Question:
My 1-1/2-year-old male cat, Grissom, has a small lump on his leg near where he was vaccinated about a week and a half ago. We just noticed it today and are pretty sure it has been there only a couple of days.Is this something we should be concerned about? What should we do? It does not seem to be painful for him at all and seems to be located just under the skin and unattached to any organs underneath.His sister was vaccinated at the same time and has no lumps that we have found as of right now, but she did have a reaction immediately following the visit to the vet. She vomited and seemed in pain, and we had to take her to the emergency vet, where they suppressed her immune response and rehydrated her. It took her a few days to get back to normal, but she has not had any problems since then.
H.C., Minneapolis, MN Feb 04, 2007
Answer:
Yes, you should be concerned. This could be the beginning of a very invasive cancer. Take the cat to the veterinarian who gave the vaccination.I am glad that the veterinarian gave the vaccination in the leg region, rather than the old way, which was under the skin at the back of the neck. It is far more difficult to stop the cancer from spreading when cats are vaccinated in the neck/shoulder region.A quick diagnosis and, yes, amputation of the leg if the swelling proves to be a malignancy may save your cat. Cats (and dogs, too), especially those suffering from all-too-common bone cancer, adapt well to losing one limb.Your other cat's adverse reactions, along with your first cat's lump, should be reported by your veterinarian to both the vaccine manufacturers and the Food and Drug Administration's Bureau of Veterinary Medicine.
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