Preface
People who love cats have two basic desires. Firstly, to help the cats by preventing severe disease and death and secondly to wish to keep them away from any harm. To achieve both objectives apart from can seem simple. However, there are very few medical procedures which are totally without any risk and such procedures which are normally helpful can cause harm. There are illustrations on vaccine administration and sarcomas, which is specific kind of cancer, on the website.
What are sarcomas?
Sarcomas are not any recent form of cancer found in cats. In 1991, veterinarians noticed a more than expected cases of sarcomas in cat’s bodies. These body parts were places where vaccines were injected. Later, there was an establishment of sarcoma development and vaccine administration. Most of the feline sarcomas were not connected with vaccines, and those which were associated had occurred rarely. But, the veterinarians were deeply concerned for this condition in cats.
A lump is found in a cat after vaccination. So, what will be the consequences and what measures one can take?
It is not uncommon for a small and painless swelling to form under the skin of the cat where a vaccine was injected. This lump is firm and is of no consequence and can disappear after many weeks. However, there are rare cases, wherein the swelling can progress to a sarcoma case. So, to be on a safe side, the veterinarian can suggest you to check your cat periodically in the areas where he was vaccinated for several months. If you think that you can feel a lump at that area, then you should instantly contact your veterinarian. After this action, small samples of the lump can be sent to a laboratory for diagnosis, if any of the below cases apply:
? If you feel and find the lump for more than 3 months after vaccination.
? If the lump is larger than 2 cm in diameter, which is about an olive shape.
? And, if it is increasing in size after a month after vaccination.
Further, if you do find a sarcoma, them your veterinarian can refer you to a veterinary oncologist, who is a cancer specialist for management.
Now, the questions arises that if vaccines cause this disease, then why use them at all?
This issue is actually disturbing. There is a big concern for the cat owners, as they are trying to keep their pet cats from any harm and they may forego any vaccination process entirely. Due to this, such owners may also be placing their pets at a greater risk of acquiring any fatal infection than any vaccination risks. In case of rabies, for instance, the health of the human is put at risk too.
What should be done?
Even if the vaccine connected disease, sarcomas is uncommon, the problem is getting unprecedented attention by many veterinarians and also feline vaccine producers. There is a group named, The Vaccine Associated Feline Sarcoma Task force, which is a coalition of the national vet organization. This group is totally dedicated to resolve such sarcomas dilemma. They devote most of the financial and human resources to determine the real scope of the problem and its cause, and even the effective treatment for the same.
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