How common are feline injection site sarcomas?

[ty3535]

Enzo has a lump next to his right shoulder that we had biopsied a few days ago. The results won’t be in until next week, but my vet discussed 2 possible explanations: a lipoma, which is her most likely guess, or feline injection site sarcomas. She did make a point to say she always gives vaccines by the hind legs as this apparently limits the chances of a Feline injection site sarcoma.

Does anyone have any experience with this? She also told me it’s pretty uncommon, but didn’t know any specific statistics. She’s hopeful it’s a lipoma, as there were a few things that led her to believe that to be the case. When she did the biopsy she was pulling a lot of fat, and the lump is pretty deep. I’m definitely an anxious mess and I hate having to wait so long for results, so if anyone can share any thoughts I’d appreciate the help. Thank you!

 

[misty8723]

I have none, but I just wanted to mention that my vet has started giving injections in the bottom part of the tail, so if a sarcoma did develop, it was be a lot easier to remove part of the tail rather than the hind legs.

Praying for the best possible outcome. Waiting is so hard.

 

[ty3535]

I have none, but I just wanted to mention that my vet has started giving injections in the bottom part of the tail, so if a sarcoma did develop, it was be a lot easier to remove part of the tail rather than the hind legs.

Praying for the best possible outcome. Waiting is so hard.

Thank you so much for the prayers, I need as many as I can possibly get. I will be devastated if it’s something malignant. From my Google search, some people say 1 in 1,000 and I’ve seen a 1 in 10,000, so if the internet is to be trusted it doesn’t seem like it’s super common.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It is not common, but it can happen. I have a candle lit for your baby.

 

[ty3535]

It is not common, but it can happen. I have a candle lit for your baby.

Thanks so much

 

[Maurey]

Do you know where your cat was last vaccinated? Vaccinating in the scruff is extremely unpopular nowadays and I don't know of a single vet to still do it.
FISS is very rare, especially now that an increasing number of vets tend to prefer using non-adjuvanted vaccines. My vet vaccinates in the paunch near the back legs, not because it reduces risk, but because it's an easy operation to remove a mass with enough of a border so that you're the most likely to remove the entire mass without leaving stray cells behind.

Best of luck to your kitty. FWIW lipoma is fairly common in older cats. My boy's mum started developing them at around 5 years old, so it can start fairly young. In her case, it may be stress related, as her first lipoma was discovered a few weeks after she had her first FIC episode from very high stress.

 

[ty3535]

Do you know where your cat was last vaccinated? Vaccinating in the scruff is extremely unpopular nowadays and I don't know of a single vet to still do it.
FISS is very rare, especially now that an increasing number of vets tend to prefer using non-adjuvanted vaccines. My vet vaccinates in the paunch near the back legs, not because it reduces risk, but because it's an easy operation to remove a mass with enough of a border so that you're the most likely to remove the entire mass without leaving stray cells behind.

Best of luck to your kitty. FWIW lipoma is fairly common in older cats. My boy's mum started developing them at around 5 years old, so it can start fairly young. In her case, it may be stress related, as her first lipoma was discovered a few weeks after she had her first FIC episode from very high stress.

My current vet, who has done his vaccina since 2014 hasn’t put them on his scruff. I’m unable to find out who vaccinated him prior to that, so I’m just hopeful it wasn’t caused by an earlier injection before I got him. Thank you so much for letting me know the lipoma’s are pretty common. It eases my stress a bit

 

[silent meowlook]

I’ve seen it. My brothers car died from it. I think it is more common than they say. Most of the research is funded by the vaccine companies. That being said, we had a senior cat at work recently that I would have sworn was a vaccine sarcoma lump between his shoulders but it came back as a lipoma.

 

[ty3535]

I’ve seen it. My brothers car died from it. I think it is more common than they say. Most of the research is funded by the vaccine companies. That being said, we had a senior cat at work recently that I would have sworn was a vaccine sarcoma lump between his shoulders but it came back as a lipoma.

I’m happy to hear lipomas can be found between the shoulder blades.

 

[silent meowlook]

My brother’s cat, not car.