Hi.  I'm Michelle and I'd love to tell you guys about my Little Man (LM).  He is a 9 yr old tabbyCAT.  =)  He was a feral kitten, but you'd hardly know that now.  Just like any responsible pet owner, I wanted to do what I thought was best for LM.  I took him to the vet faithfully every year for his feline annual, which included all the recommended vaccines.  I vaguely remember the vet telling me that the benefits greatly outweighed any risks, which were rare.  I never imagined that one of those risks was cancer.  In late June of 2012, I found a lump on his left hind leg... and it was growing.  Our vet performed a wedge biopsy and it came back as a Vaccine Associated Fibrosarcoma (VAS).  Long story short, our best chance at beating this was amputation because VAS is a very aggressive tumor with tiny trendels that extend away from the main tumor making removal difficult (they often return with a vengeance).  It was a hard decision, but it was the best thing for LM.  It's been 8 months and LM has amazed me everyday.  It was a difficult time, but he has overcome so much and taught me a valuable lesson... don't give up.  As a nurse, I wish I could instill this attitude in some of my patients, especially the amputees.  Life can go on.  It's worth living.... even if you're missing a leg.  Today, I urge pet owners to talk with their vet to find out more about possible vaccination reactions, discuss the animal's personal risk factors, and design a vaccination plan that reduces unnecessary vaccinations.  You can see pictures and read more about Little Man on his blog at http://chelleb7.....pawds.com/ .  Take care!