Worried - Kittens have lumps from vacination

lunangel355 · 01-13-2005, 08:55 PM

I am very worried, two of our kittens have devloped large lumps where they had their vacination. I read on the internet that sometimes vacinations can cause a cancerous lump. Has anyone ever had this problem before, and can the lumps go away without being cancer?
Thanks.

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coaster · 01-13-2005, 09:05 PM

I don't know how big the lumps are. It's common to develop a very small lump that goes away after a few days. Cancer takes a long time to develop, so if the vaccination is recent, that's unlikely. If it's been more than a week and the lumps are large, there could have been some kind of reaction.

lunangel355 · 01-13-2005, 09:11 PM

It has been over a week and the lumps are larger than grapes.

coaster · 01-13-2005, 09:47 PM

That's not normal.

Gudewife · 01-13-2005, 10:18 PM

How old are they? Exactly which vaccination did they have that seems to be causing the problem (and if you know the manufacturer or brand, that would also help...should be on the vet's bill)? Is this their first set, or one of the boosters? How is their health otherwise (are they lethargic, not eating, hiding?). Are the kittens very tiny or skinny, which could accentuate any lumps? Have you called the vet to discuss the lumps and asked for a recheck? Are the lumps painful or sensitive? Are they fixed or mobile (able to be slid around under the skin)?

lunangel355 · 01-13-2005, 10:33 PM

They are around 16 weeks old, and had two shots, their second frcpc booster and their first rabies shot. No brand name was written on the bill. They seem very healthy and the lumps don't seem to be painful, and are mobile. One of the kittens was very lethargic, the day after her shot, but is ok now. I called the vet, and they just told me to keep an eye on them, and if they don't go down, to call them back.
I was also concerend, because we had taken them to a cheaper vetenarian, because we could not afford to go to our regular vet. Now I am worried, that I may have made a big mistake, by taking them there.
Thanks for your concern.

Gudewife · 01-13-2005, 10:54 PM

I'd go ahead and call the vet back if you're concerned. I know my vet charges very little for recheck visits (about half the price of an exam visit).

In the meantime, read this for more information (which might help), I will excerpt a part of it here, but there's more info at the site:

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_va ... arcom.html

Begin Quoted Material:
------------------------------------------------------
Be aware of lumps forming after vaccination
Lumps commonly form in the weeks following vaccination due to the immune stimulation and inflammation centered on this area. These lumps are usually normal and do not represent fibrosarcomas (which generally take years to develop, not weeks). If your cat develops one of these lumps under the skin (they are usually noticed by owners 3-4 weeks after vaccination), the lump may be left alone to resolve naturally. If the lump is still present 3 months from the time of vaccination, it should be removed and biopsied. Any lumps greater than 2 cm in diameter (approximately one inch) should be removed no matter how long a time has past since vaccination. Also, any lump should be removed if it is felt to be getting larger rather than smaller one month after its discovery.

Sometimes one such lump will break open. This usually means an infection is present and must be treated rather than that a fibrosarcoma has developed. Your veterinarian should be informed of this occurrence and the pet should return for therapy
----------------------------------------
End quoted material

lunangel355 · 01-13-2005, 11:13 PM

Thanks so much. I am a little less worried after reading that. Hopefully they will go away on there own. My husband thinks, they did go down a little, but they are still quite large. We have had several animals, and have never had this problem before. Its funny that it would happen to two of them, and the other two do have smaller lumps, too. Hopefully we will be able to take them to our regular vet, to have their next shot. I would feel a lot better taking them there because we have dealt with them so long, and never had any problems.
Thanks again.

opokki · 01-14-2005, 07:01 PM

My siamese x developed a lump after one of her vaccinations as a kitten. I took her back to the vet where I was told it was normal and would go away. It went away within a few weeks.

lunangel355 · 01-14-2005, 10:13 PM

Thanks for telling me. I am glad to hear that it can be normal and does go away.

01-13-2005, 08:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
lunangel355 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	Worried - Kittens have lumps from vacination I am very worried, two of our kittens have devloped large lumps where they had their vacination. I read on the internet that sometimes vacinations can cause a cancerous lump. Has anyone ever had this problem before, and can the lumps go away without being cancer? Thanks. Please visit our site URL:http://www.geocities.com/lunangel355/Kittens.html

01-13-2005, 09:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	I don't know how big the lumps are. It's common to develop a very small lump that goes away after a few days. Cancer takes a long time to develop, so if the vaccination is recent, that's unlikely. If it's been more than a week and the lumps are large, there could have been some kind of reaction.

01-13-2005, 09:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
lunangel355 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	It has been over a week and the lumps are larger than grapes.

01-13-2005, 09:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	That's not normal.

01-13-2005, 10:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Gudewife Cat Addict Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,159	How old are they? Exactly which vaccination did they have that seems to be causing the problem (and if you know the manufacturer or brand, that would also help...should be on the vet's bill)? Is this their first set, or one of the boosters? How is their health otherwise (are they lethargic, not eating, hiding?). Are the kittens very tiny or skinny, which could accentuate any lumps? Have you called the vet to discuss the lumps and asked for a recheck? Are the lumps painful or sensitive? Are they fixed or mobile (able to be slid around under the skin)?

01-13-2005, 10:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
lunangel355 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	They are around 16 weeks old, and had two shots, their second frcpc booster and their first rabies shot. No brand name was written on the bill. They seem very healthy and the lumps don't seem to be painful, and are mobile. One of the kittens was very lethargic, the day after her shot, but is ok now. I called the vet, and they just told me to keep an eye on them, and if they don't go down, to call them back. I was also concerend, because we had taken them to a cheaper vetenarian, because we could not afford to go to our regular vet. Now I am worried, that I may have made a big mistake, by taking them there. Thanks for your concern.

01-13-2005, 10:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
Gudewife Cat Addict Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,159	I'd go ahead and call the vet back if you're concerned. I know my vet charges very little for recheck visits (about half the price of an exam visit). In the meantime, read this for more information (which might help), I will excerpt a part of it here, but there's more info at the site: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_va ... arcom.html Begin Quoted Material: ------------------------------------------------------ Be aware of lumps forming after vaccination Lumps commonly form in the weeks following vaccination due to the immune stimulation and inflammation centered on this area. These lumps are usually normal and do not represent fibrosarcomas (which generally take years to develop, not weeks). If your cat develops one of these lumps under the skin (they are usually noticed by owners 3-4 weeks after vaccination), the lump may be left alone to resolve naturally. If the lump is still present 3 months from the time of vaccination, it should be removed and biopsied. Any lumps greater than 2 cm in diameter (approximately one inch) should be removed no matter how long a time has past since vaccination. Also, any lump should be removed if it is felt to be getting larger rather than smaller one month after its discovery. Sometimes one such lump will break open. This usually means an infection is present and must be treated rather than that a fibrosarcoma has developed. Your veterinarian should be informed of this occurrence and the pet should return for therapy ---------------------------------------- End quoted material

01-13-2005, 11:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
lunangel355 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	Thanks so much. I am a little less worried after reading that. Hopefully they will go away on there own. My husband thinks, they did go down a little, but they are still quite large. We have had several animals, and have never had this problem before. Its funny that it would happen to two of them, and the other two do have smaller lumps, too. Hopefully we will be able to take them to our regular vet, to have their next shot. I would feel a lot better taking them there because we have dealt with them so long, and never had any problems. Thanks again.

01-14-2005, 07:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
opokki Tom Cat Join Date: May 2003 Location: NY Posts: 305	My siamese x developed a lump after one of her vaccinations as a kitten. I took her back to the vet where I was told it was normal and would go away. It went away within a few weeks.

01-14-2005, 10:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
lunangel355 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	Thanks for telling me. I am glad to hear that it can be normal and does go away.

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