The less common form of the disease is 'dry FIP' in which there is no build up of fluid but thick scar tissue develops on the cat's internal organs. Except in rare cases, wet FIP is fatal within about five weeks of diagnosis. The dry form is equally deadly but affected cats may survive for a few months.
Supportive care will prolong life, and some cats with FIP can live in a state of chronic disease for weeks, months, or, rarely, a year or more.
In the final stages of FIP, cats struggle to breathe and eat, often resulting in euthanasia. Other symptoms of FIP in cats include: Abdominal swelling, often described as a pot belly. Breathing difficulties (open-mouth panting, harsh breathing, extra effort needed to breathe, fast breathing)
The “wet” form of FIP, includes the effusion of thick, yellow fluid as noted. The “dry” form is more insidious, leading to death over a much longer period (potentially years, but more usually weeks to months).
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a painful, incurable disease that's nearly always fatal.
It is not recommended to euthanize a cat, even with FIP, as long as it looks and acts fairly normal. Miracles do happen, but they can't happen unless they are provided time to happen. However, some owners choose to end suffering at an earlier stage, given the grave prognosis.
Offer FIP-positive cats their favorite food or treats to encourage them to eat. Try to minimize stressful situations, keep them indoors, warm and comfortable, with their litter box, fresh water, and food nearby. Veterinarians may prescribe medications but understand that these medications often only help temporarily.
The main clinical signs of neurological FIP are fever, inappetence, weight loss, and incoordination (most intense in posterior). Some cats may also develop seizures and varying degrees of dementia. Ocular disease often accompanies neurological FIP due to the intimate relationship of eyes and brain.
FIP often attacks kidneys, which can often be seen with increased urination and drinking. Fluids may be required and water should never be withheld. A good way to test if your cat is dehydrated is by lightly pinching its scruff.
Although some cats, often younger ones with wet FIP, can be cured in as little as 8 weeks and possibly sooner, the usual treatment time is 12 weeks. Some cats may even require dosage adjustments and even longer treatment periods.
Lily, a 9-month-old female Bengal cat, is now in remission from feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) thanks to clinical trials at the UC Davis veterinary hospital. Currently enrolling cats, these new clinical trials are focused on improving treatments for FIP.
It can take time for cats to show signs of FIP, from a few weeks to months. The first signs of FIP can range from depression to changes in appetite to fever. There are two forms of FIP: wet and dry.
The "effusive strain" had a 2 weeks earlier onset of signs and death, and a 40% outcome of effusive FIP. Mean survival times during the observation period were 57 +/- 26 and 57 +/- 16 (mean +/- SD in days), respectively. The death rates were similar in both groups.
Signs Of FIP In Cats
Signs are: A swollen belly or trouble breathing. Poor appetite and muscle loss.
All cats with FIP either die or have to be euthanized without availability of effective treatment.
FIP is often nicknamed the purring disease, because infected kittens will spend so much time snuggling and purring – perhaps because they are feverish and are struggling to stay warm. Even though scientists and veterinarians have known about FIP since the 1960s, there is still neither prevention nor cure.
Clinical signs of FIP include: Decreased appetite to complete loss of appetite. Chronic weight loss or weight gain (seen more with dry FIP) A pot-bellied appearance (from wet FIP) due to fluid accumulation in the abdomen; typically the fluid is a straw-colored, thick, high-protein fluid.
Eye problems caused by feline FIP can include: Anterior uveitis – inflammation of the iris and ciliary body in the eye. Glaucoma – a condition in which fluid buildup puts pressure on the optic nerve.
Usually, cats with FIP respond rapidly to remdesivir injections or GS-441524 oral tablets, with fever resolving and significant improvement noticed within 3-5 days of starting treatment, sometimes as early as 24 hours after the first injection.
Cats with neurological FIP may be left with residual damage to brain and/or spinal cord and permanent disabilities. Disabilities include varying degrees of incoordination, behavioral changes, and dementia. The most troublesome disabilities result from involvement of the spinal cord.
Accordingly, results indicated that parameters associated with FIV disease progression are directly linked to aggression.
Long-term use of corticosteroids with GS is strongly discouraged as it can mask improvement signs caused by the GS, especially in cats with neurological FIP, it has no curative power, and may interfere with the development of a protective immune response to the FIP virus.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal Arthus-type immune response of cats to infection with FIP virus, a mutant of the ubiquitous feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). The disease may occur systemically or in any single organ system, and primary neurologic disease is a common subset of such manifestations.
How is FIP Transmitted? FECV lives in the cells of the intestinal tract and is shed in cats' feces. Cats become infected with FECV after they ingest the virus when they groom or eat. The mutant feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) that causes the disease is not contagious to other cats.
There is no doubt that some cats are not cured even over 12 weeks and some evidence that some can be cured sooner (i.e, 8- 10 weeks). However, early cessation of treatment will always lead to a decrease in the proportion of cats that are cured, and the sooner you stop a treatment, the higher the relapse rate.