Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Gillian Harvey on November 16, 2007, 13:30:02 PM
-
I took Zeta to the vet last week because her eyes were really sore and inflamed with discharge. She wasnt off her food or anything. My vet took a good look at her eyes and once they were opened I could see that they looked a bit strange, slightly opaque in places - vet said could be FIP and should think about testing. I know from Dr Addie's site that there is no certain test for FIP itself, just the coronavirus antibodies - think I've read that right. In the end the vet put some dye stuff in her eyes and just gave me maxitrol eye drops. Said come back in 10 days, and stop the drops immediately if the eyes get worse.
Well, the eyes started to improve almost immediately with the drops, until last night, and I noticed she was getting discharge from the eyes again, and this morning she didnt want any breakfast (unheard of!) and she seems lethargic. Now the vet's mention of FIP is haunting me, and I'm scared it could be that. I home in on the positives i've read, like its more common in younger cats, Zeta is 14, and that on post mortem only 14% are found to actually have FIP - but then I see things like its more common in purebreeds, and multicat households.....
As there is no definitive test, it just seems to be if there are several of the various factors in blood tests etc FiP is suspected. Obviously I'm going to take her back to the vet, but anyone had experience of the illness, testing etc?
-
nothing practical to say Gillian apart from how sorry I am that you seem to have one thing after another lately
-
when are you going back to vet Gillian, try not to worry, it could be any number of things and having read up a bit on FIP it doesn't sound that common
-
nothing practical to say Gillian apart from how sorry I am that you seem to have one thing after another lately
Me too. :hug:
-
when are you going back to vet Gillian, try not to worry, it could be any number of things and having read up a bit on FIP it doesn't sound that common
Thanks Dawn :thanks: - Thats what I keep trying to tell myself! - funnily enough, since writing that post, Zeta has just had a wander round the garden, come back in, sat herself on the worktop, with a look of 'oh, feel much better for that bit of fresh air' LOL!
I can't go tonight because I'm cat sitting and in the morning too, typical, why is it always the weekend when something goes wrong?!! I might just be able to squeeze an appointment in when I get back from the cat I'm looking after tomorrow.
Me too. :hug:
Thanks CC :thanks:
-
Poor you, it sounds like she has perked up, I know for you she's a young un but maybe at 14 she's starting to have the odd feeling her age day!
-
I really hope it's not FIP, what a dreadful worry
:hug:
Jas
X
-
Poor you, it sounds like she has perked up, I know for you she's a young un but maybe at 14 she's starting to have the odd feeling her age day!
LOL! - yes I suppose you're right, I know the feeling!
-
hi gillian... sorry to hear about poor zeta..... will drop you a pm
-
In most cases of FIP by the time they start showing symptoms they go downhill very quickly, George did well to go 3 weeks :( he had dry but i believe he was beginning to get the typical fluid buildup of the wet, i didnt have any fluid taken to confirm it as he was really getting ill and was pts the next morning :'( :'( :'(
I know from Dr Addie's site that there is no certain test for FIP itself, just the coronavirus antibodies - think I've read that right
They do a 4 part profile to diagnose it best they can which includes the antibody titre, but as coronavirus is a very common virus you can get a positve for that but they dont have the mutated version that causes FIP.
Im sure Lynn can tell you a list of other reasons why you get eye changes in older cats!
Which is the way i would be thinking, was it a vet against multicat homes? Seems abit headstrong to say fip straight up, Zeta isnt your typical fip kitty ;D
-
I know little about this subject I am afraid but havent you had Zeta for a while and if you have surely she would have showed some signs before and like you I thought it affected younger cats mainly but those who have been confined in terrible conditions.
I may have it all wrong but know that Rozs little black Bob was young and in terrible conditions and was very ill very quickly and Teresa has experience of this horrendous desease.
I had never heard of FIP before Cat Chat and now those intials strike fear and despair in me.
I do hope Zeta is Ok :hug:
-
I had never heard of FIP before Cat Chat and now those intials strike fear and despair in me.
In about 18 years I have we have only has 2 cases of FIP in cats and a kitten came down with a a few months after homing and that is out of many, many thousands.
-
I have to say i wonder why your vet came out with that as a suspicion, cats taken to the vets with suspected FIP generally dont have eye issues (mine cried in pain when her tummy was touched, my neighbours was sickness and diarrhea - we have both only dealt with it once, and I have had nearly 50 cats in 5 years, nto sure on my neighbour, but she did rescue for 9 years and has owned cats for 25). I personally wouldnt have the test done, i had 2 cats when I dealt with it, and despite having one pts due to it, they told me it wasn't worth testing Ginger - and they shared a tray, which is the most common way of catching it. Tig went down very quick, I had 2 weeks with her, but I have read that cats with dry FIP (the 'better') kind, can have up to a year. Good luck with her - neither me nor my neighbour had cats of 'typical' age for it, although when I Read up on it for my neighbour, some sites did mention the young and elderly being the most common groups (Tig was only 5, the only young cat I have owned)
-
I have to say i wonder why your vet came out with that as a suspicion, cats taken to the vets with suspected FIP generally dont have eye issues
Apparently, according to Dr Addie's site, quoting 'Many cats with dry FIP get signs in their eyes: usually the iris (the coloured part of the eye around the pupil) changes colour, parts of it may appear brown. The cat may bleed into the eye, or white precipitates appear on the cornea (the clear membrane on the front of the eye). '
Zeta's eyes were showing these whitish opaque like patches, thats why I guess, must admit I didn't know about the eye symptoms in FIP before.
was it a vet against multicat homes? Seems abit headstrong to say fip straight up,
No, actually my vet has a muticat home! She has 5 or 6 living with her in the flat above the surgery! She does sometimes tend towards the worst case scenario, rather than starting off with the 'oh its probably just simple conjunctivitis' LOL!
-
I must have missed that part on the site, shall have another look over the weekend.
-
Well you know what? - the very next day she was absolutely fine, ready for her breakfast in the morning - ate the lot and looked round for more! The discharge from her eyes seems to have stopped - although I think her eyes still have opaque bits. She ate her tea as well and acting completely normally - honestly! - I wouldnt have panicked if my vet hadnt mentioned FIP, but because she did I was thinking the worst, I could have done without that worry!
She's got to go back when I take Jasper back for check up, so I'll see what my vet thinks about her eyes then.
-
That sounds much better phewwwwwww ;D
-
great news...
great to hear Gillian. Probably just your vet being overly dramatic!! keep us posted ;)
-
excellent news Gillian
-
Fingers crossed for her.