Learn the safest and most effective way to give your pet a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection at home. Certain medical conditions can be controlled by the use of drugs that are only available in an injectable format. A vaccine-associated sarcoma or feline injection-site sarcoma is a type of malignant tumor found in cats which has been linked to certain vaccines. Although it occurs infrequently, the consequences of a malignant tumor developing at a vaccination site … Gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and their i … An instructional video on how to draw up and give injections such as insulin and SQ fluids to your cat. It was first thought that these tumors were completely vaccine-related. Doxorubicin in combination with surgery may be better than surgery alone. Cat Vaccine or Injection Site Sarcoma. Please discuss your concerns about vaccination with your cat’s regular veterinarian. They can try and work out exactly where it is so that it can be removed completely during surgery. Left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Typically, an injection-site reaction is considered to be any pain, swelling, rash, bleeding, or redness that occurs at the site of an injection, although, serious reactions can occur (see sidebar 1). The most common injection-site sarcoma in cats is a fibrosarcoma. Those are all things that are not going to happen in a normal case. Feline sarcoma virus is extremely rare in the cat and requires co-infection with FeLV in order to cause disease. If you’re not aware what an adjuvant is, they are substances that are administered as part of a vaccine to enhance it’s effect, stimulating a better immune response with more antibodies being produced along with a longer lasting immunity. The cause of injection-site sarcoma in cats is unclear. Chest x-rays are necessary to determine whether there is any evidence of metastasis (spread) to the lungs. However, sometimes it is difficult to differentiate an injection-site sarcoma from a vaccine reaction or granuloma on aspirates. Rather than even being injected with anything, it may be just the act of the needle going in, or it may be the injection of any substance that is triggering this cancer formation. A vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS) or feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS) is a type of malignant tumor found in cats (and often, dogs and ferrets) which has been linked to certain vaccines.VAS has become a concern for veterinarians and cat owners alike and has resulted in changes in recommended vaccine protocols. For easier injections, grab some of that skin to make a “skin tent.” Standard size needles recommended are 18 to 20-gauge needle from 1 to 1.5 inches long. The four core vaccines for cats are: Rabies. Although these types of reactions can occur in other animals, cats seem to have a more extreme reaction, so it’s far more common to see these tumors in cats. These tumors are often called fibrosarcomas, and are most frequently located between the shoulder blades, in the hip region, and in the back legs. Insulin pens have shorter needles and no glass. Or it may be a reaction to both. This will prevent the cat's blood sugar from dropping to a dangerously low level. Be sure to alternate the location each time you give an injection to avoid soreness. The hair may be wetted with alcohol to better define the skin surface so the injection is not given in the haircoat. Your vet will tell you how much fluid to give, and whether to give it all in one place or use more than one site. An injection-site sarcoma is a tumor of the connective tissues in the cat. Below are pictures of Jock, a hairless Sphynx cat, receiving an injection. The two seem very much opposite, as safe injection sites encourage “safe” drug abuse and drug rehab encourages ongoing abstinence. The bottom line is that these are invasive, nasty tumors. Change sites for the injections: It is important to use a different site each time you give an injection. In most cases, a CT scan may be recommended to determine the extent of your cat’s tumor and to appropriately plan surgery and/or radiation treatments. It is a mass that usually occurs in the skin of a cat at the site of an injection or vaccination. You should also take your cat to the vet for any lump that’s over 2 centimeters in diameter. If a lump is still present three months after injection, If the size of the lump is larger than two centimeters at any time point. Injection site sarcoma in cats is a serious, aggressive, frequently fatal cat tumor. Find a good location that works for you and your cat. This is a reaction to the needle or to the medicine that was injected. This handout provides step by step instructions. And then finally, 25% of tumors (1-in-4) will actually metastasize. An injection-site sarcoma (also … Injection-site sarcomas (ISS) are also referred to as fibrosarcomas. Keeping injection sites healthy . Injection-site sarcomas in cats are very difficult to treat. Sometimes giving an injection is the only option to effectively treat a cat. Generally around 10-20 ml/kg of fluid can be given at a single SQ injection site (around 60-100 ml for an average sized cat). This is actually really unclear, and this includes aluminum adjuvants or any other adjuvants. 2. if the mass is at least 2 centimeters (3/4 of an inch) in diameter, or. Dispose of the used needles and syringes properly. Report anything you are concerned about to your doctor or nurse. Visit the UF Small Animal and Large Animal Hospitals. There is a lot of "real estate" when it comes to where to give cats their injections - anywhere from approximately 2 inches away from the spine, right down to the belly area, between the front and back … Inject long-acting and intermediate-acting insulin into the other sites, as rapid absorption would reduce the effectiveness of these types. Cutaneous lymphomas at injection sites (CLIS) shared some clinical and pathological features with feline injection site sarcomas and with lymphomas developing … Make sure your cat is hydrated. Join in on the conversation! Many cats tolerate the injections well when given about one to two inches from the middle of the back, near the shoulder blade or hip bone. Injection-site sarcoma is a condition in which a cat develops a tumor at the site of an injection or vaccination. Avoid pinching the skin too hard with your fingers. Cat vaccinations can cause other risks like injection site tumors and immune disease, however such incidences are extremely rare and can be linked to pre-existing genetic and medical conditions. But remember, this is a very rare tumor affecting less than 0.0001% of cats and we can't lose sight of the fact that we're giving any injection. We do not want to have the extreme reaction of saying vaccines (or any injection) are completely unnecessary because we don't want to risk our cat getting a tumor. Additionally, routine bloodwork should be performed to assess the overall health of your cat. Giving injections to a cat requires skill, patience, and confidence. A brief anesthetic episode is necessary so that your cat remains still for treatment. Evidence though is mixed, with original tumor size potentially playing the most important role in survival, rather than the post-surgery treatment given. The sites where injections are given should be at least 1 inch away from each other. Cats with tumors on the legs, where an amputation can be performed, appear to do better than cats with tumor on the trunk of the body. Good technique minimizes this but even so, many animals will react to the injection. The most common cell type affected is the fibroblast, giving the tumor the name fibrosarcoma. Other tumor types have been described (osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma). Vaccine-associated Sarcoma in Cats Reports of a sarcoma (a cancerous mass arising from bone, cartilage, fat or muscle) developing at the site of vaccine injection sites in some animals … Cats will do very, very well with three legs in the vast majority of cases. How Can Safe Injection Sites Increase Referrals to Rehab? Signs of Fibrosarcomas in Cats . The edges of the biopsy are evaluated to determine whether the margins are “clean” (no evidence of tumor cells at surgery margins) or “dirty” (tumor cells extend to surgery edge). To recognize an injection site sarcoma, look for a hard, immovable lump on your cat’s skin that develops at the site of a vaccine or other injection. A small minority are thought to have a genetic predisposition to develop these tumors, but an exact cause has not been identified. Be prepared for a big scar. They are aggressive and there is a high risk of recurrence. Today, among the spectrum of vaccine adverse events reported in dogs and cats, feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS) ranks as the most serious. Dogs and cats have an extensive potential subcutaneous space that can be used for the administration of drugs or fluids. Filed Under: How To Video. How to Administer a Quadriceps Intramuscular Injection in a Cat. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for injection-site sarcoma. That being said, we also need to give our vaccines at an appropriate interval. Healthcare professionals often give intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal muscle of the hip. Very rarely, an injection-site … Is there an actual problem within a certain line of cats? These have been strongly implicated in the past. It is common to find a lump at the sight of injection in cats when using Depo-medrol. In most instances, surgery alone is not curative and other treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy are recommended as an adjunct to surgery. Both drugs are given intravenously every 3 weeks for 5-6 treatments. Whatever’s happening, this inflammation may be resulting in cell mutation and then cancer formation. How to Administer a Quadriceps Intramuscular Injection in a Cat. Thank you for visiting our website, we hope you have found our information useful. If you would like me to answer any question you have about your pet’s health, simply fill in this form and I’ll try and get you the information that you need. Local recurrence is frequent after surgical excision. A cause and effect relationship has been established for certain vaccines, including rabies and feline leukemia. Treatment combining surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy significantly increases the tumor free time to 18-24 months. These tumors develop in areas where cats have received injections… VAS has become a concern for veterinarians and cat … After surgery, there is the potential for other follow-up treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This talk will focus mostly on Injection site sarcomas (ISS/VAS) with supplementary information on the other types of sarcomas in the cat… It is likely there is a genetic predisposition to the development of these tumors in certain cats; however, the exact genetic problem has not yet been identified. SPECIAL article/ Feline injection-site sarcoma Figure 1 (a–c) Cats with feline injection-site sarcoma. Ask your healthcare provider if you need to inject the medicine in a certain site. It is not clear that any adjuvants are responsible to any greater degree than some of the other substances injected that can cause an injection site sarcoma in cats. Surgical removal needs to be wide and deep, as these tumors grow by sending “finger-like” projections of tumor cells among the tissues. Injection-Site Sarcoma Average Cost From 559 quotes ranging from $1,000 - … A lot of the diseases that we are vaccinating cats against are life-threatening, life-limiting, or have a massive impact on the quality of life, as well as being are very common. Make sure to keep an eye out for any side effects such as pain, redness, swelling, warmth, pus, or drainage at the injection site. Needle aspirates are useful in increasing your veterinarian’s suspicion of cancer. The risk of not vaccinating for certain diseases may be much higher than the risk of tumor development. You might also see it written as FISS, standing for feline injection-site … [1] We look at the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of injection site sarcoma in cats. Cats with “clean” surgery margins often do better, but tumors have been noted to regrow, even with “clean” margins. The reaction may happen right away. A positive action for insertion of needles into muscles reduces muscle damage and pain and massaging the site after injection disperses the injection … This means that they will spread to other parts of the body. Naturally, you may be wondering what safe injection sites have to do with rehab. This rule gives us a guideline as to when to investigate any potential injection site sarcoma. There is even one case of injection sites sarcoma following microchip implantation. It is best to administer the injections at approximately the same time(s) every day. Having said that, it does appear that these tumors are more likely following leukemia and rabies vaccinations. Have a vet check any lump that develops. Not all cats get them and they do not get them from every injection that is given but they can occur. It is really important to take vary good care of your injection sites. Treatment combining surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy significantly increases the tumor free time to 18-24 months. Intramuscular injections are more painful than subcutaneous ones. In many cases, cat owners are willing and able to administer these medications at home. Certainly, younger cats are really not going to be getting many other injections at all. Once that happens, it’s bad news. The 2013 AAFP Feline Vaccination Advisory Panel Report included recommendations for specific vaccine antigens to be … - Ken. That highlights why we want to be getting onto this at the earliest opportunity just to give ourselves the best chance of removing it completely. It's moved from the scruff, the traditional injection site between the shoulder blades where there is a lot of skin that are not very sensitive. Your vet may instruct you to give your cat an injection once or twice a day. Chemotherapy is extremely well-tolerated in cats. Thus, the best time to treat with chemotherapy and radiation therapy is the very first time the tumor occurs. Clinical presentation, histology, immunophenotype, FeLV p27 and gp70 expression, and clonality were assessed. Some have trouble handling syringes or using the plunger, especially if the cat becomes agitated. A surgical biopsy is often necessary to make a definitive diagnosis of injection-site sarcoma. Two chemotherapy drugs, doxorubicin and carboplatin, have shown activity against injection-site sarcomas. Injection site sarcomas have also been found to develop after a range of other drug injections. Non-injection site sarcomas are not as common, but do occur. All our advice is freely accessible to everyone, wherever you are in the world. If we can get some advanced imaging, then we're going to have a much better chance of removing it completely by visualizing exactly where the tumor is invading. An injection site sarcoma is a nasty, aggressive tumor. It is thought that the inflammation that can result following the injection of any substance, or the act of having a needle and act of being injected, is actually just not controlled properly. Expand Veterinary Intensive Care Unit Submenu, Expand Common Veterinary Emergencies Submenu, Expand Image-Guided Interventional Service Submenu, Expand Integrative Medicine Service Submenu, Expand Rehabilitation and Fitness Submenu, Expand Primary Care and Dentistry Submenu, Expand Soft Tissue & Minimally Invasive Surgery Submenu, We are a Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society Level I Certified Facility, Bloat or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV), Thoracic radiographs of various dog breeds, This page uses Google Analytics (Google Privacy Policy). Costs are also clearly going to be a consideration. Because of those little tentacles, it is very difficult to get every single tumor cell, which means that there is a reasonable chance of the tumor coming back. Résumé. It has now become much clearer that it is actually simply the act of having any form of an injection that can trigger this cancer formation. Most are ergonomic and do not require pushing a plunger. The bottom line is that a wide range of injections are known to result in this disease. Try to rotate sites also, because repeated injections in the same site can cause a "granuloma" or knot of tissue that has poor blood supply (which means the insulin isn't absorbed well). You may create a … Fundamentally Feline on Facebook. Choose a comfortable location where you will treat your cat. 1. if the lump is growing one month after the injection, or. Other tumor types have been … Metastasis (spread) to other parts of the body is reported between 10-25%. You might also see it written as FISS, standing for feline injection-site sarcoma. The tumor types behave similarly and are therefore treated the same way. Are certain cats genetically predisposed to developing these tumors, or genetically more likely to suffer from injection site sarcomas compared to other cats? The most common cell type affected is the fibroblast, giving the tumor the name fibrosarcoma. Radiation therapy may be performed either before or after surgical removal of the tumor in order to treat any residual tumor cells that may remain after surgery. Insulin injections should be given immediately after the cat has eaten. Need animal care? A theoretical causal relationship between rabies vaccination and fibrosarcomas was first recognised in the USA in 1991, with successive studies linking increased usage of rabies and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) vaccines and the development of these tumours. Cats get this phenomenon called injection site tumor, injection site sarcomas or injection site fibrosarcoma. Instead, in most cases we are trying to move to the lower thigh or to the lower front leg if possible. A soft lump will develop under the skin at the site … Courtesy of Johannes Hirschberger, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany reaction at the site of an injection acts as a trig-ger for subsequent malignant transformation. Chemotherapy may be recommended for recurrent tumors or tumors that may behave aggressively based on biopsy characteristics. An injection-site sarcoma is a tumor of the connective tissues in the cat. INJECTION SITE-ASSOCIATED SARCOMA IN THE CAT Treatment recommendations and results to date Practical relevance: Feline injection site-associated sarcomas (FISSs) have been the cause of much controversy and concern since they were first reported in the early 1990s. Injection-site sarcomas (ISS) are also referred to as fibrosarcomas. A Word From Verywell . Find the injection site, using the techniques your veterinarian demonstrated for you. In most cases, the reaction is not serious and goes away on its own. Radiation therapy is performed on a daily basis, Monday through Friday, for 4 weeks. It will not persist for that length of time and it is not going to be increasing in size a month after injection. This potential increases when the tumor regrows after repeated surgery. 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