Remembering Beignet

Four years ago today, Truffle's little brother, Beignet left to go to the bridge to join Sweet Praline (who had left for the bridge just four months earlier because of cancer). Beignet was Truffle's only litter mate and he was scheduled to come live with Mom Paula and Truffle, but he developed a Vaccine Associated Fibrosarcoma (VAS) from his vaccination and died on the operating table while the vet was removing the tumor.

A Vaccine-Associated Fibrosarcoma (VAS) AKA Feline post-vaccinal sarcomas or FISS is a type of malignant tumor found in cats (rarely found in dogs and ferrets), which has been linked to certain vaccines containing aluminum adjuvant. According to Wikipedia, "The incidence of VAS is 1 in 10,000 vaccinated cats and has been found to be dose-dependent. The time from vaccination to tumor formation varies from three months to eleven years." What was so unusual in the case of Beignet was that he developed the tumor within a couple of weeks from his vaccine and his vaccination was adjuvant-free.  He was 10-weeks old when the tumor was discovered.  Mom Terri immediately took him to the vet when the lump developed, thinking it was just a bump from the kittens rough-housing.  The vet believed the same thing, but Mom Terri insisted on sending the mass off to be analyzed. The initial surgery to remove the lump occurred August 17, 2011.  Mom Paula was able to travel  down to Mt. Pleasant, SC to visit Truffle and Beignet that weekend on August 20, 2011.  

A Sunday Selfie (sponsored by The Cat on My Head) 
of Mom Paula and Beignet from August 2011

Even though Beignet had a large incision on his side from the surgery, he was doing great. He was playing with Truffle and his half-siblings from another litter.  Everyone believe he was going to be okay.  Unfortunately, Mom Terri contacted Mom Paula on August 22, 2011 to let her know that the biopsy came back as cancer.  As soon as a VAS tumor is diagnosed, treatment is through aggressive surgery.  The vet must remove the tumor with wide margins in order to ensure complete removal of the cancer.  The prognosis isn't always good because the tumor may reoccur.  The day of the surgery, the vet assured Terri that Beignet would be okay and that he could still come to live with Mom Paula. Unfortunately, little Beignet died on the operating table during the surgery.  We believe the reason this occurred was because he was so tiny and had to stay under the anesthesia so long for the complete removal of the tumor.  Mom Terri contacted the company that produced the vaccines and also some feline pathologists that specialized in cancer research to study why this occurred because it's so rare, especially the quickness the tumor appeared and in such a young kitten.  There was no "medical" reason they could determine why this happened. Even our current vet(s) are very surprised that this occurred.  Mom Paula took the results of the pathology report to the vets to keep on record so we could monitor Truffle closely.

Beignet being petting by Mom Paula, August 20, 2011
It's so hard to believe he was gone three days later.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners have developed new vaccine protocols that limit the type and frequency of vaccinations given to cats.  They've specifically recommended that the vaccine for feline leukemia virus should only be given to kittens and high-risk cats. The Felinerhinotracheitis/panleukopenia/calicivirus vaccines should be given to kittens, one year later, and then every three years.  Preference is for a non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine that is given yearly over the adjuvanted three-year rabies vaccine products. Veterinarians are also giving vaccines in the back legs instead of the shoulder blades like they used to in order to make removal of a VAS easier, if one forms.  Getting a rabies shot is required by law in South Carolina.  Even though we are indoor-only kitties, we get the rabies vaccine because South Carolina does have a large number of identified cases of wild animals with rabies.

We didn't mean to make this post so long, but we did want to educate you on what actually happened to Beignet and how rare it is for a VAS to occur.  We know that Beignet is at the bridge with Sweet Praline and that she is taking good care of him.

Four days later, Brulee was born...


Note from Mom Paula:  even though Beignet never came to live with me, he had a special place in my heart.  I was able to visit with him three different times during his short life.  He was going to be my first little mancat, but God had other plans.  Terri and I had already discussed that I just couldn't bring Beignet home with me after the cancer diagnosis because of the prognosis of it returning and the medical commitment that was needed.  I'd just lost Sweet Praline to cancer 4 months earlier and I just couldn't handle it again so soon. Terri promised me that Beignet had a home with her as long as he lived.  We both loved that little man cat.  

The pain is still there, just like the pain from Sweet Praline, but life does move on and in order for me to heal, I must also move forward.  But, I will always remember with a great love and a little sadness for my loss.  God sent me Truffle and then Brulee.  They are the light of my world now.