Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vaccine side effects in 2,560 cats after shots from 2002-2005
By Moore, George E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2007·Department of Comparative Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Adverse events after vaccine administration in cats: 2,560 cases (2002-2005).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 2,560 cats experienced adverse reactions after receiving vaccines, with the most common symptoms being lethargy and fever. The risk of these reactions was higher in young neutered cats, especially when they received multiple vaccines at once. Fortunately, no serious long-term issues, like tumors, were linked to localized reactions within the following years. It's important for pet owners to discuss vaccination plans with their veterinarian to minimize risks, especially for young adult cats.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of vaccine-associated adverse events (VAAEs) diagnosed within 30 days of vaccination in cats and characterize risk factors for their occurrence. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 496,189 cats vaccinated at 329 hospitals. PROCEDURES: Electronic records were searched for VAAEs that occurred after vaccine administration classified by practitioners as nonspecific vaccine reaction, allergic reaction, urticaria, shock, or anaphylaxis. Clinical signs and treatments were reviewed. The association between potential risk factors and a VAAE occurrence was estimated via multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: 2,560 VAAEs were associated with administration of 1,258,712 doses of vaccine to 496,189 cats (51.6 VAAEs/10,000 cats vaccinated). The risk of a VAAE significantly increased as the number of vaccines administered per office visit increased. Risk was greatest for cats approximately 1 year old; overall risk was greater for neutered versus sexually intact cats. Lethargy with or without fever was the most commonly diagnosed VAAE. No localized reactions recorded in the 30-day period were subsequently diagnosed as neoplasia when followed for 1 to 2 years. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although overall VAAE rates were low, young adult neutered cats that received multiple vaccines per office visit were at the greatest risk of a VAAE within 30 days after vaccination. Veterinarians should incorporate these findings into risk communications and limit the number of vaccinations administered concurrently to cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17605670/