A lump on my 7 month old

[Worried]

My 7 month old kitten has a hard lump that looks kind of like a big hard bug bite on it's lower back. Almost a month ago he got a rabies shot somewhere down there, could this be from the shot? I have a vet appointment for him thursday. I hope everything is okay...does anyone else know what this could be?

[Traci]

Rabies injections should be given in the right rear hip, not on the back. If your vet inected it anywhere else, it could be a muscle reaction/inflammation, but I would be questioning your vet if this is the area he injected it.

[Worried]

It is on his right side almost towards his hip area. I had the rabies shot given at a new vet because I moved and thought it would be closer, some vet techs gave him the shot and they didn't really act like they knew what they were doing, they kept asking each other questions. I'm taking him back to the vet this afternoon, i just hope they don't charge me alot like they did before because I have an appointment with my old vet who I like much better tomorrow. If it is from giving the shot in the muscle is there anything they can do about it or will it just go away? I took him to the vet on june 24th, could this just be showing up now?

thanks,
Sarah

[Traci]

If it is at the hip or anywhere distal to that (forward on the leg, downward), then you might assume this was where the injection was, if that's where the lump is, then it could indeed be a muscle reaction, in which it should subside in 30 days or less. I wouldn't risk it, get it fully examined and evaluated.

In the future, do not allow your kitties to be vaccinated by techs who appear to not know what they're doing. If ever in doubt, cease the exam immediately and request the VET give the vaccinations, ideally, the vet should do them anyway.

If this is a vaccine reaction, ask your vet to record it in kitty's health chart for future reference.

[Worried]

I took him to the vet's office that gave him the rabies shot before. They said it looked like a cyst and tried to asperate it but nothing came out. I ask them about the rabies shot and if it was in the muscle tissue and they said that was impossible because the Vet that examined him wouldn't do that. I told them 2 vet techs gave him the shot and they just looked at each other, went outside and talked, and then charged me nothing for the visit and said to just keep an eye on it.

I have an appointment with my old vet tomorrow for him. If he doesn't know an answer to something he will research it with people at the university in town, he's great, I hope he's able to help me.

Thanks for all of your help!

-Sarah

[Traci]

Yikes, Sarah....I'd be for calling that clinic and raising a fit. It appears the techs werent authorized to give vaccines, I would call the clinic owner and complain about that. If it turns out this is a serious lump, they are somewhat responsible, and I would certainly check kitty's health records there immediately and see if the reaction was recorded, as well as the info I provided earlier. Ask them to fax a copy to your primary vet.

Let's hope this is nothing serious.....keep us posted.