A contribution from Ladybird supporter.

This was Mama (with her daughter “Baby” in the background). She was an incredibly loving, funny and special cat. Her life was taken too soon due to a little-known vaccine associated cancer. Please take a moment to read the information below and perhaps your cat can be saved.

Vaccine associated sarcoma, or VAS, is a cancer caused by a certain kind of rabies vaccine. This vaccine contains an aluminium additive and is classified as a Killed Virus or KV vaccine. This KV additive has been linked to VAS in cats, up to 1% of cats who receive the vaccine, and to a much lesser extent in dogs and ferrets.

This KV vaccine is used in part because it lasts 3 years. There is, however another choice. Some rabies vaccines do not have the KV additive, and are much safer. They last one year, but could save your pet’s life. Please also note that feline leukemia vaccines are also linked to VAS.

Please speak to your vet about the risks and different choices in vaccines, and have all injections in a spot from which a tumour could be removed if need be. In addition to being given a KV vaccine, the injection and thus Mama’s tumour was in a spot where amputation or removal of the tumour was impossible.

Please pass this information on to anyone who has or is thinking of having a pet. Mama was in life a healer and a nurturer, taking care of the many stray cats and people who have come and gone out of our lives. This is the best way I know to honour all the love and joy she has given me.

Thank you so much to Ladybird for letting me post this message.