Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
Hello - I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened to your cat. You have been very unlucky but I agree that most injections, but more so for certain antibiotics and certain vaccinations (some FeLV vacs and rabies), are thought to be associated with a slight increase in the likelihood of an aggressive tissue sarcoma occurring. I have read articles stating that the same can be true of local trauma to an area, or leaving a suture in for a very long time (your vets' pathogist could be appealed to to confirm or deny this, my source was Today's Veterinary Practise Magazine 2013). For any single cat, I would still use the drugs when needed, if I thouht the adavntage outweighed the risk. It is difficult to comment on whether that was what happened; some vets make allowances in choosing their injection site abd some write it in the notes so that they remember it, just in case. Every licensed injection given by a vet in the UK, should have a data-sheet detailing any proven risks associated with it and your vet or their pathologist may be able to provide further advice regarding the time scales etc. in regard to the causal link. The comparatively small risk of giving any injection should easily be justified by the benefits in the opinion of the vet giving it - in much the same way that the risks of crossing the road are balanced against the unlikelihood of being hit by a car and the benefits of visiting the supermarket. Sadly, these tumours are thought to be locally very invasive and I beleive that when they occur, the surgery offered tends towards the radical, in order to reduce the likelihood of spread. Some vets choose their injection site with this in mind. I hope that something there helps a little at this tough time.
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