is it true that the rabies vaccine can cause cancer in cats?

Question

im supposed to take my cats to the vet on monday to get their rabies vaccine but i read that it can cause canser, is it true?

Answer 1

It's possible, but highly unlikely.

"Do remember that approximately 99.98 percent of cats do not develop post-vaccination tumors. However, in a very small percentage of cats, a post-vaccination inflammation develops under the skin. These reactions are abscess caused by irritation and inflammation due to vaccine components. The reactions occur 7 – 12 days after a vaccine is given, and feel like small, firm lumps under the skin. They are not painful and last a week or two. They usually subside without any lasting effect."

Answer 2

A number of years ago (maybe as much as ten) many cats were getting what was called "injection site carcinoma". All the vaccinations at that time were given between the shoulder blades. When a cancer developed there was not way to help the cat with surgery in that area.

So many vets agreed on a protocal -- left leg for leukemia, right leg for rabies and only do the upper-respiratory or panleucopnia shot between the shoulders. I'm sure what the outcome of that was - I think they found that the leukemia one was the culprit. It had something to do with the adjuvant used in the vaccine or whether is was a live or killed virus. With injections in the leg if cancer were to develop a leg could be removed before the cancer could spread. Not a happy prospect and better than the death that was inevitable with the old routine.
Since then the rabies vaccination has been improved. The Pure-Vac one is supposed to be absolutely safe now.

Because of this situation I stopped giving my cats any vaccines about seven years ago.

Answer 3

Hi, 'old cat lady' is basically right.
The type of cancer we are talking about here is called fibrosarcoma.

They can occur spontaneously, but are also linked to vaccination.
The cause is the adjuvant used in the vaccine - this is added to 'killed vaccines' to improve the bodies immune response.
It is associated both with the FeLV vaccine and rabies.

Fibrosarcomas are invasive cancers that means they cannot simply be 'shelled-out' like some cancers can be. Instead a wide area of apparently normal tissue has to be taken from around the lump. In the region between the shoulder-blades are typically given this so-called 'wide-excision' is difficult (but not impossible) since part of the spinal column would need to be removed.

Hence the school of thought that says you should vaccinate in the leg - amputation, although sounding drastic, is straight-forward and cats can do very well indeed on 3 legs...
The incidence is estimated to be somewhere in the region of 1:10,000.

Why are you vaccinating your cat against rabies? Is rabies present in the country you live in? Weigh up the very small, but not negligible risk of vaccination, versus the risk of rabies exposure (I'm from the UK - we don't have it here!)

Answer 4

In our 62 years of marriage we had 2 cats. One lived to be 22. We put her to sleep peacefully. She was tired and had arthritis. She had (1) rabies shot. She was an indoor cat, sheltered and healthy. We had another cat only lived about 16 years. She had rabies shots every other year. She was sickly altho we kept her indoors as we did our other cat. We finally had to put her down. She had cancer and was hurting. So sad. I can only blame the rabies shots. I don't believe they are necessary for indoor, well fed, well taken care of pets. How about the leeter (?) test to see if it's necessary.

Answer 5

You know...I don't really know...but now that I think about it...I had to put my two cats down, one for age (16) and possible cancer and one for multiple abdominal masses (at age 10) also, possible cancer. They both had rabies shots.

But then again, my other cat lived to be 18 and we had to put her down just because she was so old, she was incontinent, dehydrated and not eating drinking much. She also had her rabies shot.

But those cats grew up in different places, so it could have been environmental factors for the two I had to put down.

Talk to your vet, because if your cats are outside and tend to get into scraps, they are at high risk of getting rabies.

Answer 6

I have never heard of that, what can cause cancer is not getting them fixed, but rabies is something you have to get, even if your cat stays indoors, it's part of the law

Answer 7

well lets eee now, whats the worse thing, cat dying of cancer or foaming at the mouth biting children aND CAUSING EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL DEATHS IN OTHERS......I think the vacine is the best choice. All my cats have been inoculated agaist rabies and not one has ever died of CANCER OR RABIES!!!!

Answer 8

I really dont think that is true other wise all cats would be dead.

Answer 9

Yes. It is possible and there is no cure for it. My cat died from it.

Answer 10

i guess u should consult the vet