as this one is thought to be the least likely to result in a sarcoma. Here are the AVMA guidelines on vaccine site recommendations: http://www.avma.org/vafstf/sitercmnd.asp

Quote:
In short, the task force recommends that vaccines containing rabies antigen be given as distally as possible in the right rear limb, vaccines containing feline leukemia virus antigen (unless containing rabies antigen as well) be given as distally as possible in the left rear limb, and vaccines containing any other antigens except rabies or feline leukemia virus be given on the right shoulder, being careful to avoid the midline or interscapular space.
If a cat isn't also getting rabies and/or leukemia vax along with the FVRCP, then it can/should be given in a rear limb.

Some info on vaccine-associated lumps: http://www.avma.org/vafstf/ownbroch.asp
Quote:
I found a lump where my cat was vaccinated. What happens now?

It is quite common for a small, firm, painless swelling to form under the skin at the site where a vaccine was injected. The lump is almost always of no consequence and disappears after several weeks. Rarely, however, the swelling may progress to a sarcoma. To be on the safe side, your veterinarian will suggest that you periodically check the vaccination area for several months after vaccination. If you detect a lump, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Small samples of the lump will be sent to a laboratory for diagnosis if any of the following are true:
  • The lump persists for more than three months after vaccination.
  • It is larger than two centimeters in diameter (about the size of an olive)
  • It is increasing in size one month after vaccination.
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Old January 8th, 2011, 03:33 PM
Chrystal F Chrystal F is offline
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Hello, I too have a lump on my 9 yr cat that showed up about 10 days post vaccine (feels like half a golf ball sticking off of him). The vet said the lump is about 1cm by 2cm by 3cm (something like that). He has had this lump for just over a week now, and I have taken him to the vet three times so she can monitor the size. The lump is basically exactly the same size it was when it first showed up, but seeing that it isnt getting any smaller we are having it removed on Monday, and sent away for testing. She did do an FNA on the lump and found liquid (said it was a seroma), however she said the middle of the lump felt soft and the outside more solid, so she doesnt think the whole thing is a seroma. I am so very worried about this and the last week trying to wait for the lump to shrink has been awful, I think I am going to go crazy waiting for the surgery to be done and to get the reults back. It is so scary when you try to look up andthing about vaccine related lumps on the internet because all you find are stories about cancer :-( Fingers crossed that my Milo's lump is benign and I can post a happy ending on here. Has anyone else had a similar experience that ended up being ok so I can quell some of these fears I'm having (and probably the original poster is experiencing as well
Thanks
Chrystal
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Old January 8th, 2011, 04:54 PM
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Crystal,before my 8 yr old cat Vinnie,developed a lump from the vaccine,I had never heard that it could happen and that it could be cancerous
His lump took about 3 weeks to go away totally,no cancer.
My cats have been vaccinated every year their whole lives,but in the past 2 years,no more vaccine for them,other than the required 3 year Rabies.
Hopefully your kitty is going to be ok,but we do tend to think the worst..because we worry too much.for your little guy
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Old January 8th, 2011, 05:37 PM
Chrystal F Chrystal F is offline
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Thanks you so much Chico. I sure hope Milo's lump ends up being nothing as well
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Old January 14th, 2011, 06:53 AM
Carriebob Carriebob is offline
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Question Vaccine question

Hello all. I was searching for information about lumps that appear after vaccinations and I found this thread. My story sounds similar to the information I have found on this site. I took my 7(ish) year old cat to the vet for her yearly check up and vaccines on December 31st. Yesterday (January 13th) I picked her up and noticed a lump near the injection site. She does not act as though the lump is sore or bothering her in any way, and it does not feel like it is attached to anything upon examination. Since she does not seem to be in any pain, I was thinking about waiting a few days to see if it goes away. Does anyone who has had experience with this have any input? Is waiting for a few days a bad idea? I had no idea there were potential risks associated with the vaccines until I read this thread. We have a total of 3 kitties at the house. The other two sometimes go outside during the day when weather permits, but the one who has the lump is exclusively an indoor cat (as she has no front claws and a tendency to think she is the boss of the world...). Since she is around the other two who go in and out regularly, should I be keeping her vaccinations up regularly like I do the other two? Thanks in advance for any input. I appreciate the advice. She's my baby and I worry about her.
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Old January 14th, 2011, 09:16 PM
Chrystal F Chrystal F is offline
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Just wanted to post an update on Milo, he had his surgery on monday and has about a 6 inch incision down his side (poor guy) but he is being a trooper. I received a message from the vet today (the lab results came back quicker than anticipated) and there is no cancer YAY!!!!, just an inflammatory response to the vaccine!!! I am so happy, such a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, I have been worried sick ever since I found the lump 2 weeks ago.
I do feel bad that he had to go through the surgery for no reason really, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Carrie: You might want to take your cat in to the vet who did he vaccines? I'd imagine they would do a re-check at no charge, and they should be able to let you know if they think it would be better to wait it out?
Best of luck with your kitty, it is so scary when you look on the internet and it basically any information about vaccine lumps all you find is cancer info, but just remember that people only tend to post the worst on the internet.
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