Kris L. Christine
Posted : 3/17/2009 1:13:21 PM
denise m
Just to add: After doing a lot of research for my dog, who was diagnosis with a possible (no biopsy) Nerve Sheath Tumor just off his C7, one of the possible causes could have been as a result of his rabies vaccination. The information I found specifically mentioned the rabies vaccine as a link to what they refer to as an injection site tumor. Apparently more common or at least documented in felines. I will see if I can find the information again.
Denise M, Could the information below be what you are looking for? I hope your precious one is okay. Kris
Below is the Journal of Veterinary Medicine abstract of an important documenting fibrosarcomas at presumed rabies vaccination sites. Some veterinarians deny that dogs develop cancerous tumors at vaccination sites --this study suggests otherwise! The researchers used the presumed injection sites of rabies vaccines in the study.
The following quote is from the full study text: "In both dogs and cats, the development of necrotizing panniculitis at sites of rabies vaccine administration was first observed by Hendrick & Dunagan (1992)."
Fibrosarcomas at Presumed Sites of Injection in Dogs: Characteristics and Comparison with Non-vaccination Site Fibrosarcomas and Feline Post-vaccinal Fibrosarcomas
Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series A August 2003, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 286-291(6)
Vascellari M.[1]; Melchiotti E.[1]; Bozza M.A.[1]; Mutinelli F.[2]
[1] Address of authors: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Histopathology Department, Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; [2] Corresponding author:, Tel: +39 049 8084261, Fax: +39 049 8084258, Email: fmutinelli@izsvenezie.it
Abstract:
Summary
Fifteen fibrosarcomas, surgically excised from presumed sites of injection in dogs, and 10 canine fibrosarcomas excised from sites not used for injection were histologically and immunohistochemically compared with 20 feline post-vaccinal fibrosarcomas. Canine fibrosarcomas from presumed injection sites were of grade I (3), of grade II (4) and grade III (8). Two fibrosarcomas from non-injection sites were of grade I, four of grade II and four of grade III. Feline samples were classified as grade I (2), grade II (4) and grade III (14). All fibrosarcomas from presumed injection sites of both species showed lymphocytic inflammatory infiltration located at the tumour periphery, while two canine fibrosarcomas from non-injection sites showed perivascular inflammatory infiltration within the neoplasm. All samples were immunohistochemically examined for vimentin, smooth muscle actin, muscle specific actin and desmin expression. All tumours were positive for vimentin. Ten canine fibrosarcomas from presumed injection sites and all feline samples contained cells consistent with a myofibroblastic immunophenotype. Aluminium deposits were detected in eight canine fibrosarcomas from presumed injection sites and 11 feline post-vaccinal fibrosarcomas by the aurintricarboxylic acid method. The present study identifies distinct similarities between canine fibrosarcomas from presumed injection sites and feline post-vaccinal fibrosarcomas, suggesting the possibility of the development of post-injection sarcomas not only in cats, but also in dogs.
Document Type: Research article ISSN: 0931-184X
DOI (article): 10.1046/j.1439-0442.2003.00544.x
SICI (online): 0931-184X(20030801)50:6L.286;1-
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In an August 1, 2008 article in DVM360 entitled Vaccination: An Overview,Dr. Melissa Kennedy states that of the two types of vaccinal adverse reactions: The second is a delayed response, requiring days of longer to develop. The vaccine, seen as foreign, elicits a significant inflammatory response and is especially true for adjuvanted vaccines. This response can manifest as a granuloma, or more seriously, a fibrosarcoma . Further, she reports that The likelihood of adverse reactions in dogs has been found to correlate with the size of the dog and the number of inoculations given, with higher risk associated with small size and multiple inoculations. http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com/avhc/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=568351
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What Everyone Needs to Know about Canine Vaccines, Dr. Ronald Schultz
The Rabies Challenge Animal Wise Radio Interview
Listen to Animal Wise (scroll down to The Rabies Challenge 12/9/07)
Rabies Prevention -- United States, 1991 Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP), Center for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly March 22, 1991 / 40(RR03);1-19 
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00041987.htm "A fully vaccinated dog or cat is unlikely to become infected with rabies, although rare cases have been reported (48). In a nationwide study of rabies among dogs and cats in 1988, only one dog and two cats that were vaccinated contracted rabies (49). All three of these animals had received only single doses of vaccine; no documented vaccine failures occurred among dogs or cats that had received two vaccinations. "