Friday Pookie Update and New Vaccine Info

Hi Ladies - decided to make a new thread because the other one was quite lengthy...

Pookie got her staples out last night and we checked her blood levels again - up to 32% from 26% last week, which is wonderful and solidly in the "normal" range. She is being very active, exploring our new house, and lovable as ever.
It kills me that she is so wonderful right now and that there will be the point when she starts getting worse and eventually dies from the cancer. I hate it...I just hate it.
I feel this is the supposed to be the happiest time in my life - being PG and waiting for our first child to be born, and it's marred by this pain and feelings of guilt.

We have our meeting with the oncologist next Thursday- but there is no cure.

I was asking the surgeon yesterday about vaccines again and asked him some questions about things that had been brought up on the thread - he told me that there was no reason for an indoor cat to get vaccines - unless it was going to be boarded, etc. He told me that they are not going to catch distemper, feline leukemia, or any other disease, unless they are exposed through other cats. He also told me that they were not going to catch things from dogs so it is perfectly fine to have a cat and dog living alongside one another and not vaccinate. He does not vaccinate his own cat. He also told me, because I asked, that this same problem (vaccine-induced sarcoma) does not exist with dogs.

As always, thanks for all your love and support.


ETA - Forgot to mention something I read online regarding the vaccine-induced sarcomas - they said that the cancer can develop any time after a vaccine from 3 months to 11 years!!!!! Please do your research.

Message edited 9/11/2009 1:58:17 PM.

Re: Friday Pookie Update and New Vaccine Info

Thank you very much for all your information, you could prevent the same happening to someone else! I'm glad she's doing better and that you have good times to spend with her now.

Re: Friday Pookie Update and New Vaccine Info

Thank you for posting this.
I was telling my husband about this last night and we were on the fence about what to do when our babies turn a year and are due for shots.
We were going to speak to the vet- reading what your vet said- I think I made up my mind not to do it.
The woman from the rescue was so adamant about the distemper vaccine- even for indoor cats- saying it was airborne, came through screens, etc- but I can't see that happening- really.

And our last cat only had her kitten round of vaccines and died very suddenly of cancer- we didn't even know she had it- we dont' know what kind of cancer it was- just that the vet felt tumors etc- now I wonder if this was caused by the vaccine...

I'm glad your kitty is doing better- and I'm sorry you are going through this though. Trust me I know. I know the pain, the guilt. I still have pangs of guilt when I think back on my cat- and I still cry whenever I think back on it. I don't think I'll ever be over it...
Sometimes loving an animal is the hardest thing we ever do...

Message edited 9/12/2009 10:13:29 PM.

Re: Friday Pookie Update and New Vaccine Info

Thanks, ladies. Your posts just made me cry. IDK, the distemper thing sounds odd - I can't imagine that being "airborne" - kwim?

Re: Friday Pookie Update and New Vaccine Info

I have 2 indoor cats that I don't vaccinate. They did have the first ones as a kitten and last year when we adopted a dog the cats had to get a distemper(I believe it was) shot that was required in order for us to bring the dog home.
Be strong Michal, fm me anytime to vent, I've been through a few sad situations with my cats over the years.

Re: Friday Pookie Update and New Vaccine Info

Thanks