Help! HUGE lump on cats skin after vaccination.

[Zara12345]

Hi! So I took my kitten of 4 months for her rabies vaccine 3 days ago. She definitely yelped during the vaccine and jumped before the vet could pull out the needle but she seemed fine overall. However starting the next day she started having a high fever and stopped eating and playing much. We thought it was a side effect to the vaccine(?) but yesterday as I was petting her I noticed a HUGE, lump on the back of her neck almost the size of a golf ball. It is a hard lump and she is still having a fever. I am quite worried as this wasn't her first vaccine as she has received her cat flu vaccines before and nothing like this happened before. Has anyone experienced anything like this or knows what to do in such a situation? Please help... she is one of my rescue fosters

 

[iPappy]

Definitely contact the vet who administered the vaccine and have her seen, just in case. The vet should report this reaction to the vax company. I hope she's feeling better soon.

 

[FeebysOwner]

You probably do need to talk to the vet about it, particularly because of the size you are describing. I also found this article that talks about such lumps after vaccinations, if that should help any in formulating questions for your vet.
Lump Under Cat's Skin After Vaccination - Cat-World

 

[Furballsmom]

How are things?

 

[Zara12345]

You probably do need to talk to the vet about it, particularly because of the size you are describing. I also found this article that talks about such lumps after vaccinations, if that should help any in formulating questions for your vet.
Lump Under Cat's Skin After Vaccination - Cat-World

Thanks so much. Will go through it

 

[Zara12345]

How are things?

She seems OK but I am getting increasingly worried for her. All vets in my area close for tomorrow so I've booked an appointment for Monday morning.

 

[Zara12345]

Definitely contact the vet who administered the vaccine and have her seen, just in case. The vet should report this reaction to the vax company. I hope she's feeling better soon.

I called the vet and they asked me to bring her Monday morning. I am really hoping she'll be okay

 

[FeebysOwner]

Keep us posted, please!

 

[Zara12345]

Keep us posted, please!

Yes I will. Thank you for the concern

 

[silent meowlook]

Sorry, but why did they vaccinate on the scruff or anywhere near it? Vaccination sites are Fvrcp right front leg, rabies right rear leg, FELV left rear leg. Find a vet that uses PureVax vaccines. They don’t have some of the additional ingredients that can cause a reaction.

 

[Zara12345]

An update:

So the lump turned out to be an abscess... was so relieved. How she developed it however, I have no idea and I am just assuming it's from playing with one of the other kittens.

She was a little sensitive about the bump though and didn't let anyone touch it so she was given a mild sedation to drain and fluff out the abscess. However she has been extra hungry and thirsty eversince she got home. Is this normal for a cat after getting an abscess removed or is it the aftereffects of sedation?

 

[Zara12345]

Sorry, but why did they vaccinate on the scruff or anywhere near it? Vaccination sites are Fvrcp right front leg, rabies right rear leg, FELV left rear leg. Find a vet that uses PureVax vaccines. They don’t have some of the additional ingredients that can cause a reaction.

Sorry for the late reply. I am not sure why either and I wasn't aware that they shouldn't vaccinate on the scruff of the neck until now. Because I take all my cats and kittens for the annual rabies and cat flu vaccinations and they have always vaccinated on the neck. It was as I was doing my research on this that I realised how significant it is to vaccinate on the leg so I am definitely going to suggest it the next time I go in for vaccinations. Thanks so much for letting me know

 

[silent meowlook]

It is very normal for the cat to be hungry after sedation. Some of the medications used for sedation will increase appetite. Just make sure she doesn't eat too much.

If the abscess is right where they vaccinated it could be something called a sterile abscess, or it could have been caused by bacteria being introduced from the syringe or needle.