# Bump on back of neck :(



## Trinitee_112 (Dec 7, 2004)

This morning while sammy was sleeping on my lap I was petting him and felt a bump on the back of his neck. It doesnt seem to bother him and he had his rabies shot last tuesday I dont know if this has something to do with it :roll:


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## Cooper (Jun 15, 2005)

OmaKitty had that with her first rabies shot. Most times, it's just the meds being injected into the muscle but if it doesn't go away within a week, it can turn into something serious.

The stupid vet that did her spay/vaccinations told me it was a tumor and she needed emergency surgery. I took her for a second opinion and the two vets I saw said it was just muscle balled up and suggested I lightly massage the area.


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## ilovekeiki (Jun 16, 2005)

bella has that too but above her tail where shes gotten her shots. it hasnt gone away and she hasnt had a shot for 2 weeks now.. it feels like a little ball under her skin. i am concerned so i will definately bring it up at her appointment tomorrow. Does anyone know what it might be?


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## Cooper (Jun 15, 2005)

This is going to be long, but it's an article I found on petfinder.org.

Vaccine Related Sarcomas 

What are vaccines and what do they do?
Vaccines are still the best defense cats have against many common and often fatal diseases. When a kitten is born he/she receives what is called passive immunity from the mother. This occurs when kittens first drink their mother's milk. This first milk, also known as colostrum, contains antibodies to many common feline diseases. With the addition of those antibodies to the system the kitten now has a limited immunity. As passive immunity wears off, a common option is to have the kitten receive vaccinations. 

A vaccine is a preparation containing a non-pathogenic form of the disease. This may take the form of giving antigen in small amounts of dead or attenuated form of the pathogen. Administration of the vaccine will cause the body to produce antibodies against the disease. If and when the cat encounters the pathogen later in life, as the cat already has antibodies against the disease, the cat stands a very good change of not becoming ill and fighting off the pathogen successfully. This type of immunity is known as adaptive immunity. As adaptive immunity can wear off, most vaccinations require yearly or tri-yearly boosters. 

What vaccines do cats typically receive?

FVRCPP or FVRCPC - This is one of the most common vaccines given and is a basic upper respiratory vaccine. It protects against Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Pneumonititis (Chlamydia) and Panleukopenia. 

Rabies - Rabies is still a very large threat to felines in the United States. Of all domesticated animals, cats have the highest incidence of rabies. As rabies also affects humans, this vaccine is usually mandated by law in most of the United States. 
FeLV - A vaccine exists for FeLV, which is now the leading viral killer in felines. FeLV is highly contagious, fatal and there is no known cure for it. 

FIP - FIP is another fatal and incurable viral killer in cats. This vaccine is highly controversial as its efficacy has not totally been proven and many think the vaccine may actually do more harm than good. 

What problems are associated with vaccines?
Cats can have a variety of reactions to vaccines. Most cats will have no reaction at all, however, veterinarians are seeing an increasing number of cats exhibiting mild to severe allergic-type reactions and vaccine-related sarcomas (cancers). 

Some cats will develop a mild reaction that may last for a few days to a week after the vaccination. Mild reactions can include a variety of symptoms such as mild fever, lethargy, poor appetite, sneezing or respiratory problems, slight discomfort at the injection site, slight swelling at the injection site, and vomiting. Although these symptoms may be mild you should call your vet immediately if your cat has any reaction to a vaccine. Some vaccines have a Chlamydia component to them, and some cats have been found to have reactions to that part of the vaccine. If so, your vet may decide to use a vaccine that does not contain a Chlamydia component in the future. 

Some cats will develop a more severe reaction. This type of reaction can range from a severe allergic reaction soon after the vaccination to a tumor that forms at the injection site. Such a tumor will start off as a small swelling or lump at the injection site. However, this lump will not go away after a few weeks but will grow. This type of tumor is known as a vaccine-related sarcoma and is a form of cancer. If your cat has a lump at the injection site that does not go away after a few weeks but persists for a month or more, if the lump is larger than a few centimeters in diameter, or if the lump seems to be increasing in size then your cat may have a sarcoma. 

As with any suspected cancer your vet will first send a biopsy of the lump to a lab for tests. If the lump is found to be malignant your vet will want to start treatment as soon as possible. Vaccine-related sarcomas seems to be very fast-acting cancers that can be very resistant to treatment. The best treatment seems to be a lumpectomy, or complete removal of the lump and surrounding tissue, within 12 weeks after the vaccine is given. With vaccine-related sarcomas, a timely diagnosis and treatment is the best defense. At this point in time it is not completely known why cancer seems to be linked to vaccination. Cancer has been seen with many different vaccines (rabies, FeLV, FVRCPP) and in vaccines that are manufactured by different drug companies. 

So do I vaccinate or not?
So does this mean that you shouldn't vaccinate your cat? No, but it does mean that you need to be aware of the pros and cons of vaccination. And through weighing both sides of the equation with your veterinarian you need to come to an educated decision. For example, if you have an outdoor cat the chances of that cat getting into a fight and contracting rabies, FeLV, an upper respiratory disease, or a herpesvirus probably is greater than the risks associated with vaccination. However, if you have an indoor cat that lives alone and doesn't come in contact with any other animals, the chance of that cat contracting any of the diseases you would vaccinate for are relatively slim. Thus in that situation one may decide to forgo the risks associated with vaccination and simply not vaccinate the cat. The best way to determine if you should or should not vaccinate is to discuss vaccination with your veterinarian. Based on your individual cat's risk of exposure, current health status and past medical history your vet can recommend what is best for your feline. 

What is being done in the veterinary community to deal with this?
In November of 1996 the Vaccine Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force was formed by the American Veterinary Medical Association. This task force works to better define just how serious this problem is, to research what causes vaccine-related sarcomas, and to educate the public and veterinarians about such sarcomas and how to prevent them. The VAFSTF has also created a set of recommendations to all persons administering vaccines. These recommendations include always giving certain vaccinations in the same spot (for example the FeLV vaccine is supposed to be given in the left rear leg), and documenting all vaccinations as to which vaccine was given, the maker of the vaccine, and where the vaccine was injected. Such information may be useful in better understanding these sarcomas, why they happen, and how to prevent them. 

In the meantime the best defense against any type of vaccine reaction is owner education. Remember, vaccine reactions do not occur in a majority of pets, and vaccines are still the best way to protect our pets from certain diseases. Talk to your vet, discuss your pets' options and choose whether or not to vaccinate based on what is best for your pet. Your vet may urge you to still vaccinate for all diseases, to only vaccinate for some, or to not vaccinate at all.


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## Pismo (Aug 2, 2005)

My dog Keesha (Keeshond) had this happen after her yearly vaccination at 10 years old. The lump never went away and grew. She was very sick after the vaccinations They are calling it sarcoma, but have not biopsied it because of her age...now thirteen. They said there is really nothing they could do with her if it is a sarcoma. So far she is OK, but we fear the worse because we have found another lump. We are so sad, but know she has had a long happy life, and she doesn't seem to be in any pain, so we are just loving her as much as possible.

Now there are some opinions that we vaccinate our pets too often, and it is not good for the immune system. Some vets suggest every three years, but others, probably mostly due to money, still want you to vaccinate every year. Some vets can do antibody levels to see if your pet is still immune, and I think that would be the way to go. It is more expensive, but would rather have them get as few vaccinations as necessary...especially in a small dog like a chihuahua.

By the way...don't want to freak people out about this...most lumps are probably just small local reactions, but you should keep an eye on them. If they grow, take them to the vet and have it checked out.


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## ilovekeiki (Jun 16, 2005)

Bella is only 12 weeks and the lump is only pea sized. Has anyone else had experience with this before? I am just assuming the worst and i cant even stand the thought of losing her. I am just beside myself


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## TuckersMom (Jun 29, 2004)

Tucker had his yearly boosters at the end of May. The vet that administered the shots gave them in the rib-cage area. Tucker developed 2 lumps, one much larger than the other. The larger one was originally almost the size of a golf ball and is still slightly visible. Next year we will be sure to see the other vet (there are 2 at the clinic we go to). The girls who work there said that they don't know why this particular vet gives the shots in the rib area, but recommended that next year we see the other vet on staff because dogs don't develop these lumps when he gives the vaccinations.

The vet who gave the shots in May said not to worry about any lumps unless they got as big as a golf ball. The girls at the clinic said that sometimes these lumps wind up having to be drained. How traumatic that would be. I don't know why this vet won't change the location where he gives the injections, but we won't see him next year, that's for sure.


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## Pismo (Aug 2, 2005)

I wouldn't worry too much about Bella. It is probably just a local reaction...especially if it is pea size. Just watch that it doesn't get bigger. Keesha's grew bigger than a tennis ball (but she's a bigger dog).


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