VAS Awareness "All In One" Brochure

Prevention is the Best Cure!

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What is VAS/ISS?

VAS stands for Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (also known as Injection Site Sarcoma or ISS). VAS is an aggressive feline cancer linked with a variety of vaccines and injections. While current treatment options have been successful in some cases, cures are very rare.

Should I stop giving my cat vaccines?

No! Vaccines may save your cat’s life, but not all shots are necessary for every cat. The vaccines that your can may need will depend on your cat's age, health and environment, and whether or not rabies vaccination is required by law in your community.

Which vaccines are more likely to trigger VAS?

Cats are at risk for VAS/ISS simply because they are cats. But many veterinary experts believe that vaccines containing an additive called an “adjuvant” are significantly more likely to trigger this cancer. As a safer alternative, these experts recommend the use of currently available vaccines that do not contain an adjuvant.

What should I watch for?

Small lumps following vaccination that disappear several weeks after a vaccination are very common. But because VAS can occur months to years after a vaccination, we recommend that you learn to take note of your cat’s body as you pet him. The Cornell Feline Health Center recommends that you see your vet immediately if ANY of the following occur: If you feel a lump on your cat that is still there - or occurs - more than three months after a vaccination, if it’s larger than the size of an olive, or if it is getting larger just one month after vaccination.

What do I do if the diagnosis is VAS?

If VAS/ISS is suspected by your Vet, request a referral to an oncologist for further treatment. Before you consent to any surgery, it is extremely important that you consult a board-certified surgeon or a specialist.

Things to consider and discuss with your Veterinarian

If your cat is sick, has ever had a vaccine reaction, or has an immune system disorder - Most experts agree that cats with these problems should not be vaccinated.
Is your cat at risk for the disease that the vaccine is designed to prevent? - Not every cat needs every vaccine. Discuss your cat's age, health and environment with your vet prior to consenting for any vaccinations.
Ask your Vet about possible side-effects of each vaccine - Understanding that a vaccination is a medical procedure that may have harmful side effects is an important part of your decision to vaccinate. These side effects can ranges from a mild allergic reaction all the way to triggering one of these cancers.
Refuse “scruff shots” in the loose skin on the back of your cat’s neck. - Scruff shots are no longer considered to be the prevailing standard of care! With the exception of fluids to treat dehydration, NO shots should ever be given in the scruff of your cat's neck. Because it is so close to your cat's ribs, heart and lungs, successful treatment of VAS in this area is very difficult.
Be sure that your Vet records the manufacturer, lot number and injection locations on you cat’s medical record - You or your vet will need to report this information if your cat has a vaccine reaction or develops VAS. You can also ask for a copy of the vaccine information to keep for your records!
Learn how to report a vaccine reaction - All vaccine reactions need to be reported to both the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics and the Vaccine Manufacturer. VAS/ISS is not only under-diagnosed, but also under-reported. Reporting adverse vaccine reactions will lead to better and safer products and a more accurate assessment of the incidence of VAS/ISS. To find out how to report a vaccine reaction, visit our "Report a Reaction" page.

Make sure that your Veterinarian follows

the Prevailing Standard of Care for Vaccine Injection Sites

and ask for safer, adjuvant-free vaccines!

Rabies

RIGHT rear leg as distally as possible. Consider Merial’s Non-Adjuvanated Purevax.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

LEFT rear leg as distally as possible. Strictly indoor adult cats should not need this vaccine.

If this vaccine is necessary, ask for Merial's adjuvant-free transdermal product, Vet-Jet.

FVRCP or “Upper Respiratory”

Over the right shoulder as distally as possible. Request Modified Live Virus vaccines or consider Intranasal vaccines from Heska and Pfizer, or Merial’s injectable adjuvant-free vaccines called Purevax-2 and Purevax-3. If your cat is an indoor cat and does not need FeLV, we recommend that this injection be given in the Left rear leg.

To read more about each of these vaccines in

easy-to-understand language, click:

“Current Vaccination Recommendations for Kittens and Cats”

Avoid COLD vaccines! A recent research study suggests that refrigerated vaccines may be more likely to trigger VAS! Ask your vet to allow vaccines to come to room temperature prior to administration!

Annual check-ups aren’t just for vaccines anymore!

With the exception of areas where rabies vaccines are required annually by law, most vaccines are now recommended every three years. You should continue to take your cat(s) to your Veterinarian for a yearly check-up. Based on your cat’s age, health and the veterinarian’s findings, your vet may recommend other procedures that are important to your cat’s health. Blood tests can help detect health issues in early stages. An annual dental exam is very important. Bacteria that form on teeth can enter your cat’s bloodstream and cause heart or kidney diseases.

It is important that every new pet, whether vaccines are due or not, and regardless of age, to be seen by your Veterinarian for a baseline examination. A negative FeLV/FIV test is not a guarantee that a cat or kitten is 100% disease free. Viruses can take several days to incubate, so for the safety of pets already living in your home, always quarantine new animals for several days.

To Learn More:

There are many web sites dedicated to VAS Education. These are a good place to start!

www.catshots.com - created by Jeff and Coleen Kremer to honor their cat, Sylvia, this web site remains unchallenged as the most comprehensive web site available for information about Vaccine Associated Sarcoma.

www.vas-awareness.org is our on-line educational table! Here you will find links to all of our handouts -and more! Here, you will also find out how to contact us with questions or comments, how to report a vaccine reaction, and how you can support our efforts to educate the public and support veterinary research about VAS.

VAS Awareness and the VAS Cat Show Group are pleased to be supporting members of the Cornell Feline Health Center. If you would like to support or learn more about the Cornell Feline Health Center, visit: http://web.vet.cornell.edu/Public/FHC/FelineHealth.html

Visit the Vaccine-Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force at: http://www.avma.org/vafstf/

Read the online version of the Task Force’s brochure “Vaccines and Sarcomas – A Concern for Cat Owners” at http://www.avma.org/vafstf/ownbroch.asp. Your vet can get these brochures by requesting them from the Cornell Feline Health Center. Call (607) 253-3414 for information on how to order the brochures.

To contact us:

E-mail: info@vas-awareness

Write to: VAS Awareness, P.O. box 1756, Davidson, NC 28036

The information contained in this brochure is intended for general reference purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Veterinary medical information and treatment standards change rapidly and while we make efforts to obtain the most reliable, up-to-date information, some information may be out of date or even unreliable. This information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified professional. (12/2003)

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