Re: Vaccination induced cancer fibrosarcoma (vaccination-site fibrosarcoma)

Hello Lee,
I'm sorry to hear of your loss, it hurts, no doubt in particular when something we do in an effort to help them contributes to them passing.

But we have to keep in mind there are often side effects and risks involved with many treatments out there for human and animal alike. We must weight the "risk-weward" factor with things such as this. While vaccination-site fibrosarcoma may be a potential risk of the vaccines, the reality is that Vet's see far more Rabies, Feline Luekemia and Dispemper.

One thing I would suggest is if people choose too, research the vaccines themselves, but be on the lokout for what I call "Chicken-Little" websites put together by knee-jerk reactionaries. One such site did a GREAT diservice to the Horse world by claiming Fort Dodges West Nile Virus Vaccine was causing foaling complications, deformities, and death in newborn horses. Turns out it wasn't, period. The problem is that anyone with a computer can slap together a website. Considering the number of people who used the West Nile Vaccine, there was no doubt that some of the horses, just like those without the vaccine, were going to have foaling complications. After a long investigation, it was clearly and irrefutably exposed as someone going off half-cocked.

This is NOT to say you are going off half cocked like the Chicken-Little who blamed the WN vaccine . It may be a valid consideration. But in that consideration, we have to consider the potential for rabies, FL and distemper if we don't give the vaccine.

And it probably isn't so much that "Vets don't tell us", as it is the reality that they really shouldn't have to unless it is something with a fairly high likelihood of an undesired effect. That is why I suggest folks to ask a Vet, or our own Doctors a gazillion questions. If it's a full-time indoor cat, we may even be able to skip someting like the rabies vaccine altogether.
A good tip is to always ask a Doc or Vet for any medication they administer if we can have the literature that comes in every box of vaccine or other medication.

Again, I understand your loss, but keep in mind the risk of foregoing the vaccination creates a much greater risk, overall. My condolences, but remember, you know have another pet 'up there' waiting for you when your time comes. Tweet