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Should I get next "booster" in the leg?

post #1 of 13
9/14/11 at 9:22pm
Thread Starter 
Phaedra is due for her third and final distemper (FVRCP) vaccine, and I have gotten the other 2 in her scruff, and after I read about how they can get vaccine related sarcomas & how it's pretty much impossible to get rid of in the shoulder blades, I am extremely terrified and I feel so horrible for letting them give it to her in that spot.. should I get her last one in the leg?
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post #2 of 13
9/14/11 at 10:15pm
According to Dr. Hofve, the two vaccines most associated with cancers are the rabies and the feline leukemia. These vaccines should always be given in the right and left hind legs (respectively), both for the safety of the cat and to help determine / track which vaccines of what types are still causing issues. Here's her article: Vaccination.

I would guess that means the third (and final) FVRCP shot would be ok in the scruff. It's good, I think, that you don't plan to give your cat any FVRCP boosters, though. The feline distemper vaccine, though not necessarily responsible for fibrosarcoma cancers, is coming increasingly under suspicion for causing long-term kidney damage in cats. This is what Dr. Hofve has to say about it: Don’t Vaccinate Your Adult Cat for Distemper.

Hope this makes you feel at least a little better about that upcoming shot!

AC
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post #3 of 13
9/14/11 at 10:24pm
Thread Starter 
I guess it's not technically a booster, it's the third FVRCP shot for the 16 week period.. but thank you for clearing that up for me! I think I feel a little better about getting her last one in the scruff.

I read somewhere on here that it's best to get the last one after they turn 16 weeks, and that you really don't need to vaccinate them again as it's usually a pretty long immunity.
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post #4 of 13
9/14/11 at 11:32pm
more info:
http://catinfo.org/?link=vaccines
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post #5 of 13
9/14/11 at 11:44pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for that link! Unfortunately she;s already had 2 FVRCP shots before her 16 week one, but after her 16 week it looks like that will be it, and if I am worried in the future I can just get a titer test instead of pumping more stuff into her body.
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post #6 of 13
9/15/11 at 10:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FleshFlowers View Post
Thank you for that link! Unfortunately she;s already had 2 FVRCP shots before her 16 week one, but after her 16 week it looks like that will be it, and if I am worried in the future I can just get a titer test instead of pumping more stuff into her body.
Auntie is correct leg is best ..

Titers are not full proof often they will only show part of the coverage.. Ie may show well covered but 2 parts of a 3 part immunity could be low or just the opposite can be true.. Discuss it with your vet and check local laws
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post #7 of 13
9/15/11 at 11:01pm
Thread Starter 
I did read that about the titers after I posted my last reply :/

So should I get her last one in her leg or get it in the scruff since I got her other 2 there?
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post #8 of 13
9/16/11 at 12:30am
My vet does not give any in the scruff, she gives each type of vacc. in a separate separate location(legs) which is recommended by the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Personally I think it's better that way just in case.

This shows some of the different locations recommended for different vaccinations:
http://www.peteducation.com/article....1+2143&aid=952
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post #9 of 13
9/16/11 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 
Okay, she goes in today for her shot, I will ask the vet if she will please give it to her in the leg. I hope she doesn't try to argue with me about it :S
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post #10 of 13
9/16/11 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 
I was able to get her vaccine in her leg this time. The vet did it in the left hind leg. She was hesitant at first when I asked her if I could do it that way instead, and was asking me why I wanted to, and that it's usually their protocol to do it in the scruff so they know what is where, and I just said I feel more comfortable if sarcoma were to develop it would be easier at treating in the legs. She said that the FVRCP isn't associated with those and that it's just the rabies & the leukemia, but I told her there is still always a chance with any vaccine!
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post #11 of 13
9/16/11 at 3:53pm
I believe FVRCP is usually given in the right front leg? But as long as they noted in the chart where it was given (or you keep track) that is the important part. I don't understand why giving it in the scruff would help then know what is where more than giving in the legs?
I would suggest giving them a link or printing out the American Association of Feline Practitioners vaccination guide for them (or the part that talks about the vaccination site recommendations):
http://www.ufsheltermedicine.com/new...ine_Vax_GL.pdf

Or an article about it:

http://www.catmine.com/health/unders...feline_vac.htm

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/vaccinations.html
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post #12 of 13
9/16/11 at 7:50pm
Thread Starter 
I feel like I've made a mess of it now. I told her scince she wasn;t getting the FelV vaccine that she would have a leg free, and so she did it in the hind leg. She was hesitant at first about the whole thing anyways, and I was going to bring in my laptop to show her the link that was posted earlier on this thread but I forgot my laptop and didn't notice it about 15 min after I had already left and was almost there already. Will it hurt her at all being in the hind leg? I feel like I can't ask my vet that since she usually gives them in the scruff and obviously didn't know what leg to do it in when I told her I'd prefer it in the leg instead. I feel like a terrible cat mother.
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post #13 of 13
9/16/11 at 10:24pm
No it should be fine, I'm pretty sure the only reason they specify which leg is so each vaccination is being given in a different spot and because if it is always the same leg in each cat, they can easily tell which vaccination went where and so they can track it if there is a problem with one of the vaccinations.

For example my cat had a small bump on his hind leg/hip which I asked my vet to check out. Due to the location she determined it was likely from his rabies shot which he'd had a few weeks before. She was not totally sure since she didn't give the shot (I took him to a shot clinic) but I found out they do the same protocol so we knew that was where he had the rabies shot. It was nothing serious, just some inflammation from the vaccination which went away with treatment. However now we know that he is prone to inflammation from the rabies shot and that he may need some preventive treatment beforehand if he gets a rabies shot again and should be watched for reactions after he gets it (if it was any other vacc I would just not give it again, but rabies vacc may be required by law.)

Now if all the vaccinations where give in the scruff, if there was a reaction that occurred at the vaccination site it would be very hard to determine which vaccination caused the reaction, or it might even be caused by a microchip as that is also in the scruff.
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