Diarrhea after Feline Leukemia Vaccine in cats

The FDA has received 68 reports of diarrhea in cats after Feline Leukemia Vaccine. That is 8.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 5.1% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

68Reports

56%Marked serious

29%Recovered

13%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

32 48%

1–2 days

15 23%

3–7 days

10 15%

1–4 weeks

4 6.1%

Over a month

5 7.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

20 29%

Still unwell when reported

27 40%

Died

4 5.9%

Euthanised

5 7.4%

Not known

12 18%

Problems reported at the same time

41 60%

29 43%

24 35%

16 24%

10 15%

9 13%

9 13%

Didn't work as expected

7 10%

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 diarrhea in cats?: 68 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 1 day 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).

Diarrhea with similar medicines

Diarrhea after Rabies Vaccine 228 reports · 8.8% of its reports
Diarrhea after Feline Core Vaccine 146 reports · 9.4% of its reports
Diarrhea after Distemper-parvo Vaccine 25 reports · 9.0% of its reports

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