Death after Feline Leukemia Vaccine in cats

The FDA has received 98 reports of death in cats after Feline Leukemia Vaccine. That is 12% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 8.9% across reports for all cat medicines.

98Reports

100%Marked serious

0.0%Recovered

100%Died or euthanised

2 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

31 36%

1–2 days

20 23%

3–7 days

10 12%

1–4 weeks

11 13%

Over a month

14 16%

How the animals did

Died

50 51%

Euthanised

48 49%

Problems reported at the same time

42 43%

32 33%

18 18%

17 17%

16 16%

16 16%

14 14%

14 14%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: vaccine.

Mild, short-lived lethargy, soreness or a small lump at the injection site are the most commonly reported vaccine reactions.

Questions owners ask

Can Feline Leukemia Vaccine cause death in cats?: 98 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 2 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Death with similar medicines

Death after Rabies Vaccine 345 reports · 13% of its reports
Death after Feline Core Vaccine 227 reports · 15% of its reports
Death after Distemper-parvo Vaccine 26 reports · 9.4% of its reports

All reported side effects of Feline Leukemia Vaccine in cats · Medicines most reported with death