BY SHEILA ABRAMS
Contributing Writer
It is not news to veterinarians that the vaccinations
routinely administered to companion animals
carry some risks with them.
Anytime a foreign object or a fluid is introduced
under the skin, there are dangers: allergic
reactions, infections and other potential risks,
against which the health care professional takes
precautions. These risks are usually not life
threatening and can generally be prevented or
controlled.
Cancer, however, is something else. The connection between vaccinations and cancer in
cats is well-known in veterinary circles but unfortunately not so widely known among cat
owners. A group of people who have had first-hand experience with this phenomenon
are anxious to get the word out to cat owners: Educate yourself about vaccinations. And
the veterinary community on the whole shares in this goal.
Many veterinarians were aware of this unfortunate connection as early as 1991, when it
was observed that there was an unexpectedly high number of soft-tissue sarcomas
developing at those sites at which cats are commonly vaccinated.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) first organized the Vaccine-
Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force (VAFSTF) to evaluate the cancer risk associated
with feline vaccinations in November 1996. The task force is an on-going joint project of
the AVMA, the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Association of Feline
Practitioners and the Veterinary Cancer Society. Among its goals is the dissemination of
information to both veterinarians and the cat-owning public.
While there are questions in some quarters about possible dangers to dogs from
vaccines, thus far, the major danger from routine vaccination that has been established
is to cats. On relatively infrequent occasions, a lump may develop at the site of an
inoculation which turns into an aggressive fibrosarcoma, and may ultimately prove fatal.
It should be noted it is not uncommon for a swelling to develop under an animal’s skin
following an injection, and that swelling is usually insignificant, disappearing within a few
weeks. If, however, the swelling persists and grows, veterinary attention is called for.
Gigi Howe of Livingston, who is a fervent believer that cat owners need to be informed
about the issue, went through this unhappy scenario when her 11-year-old cat, Shorti,
developed a lump between her shoulder blades following a vaccination at that spot. The
lump grew and was diagnosed as a fibrosarcoma. Surgery was performed and Shorti
made it through. But following a short period during which the cat seemed to be
improving, the cancer returned, growing rapidly. Shorti died in November 1998.
Howe has developed a website in Shorti’s memory, www.Shorti-OnLine.org, which is
filled with information about VAFS. She has also begun an on-line support group for
people who have been affected by this disease. At present, she estimates there are
some 750 people who participate in the support group.
The Shorti-OnLine website contains the following caveat: “Please realize that we aren’t
saying not to vaccinate your cats, we just feel that cat owners must be aware of these
dangers so that we can make the proper decisions in caring for our pets...”
Of course, the provision of routine veterinary care to companion animals, including
vaccinations, is one of the things responsible pet owners do. Most devoted and diligent
pet “parents” assume that taking their dogs and cats for regular vaccinations is the only
responsible path. If we love our animals, we want to be sure that they get the best. And
what could be better than the latest scientific achievements to protect them from illness?
The fact is that laymen rarely perceive vaccinations as invasive medical procedures. And,
in fact, vaccinations have been hugely beneficial in protecting pets (and, in the case of
rabies, humans as well) from serious health problems.
A highly informative brochure from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Feline Health Center (www.veterinarian.cornell.edu/fhc/resources/brochure/vaccbr.html)
asks the question, “Are vaccines dangerous?” Here is the response:
“Not usually. Unfortunately, a perfect, risk-free vaccine does not exist. Vaccines are
indispensable in fighting feline infectious disease. But as with any medical procedure,
there is a small chance that reactions may develop as a result of vaccination. To
maximize the benefits of vaccination while minimizing the risks, it is important to
vaccinate only against infectious agents to which your cat has a realistic risk of exposure,
infection and subsequent development of disease…”
Those working to improve the odds of eliminating the cancer risk from vaccinations, both
veterinarians and cat owners, advise consideration by owner and veterinarian of what
vaccinations are appropriate given a particular cat’s age, lifestyle and state of health.
Rabies vaccination is generally required by law. Even a cat that lives indoors may at
some point find itself unexpectedly outside. With the alarming incidence of rabies in New
Jersey in recent years, it makes sense to “never say never.” A three-year rabies
vaccination has a relatively low risk of side effects.
It was reported in the Wall Street Journal (July 31, 2002) that one pharmaceutical
manufacturer, upon determining that its one-year rabies vaccine gave immunity lasting at
least three years, began to sell the identical formula labeled as three-year or one-year
vaccine, depending on the vaccination requirements in the state where it is sold. This
means that some animals are being injected with vaccines far more frequently than
needed.
At the same time, it should be noted that some pharmaceuticals manufacturers have
donated money to the VAFSTF and have also set up funds from which those with cats
requiring expensive treatments for VAFS can get financial help.
The brochure from Cornell University quoted above advises that the feline distemper
vaccination provides “adequate protection for several years.” The same is true of
vaccines for feline herpesvirus and calicivirus, so that some veterinarians are now
putting patients on a three-year vaccination schedule.
If your cat lives indoors and does not come into contact with outside cats, you should
consider and discuss with your veterinarian if it needs to be vaccinated against feline
leukemia (FLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, sometimes mistakenly called
“feline AIDS”).
Similarly with a list of diseases against which vaccines are available, it is necessary to
weigh the risks against the benefits. Not all vaccines are equally effective and there is no
point in protecting a cat against something it will probably never be exposed to.
Another issue revolves around how a vaccine is administered. Many cat owners as well
as the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) advise against vaccinating
between the cat’s shoulder blades, in the scruff of the neck. This is primarily because
tumors developing in that part of the body tend to be hard to remove surgically and to
have worse outcomes.
A protocol advised by the AAFP specifies that rabies vaccine should be given in the right
rear leg, the FeLV shot in the left rear leg and so forth. Activists like Gigi Howe are
encouraging the development of intranasal vaccines.
Some veterinarians also recommend the administration to the cat of a titer test before
vaccination, to determine whether the cat actually needs the shot or retains immunity
from previous shots. The use of such tests has been limited in great part by the expense,
sometimes more than the cost of the shot. In 2002, however, the US Department of
Agriculture approved a 15-minute titer test that can be performed in the veterinarian’s
office, which would reduce considerably the cost of determining the level of the animal’s
existing protection.
The important points to remember are that you and your veterinarian should be working
together to give your animal the best care possible, and that the most is not always the
best. If your pet has a vaccination, keep an eye on the site of the shot and contact your
veterinarian if anything out of the ordinary turns up.
Gigi Howe is circulating a petition called the “Safer Vaccinations for Companion Animals
Petition,” which covers many of the issues discussed in this article. To read the petition,
go to www.petitiononline.com/petvax23/petition.html. You can also sign it there. For
additional information, visit www.shorti-online.org, and www.catshots.com. For
information from the AVMA task force, go to www.avma.org/vafstf.
First published Oct. 22, 2005 in The Animal Companion.
Contributing Writer
It is not news to veterinarians that the vaccinations
routinely administered to companion animals
carry some risks with them.
Anytime a foreign object or a fluid is introduced
under the skin, there are dangers: allergic
reactions, infections and other potential risks,
against which the health care professional takes
precautions. These risks are usually not life
threatening and can generally be prevented or
controlled.
Cancer, however, is something else. The connection between vaccinations and cancer in
cats is well-known in veterinary circles but unfortunately not so widely known among cat
owners. A group of people who have had first-hand experience with this phenomenon
are anxious to get the word out to cat owners: Educate yourself about vaccinations. And
the veterinary community on the whole shares in this goal.
Many veterinarians were aware of this unfortunate connection as early as 1991, when it
was observed that there was an unexpectedly high number of soft-tissue sarcomas
developing at those sites at which cats are commonly vaccinated.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) first organized the Vaccine-
Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force (VAFSTF) to evaluate the cancer risk associated
with feline vaccinations in November 1996. The task force is an on-going joint project of
the AVMA, the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Association of Feline
Practitioners and the Veterinary Cancer Society. Among its goals is the dissemination of
information to both veterinarians and the cat-owning public.
While there are questions in some quarters about possible dangers to dogs from
vaccines, thus far, the major danger from routine vaccination that has been established
is to cats. On relatively infrequent occasions, a lump may develop at the site of an
inoculation which turns into an aggressive fibrosarcoma, and may ultimately prove fatal.
It should be noted it is not uncommon for a swelling to develop under an animal’s skin
following an injection, and that swelling is usually insignificant, disappearing within a few
weeks. If, however, the swelling persists and grows, veterinary attention is called for.
Gigi Howe of Livingston, who is a fervent believer that cat owners need to be informed
about the issue, went through this unhappy scenario when her 11-year-old cat, Shorti,
developed a lump between her shoulder blades following a vaccination at that spot. The
lump grew and was diagnosed as a fibrosarcoma. Surgery was performed and Shorti
made it through. But following a short period during which the cat seemed to be
improving, the cancer returned, growing rapidly. Shorti died in November 1998.
Howe has developed a website in Shorti’s memory, www.Shorti-OnLine.org, which is
filled with information about VAFS. She has also begun an on-line support group for
people who have been affected by this disease. At present, she estimates there are
some 750 people who participate in the support group.
The Shorti-OnLine website contains the following caveat: “Please realize that we aren’t
saying not to vaccinate your cats, we just feel that cat owners must be aware of these
dangers so that we can make the proper decisions in caring for our pets...”
Of course, the provision of routine veterinary care to companion animals, including
vaccinations, is one of the things responsible pet owners do. Most devoted and diligent
pet “parents” assume that taking their dogs and cats for regular vaccinations is the only
responsible path. If we love our animals, we want to be sure that they get the best. And
what could be better than the latest scientific achievements to protect them from illness?
The fact is that laymen rarely perceive vaccinations as invasive medical procedures. And,
in fact, vaccinations have been hugely beneficial in protecting pets (and, in the case of
rabies, humans as well) from serious health problems.
A highly informative brochure from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Feline Health Center (www.veterinarian.cornell.edu/fhc/resources/brochure/vaccbr.html)
asks the question, “Are vaccines dangerous?” Here is the response:
“Not usually. Unfortunately, a perfect, risk-free vaccine does not exist. Vaccines are
indispensable in fighting feline infectious disease. But as with any medical procedure,
there is a small chance that reactions may develop as a result of vaccination. To
maximize the benefits of vaccination while minimizing the risks, it is important to
vaccinate only against infectious agents to which your cat has a realistic risk of exposure,
infection and subsequent development of disease…”
Those working to improve the odds of eliminating the cancer risk from vaccinations, both
veterinarians and cat owners, advise consideration by owner and veterinarian of what
vaccinations are appropriate given a particular cat’s age, lifestyle and state of health.
Rabies vaccination is generally required by law. Even a cat that lives indoors may at
some point find itself unexpectedly outside. With the alarming incidence of rabies in New
Jersey in recent years, it makes sense to “never say never.” A three-year rabies
vaccination has a relatively low risk of side effects.
It was reported in the Wall Street Journal (July 31, 2002) that one pharmaceutical
manufacturer, upon determining that its one-year rabies vaccine gave immunity lasting at
least three years, began to sell the identical formula labeled as three-year or one-year
vaccine, depending on the vaccination requirements in the state where it is sold. This
means that some animals are being injected with vaccines far more frequently than
needed.
At the same time, it should be noted that some pharmaceuticals manufacturers have
donated money to the VAFSTF and have also set up funds from which those with cats
requiring expensive treatments for VAFS can get financial help.
The brochure from Cornell University quoted above advises that the feline distemper
vaccination provides “adequate protection for several years.” The same is true of
vaccines for feline herpesvirus and calicivirus, so that some veterinarians are now
putting patients on a three-year vaccination schedule.
If your cat lives indoors and does not come into contact with outside cats, you should
consider and discuss with your veterinarian if it needs to be vaccinated against feline
leukemia (FLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, sometimes mistakenly called
“feline AIDS”).
Similarly with a list of diseases against which vaccines are available, it is necessary to
weigh the risks against the benefits. Not all vaccines are equally effective and there is no
point in protecting a cat against something it will probably never be exposed to.
Another issue revolves around how a vaccine is administered. Many cat owners as well
as the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) advise against vaccinating
between the cat’s shoulder blades, in the scruff of the neck. This is primarily because
tumors developing in that part of the body tend to be hard to remove surgically and to
have worse outcomes.
A protocol advised by the AAFP specifies that rabies vaccine should be given in the right
rear leg, the FeLV shot in the left rear leg and so forth. Activists like Gigi Howe are
encouraging the development of intranasal vaccines.
Some veterinarians also recommend the administration to the cat of a titer test before
vaccination, to determine whether the cat actually needs the shot or retains immunity
from previous shots. The use of such tests has been limited in great part by the expense,
sometimes more than the cost of the shot. In 2002, however, the US Department of
Agriculture approved a 15-minute titer test that can be performed in the veterinarian’s
office, which would reduce considerably the cost of determining the level of the animal’s
existing protection.
The important points to remember are that you and your veterinarian should be working
together to give your animal the best care possible, and that the most is not always the
best. If your pet has a vaccination, keep an eye on the site of the shot and contact your
veterinarian if anything out of the ordinary turns up.
Gigi Howe is circulating a petition called the “Safer Vaccinations for Companion Animals
Petition,” which covers many of the issues discussed in this article. To read the petition,
go to www.petitiononline.com/petvax23/petition.html. You can also sign it there. For
additional information, visit www.shorti-online.org, and www.catshots.com. For
information from the AVMA task force, go to www.avma.org/vafstf.
First published Oct. 22, 2005 in The Animal Companion.
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