Author Topic: FIP  (Read 7374 times)

Offline Desley (booktigger)

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Re: FIP
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2007, 07:40:52 AM »
CC, as Ela says, you will never know sadly. FIP isn't actually that common though - we see a different take on the cat population on here, and Ela will hear mpre cos she hears about more cats than most people would. My neighbour has owned cats for about 30 years now, and did cat rescue for 10 years of that - she did have incredibly large numbers of cats, which normally puts cats at risk of it, yet last year was the first time she had dealt with it, she only had 3 cats at the time. I have had cats for nearly 5 years now, and if you add fosters and permanents I have had about 33 cats come through here in that time - I have dealt with it once, in the first year I owned cats, and no other cat on the street have been affected either time, despite both cats living with others
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Offline Ela

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Re: FIP
« Reply #18 on: February 28, 2007, 12:34:36 PM »
Quote
They had most of the signs said below, weeping eyes etc. Could he have FIP?

You will never know now, as you do know so many signs and symptoms of so  many deceases and virus are very much the same. Even then with the bloods occasionally a test in inconclusive.
As Gill says FIP isn't technically passed on very easily  but I personally do hear about many cases due to the volume of calls I take a month. This is our 3rd FIP cat within a very short amount of time.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2007, 12:35:09 PM by Ela »
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ccmacey

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Re: FIP
« Reply #17 on: February 28, 2007, 11:42:41 AM »
And also 2 of my Ollie's nephews have a mild gingivitis not needing vet care, must be something passed through the family.

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Re: FIP
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2007, 11:40:11 AM »
OMG. As some of you may know I have a cat with gingivitis and its because his immune system is attacking his gums. Also a couple of weeks after I got this kitten 2 of my cats became ill and 1 died all within a week, the vet said when I took her she had had liver failure. They had most of the signs said below, weeping eyes etc. Could he have FIP? He had had the tests for FIV/FIVL and came back clear. I have got 2 kittens since and they are fine. Worried now.

Offline Desley (booktigger)

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Re: FIP
« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2007, 11:38:27 AM »
Actually, FIP isn't technically passed on very easily - it all depends on how well the other cats immune systems are - I lost a cat to FIP, and Ginger had nearly 4 years after that with me, and never showed any signs of it (odd, as age wise he should have been more susceptible) - at that time, I had one litter tray for 2 cats, although she was isolated as soon as they suspected it, which they now say isn't necessary. IT is a nasty disease, as it is always fatal, and a lot of vets in Americal wont use the FIP vaccine as it can cause cats to develop FIP. Certain litters are supposed to reduce the risk of it being transmitted, there is a list on Dr Addies site.
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Offline Ela

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Re: FIP
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2007, 11:34:16 AM »
Taken from a Cats Protection site:-


Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease,  infecting nearly all cats who encounter it.  It is caused by a viral infection (feline coronavirus - FCoV).

FIP is one of the most important viral infections of cats because cats that develop the disease cannot be treated effectively and the disease is almost always fatal.  Fortunately the disease is quite rare.

Most cats simply become infected with feline coronavirus, shed FCoV for a month or two, mount an immune response, eliminate the virus and live happily ever after. However, for reasons that we don't yet fully understand, instead of clearing FCoV infection, an unfortunate few cats develop FIP.

 FIP is more common in young cats, particularly in those below 1-2 years old (where the immune response is less well developed), in stressed cats, or those with concurrent disease.  FIP is also more common in multi-cat households, Adoption Centres and catteries - where up to 10% or more of the cats can die from FIP.

How do cats catch FIP / FCoV?

The major source of infection is the faeces of infected cats.  Uninfected cats become infected by sharing litter trays with infected cats.

 
At least 30 to 50% of pet cats are likely to have been exposed to FCoV and where large groups of cats are kept together, typically 80 to 100% of them will have been infected at some stage.

 The second major route of infection is the unintentional exposure of uninfected cats to tiny particles of infected faeces on people’s shoes or clothing, hands, poop scoops, etc.  The infected cat likely swallows the virus when grooming, or when particles of faeces contaminate their food.

 FCoV is occasionally shed in the saliva - usually early on in the infection process, so sharing food bowls or inhaling sneezed droplets could possibly allow infection to spread.  Close contact with infected cats, for example in mutual grooming, might, rarely, result in infection.  At present, there is no evidence that FCoV is present in the tears or urine.  

 Feline coronavirus almost never crosses the placenta to the unborn kitten.  Most kittens that become infected do so after the protective antibodies they receive in their mother’s milk have waned - usually when they are 5-7 weeks old.

 There are 4 possible outcomes of exposure to FCoV infection:

 1. The kitten or cat develops FIP (around 10% of infections).

 2. The vast majority of cats shed FCoV for a while, develop antibodies, stop shedding FCoV and their antibody titre returns to zero.  58% of FCoV shedding lasts up to one month and 95% of virus shedding lasts less than 9 months.

 

3. The cat becomes a lifelong FCoV carrier (13% of infected cats).  These cats shed FCoV continually in their faeces and most remain perfectly healthy although some develop chronic diarrhoea.

 4. Resistant cats – around 4% of cats appear to be completely resistant to FCoV infection.  They don’t shed the virus and they mount an almost undetectable antibody response.
 
How long does coronavirus survive in the environment?

FCoV is shed in the faeces.  In natural circumstances, cats go outside to defaecate and bury their faeces, in which case the virus lasts hours to days (it survives slightly longer in freezing conditions).  However, in domesticating the cat we have introduced litter trays and FCoV may survive for several days and possibly up to 7 weeks in dried up faeces in cat litter.

 Which disinfectants kill FCoV?

Most disinfectants kill FCoV but Domestos and Milton are the first choice, at a dilution of 1:32, which is 1 part of disinfectant to 31 parts of water.

 What are the clinical signs of FIP?

The name FIP is slightly misleading: FIP isn't inflammation of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen) it is a vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels).  The clinical signs that the cat develops depend on which blood vessels are damaged and on which organ(s) the damaged blood vessels supply.

 Approximately 50% of the cats with FIP develop the so-called "wet" (or "effusive") form. In "dry" ( or "non-effusive") FIP the clinical signs are more varied and this makes it difficult to diagnose.

 Wet or effusive FIP

This is the acute form of the disease, where many blood vessels are severely damaged and fluid leaks out of them into the abdomen or the chest cavity.  When the blood vessels in the abdomen are affected, the cat's tummy swells up with fluid called ascites.  When the blood vessels in the thorax are damaged, fluid leaks into the chest - impairing the ability of the lungs to expand - and the cat shows difficulty breathing.

 Dry or non-effusive FIP

Dry FIP is the more chronic form of the disease.  In dry FIP, the cat often has vague clinical signs, such as going off his or her food, losing weight and the coat looking dull.  Many cats with dry FIP become jaundiced (icteric), when you look inside the eyelid, it looks yellow.  If the cat has a pale nose, you may notice that that looks yellow.  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).

 

Around 12% of cats with non-effusive FIP develop neurological signs: often they become ataxic (wobbly and falling over when walking).  They may have head tremors, fits, or their eyes may dart from side to side instead of being focussed.  

However, all of these clinical signs can be caused by other, sometimes treatable, conditions, which is why accurate diagnosis is essential.

 Any of the following clinical signs should alert you to the possibility of your cat developing FIP:

 weight loss

recurring fevers (usually detected when your veterinary surgeon takes the cat's temperature)

going off food

the cat becomes even lazier than usual

sudden swelling of the abdomen

look closely at your cat's eyes regularly, watch for any change in colour of the iris (the coloured area of the cat's eye around the pupil) or any cloudiness, or bleeding

difficulty breathing (the cat breathing through his or her mouth)
if the cat has a fit or seizure
if the cat seems to lose balance, become clumsy
if the cat's personality changes
 
 If you are a cat breeder, the following signs in your kittens should alert you to the possibility of FCoV being present in your cats:

 kittens of uneven size in a litter

diarrhoea in kittens around 5-7 weeks of age

sneezing or discharge from the eyes
 
Remember that all of the clinical signs described above can occur due to other, curable, conditions, so take your cat to your veterinary surgeon to be checked if any of these signs occur and hope for the best.

 Remember that 8 out of 10 cats whose samples were sent to laboratories for FIP diagnosis turned out not to have FIP at all.
 

 How is FIP diagnosed ?

There is no simple test for FIP.   Exposure to FCoV infection can be established by detecting antibodies to the virus in a blood sample (coronavirus serology).  However, this does not allow distinction between past and current infection and cannot differentiate between strains of coronavirus.  Thus, while very many cats have antibodies to the virus, very few of these cats ever develop disease.

 

More sophisticated tests are now available to detect the presence of virus in blood samples but, again, these tests cannot differentiate between different strains of coronavirus.

 The only definite diagnosis requires examination of affected tissues, either through a  biopsy or post mortem examination.

 FCoV antibody tests

It is essential that your veterinary surgeon use a reliable FCoV antibody test such as the immunofluorescent antibody test used at the University of Glasgow Veterinary School.  Not all tests are comparable with this - some other tests have high rates of false positives and false negatives.

 Can FIP be treated ?

There is no cure for FIP. Once signs develop it is almost invariably fatal. Supportive therapy (e.g. nutritional support and anti-inflammatory drugs) may result in temporary improvement and can be used if the signs are not too severe. However, to date, no therapy has been shown to have long-term beneficial effects.

 Can FIP be prevented ?

In multi-cat environments, minimising overcrowding (keeping cats in groups of six or less), ensuring the environment is kept clean (disinfecting with dilute household bleach where possible), minimising stress and other diseases will all help to reduce the risk of FIP developing.  In other countries a vaccine is also available to help protect against FIP.  However, this vaccine is not currently available in the UK and is certainly does not provide 100% protection against the disease.

 Will my other cats develop FIP ?

If you have more than one cat it is important that any diagnosis of FIP is confirmed by tissue biopsy.  If FIP is confirmed, there is inevitably a small risk that other in-contact cats may develop the disease.  However, blood tests are not helpful in predicting whether a cat will develop disease.  It should be remembered that most cats are able to develop a good immune response that prevents disease developing.  Maintaining good health, preventing stress and avoiding the introduction of any new cats for several months are sensible precautions to minimise the risk of further cases of FIP.


 


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Offline Michelle (furbabystar)

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Re: FIP
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2007, 11:29:22 AM »
Quote
What is FIP

Horrible

Worse than Horrible -
Had alot of dealings with it last year, it is a heartbreaking decease

Offline Ela

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Re: FIP
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2007, 11:27:16 AM »
Quote
What is FIP

Horrible
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Offline Michelle (furbabystar)

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Re: FIP
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2007, 11:26:50 AM »
Easier to past and copy this for you -

What is FIP?
 FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis), is a disease caused by a "coronavirus" infection; while many different strains of coronavirus are able to infect cats, most do not produce serious disease. The strains of coronavirus that produce FIP are distinguished by their ability to invade and to grow in certain white blood cells. Once infected, the cells transport the virus throughout the cat's body, causing an intense inflammatory reaction in the tissues where these virus-infected cells locate. It is this interaction between the cat's body's own immune system and the virus that is responsible for the disease.


How does a cat get FIP?
Cats infected with the FIP virus shed the coronavirus in their saliva and in their feces. Most cats become infected by inhaling or ingesting the virus, either by direct contact with an infected cat, or by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces such as clothing, bedding, toys or food/water dishes.

What are the symptoms of FIP?
There is really no way to tell when a cat has been initially exposed to FIP, although some cats do have symptoms of a mild upper respiratory disease such as sneezing, watery eyes, and a watery nasal discharge. Some cats may even experience a mild intestinal disease; most cats that do undergo the primary infection described above recover completely, although some of them may become carriers of the virus. Only a small percentage of cats exposed to the FIP virus will develop the deadly disease, and for those that do, it may be weeks, months, or even years after their primary infection.

In kittens,
the onset of clinical signs of the deadly FIP may be extremely sudden, or the signs may appear gradually and increase in severity over a period of weeks. Some cats have symptoms that are not clearly associated with FIP by themselves, such as decrease in appetite on occasion, rough hair coat, depression, fever, and weight loss.


The major forms of the deadly FIP are effusive (wet) FIP, noneffusive (dry) FIP, and combinations of both. The sign most characteristic of effusive (wet) FIP is the accumulation of fluid within the abdomen and/or chest of the cat, which can accumulate to the point where it is difficult for the cat to breathe normally.


With noneffusive (dry) FIP, the onset is usually slower, with minimal fluid accumulation, although fever, depression, anemia, and weight loss are almost always present. One of the reasons it is often difficult to diagnose FIP is that signs of kidney failure (increased water consumption and urination), liver failure (jaundice), pancreatic disease (vomiting, diarrhea, diabetes), neurologic disease (loss of balance, behavioral changes, paralysis, seizures), enteritis (vomiting, diarrhea), and eye disease (inflammation, blindness) may be seen in various combinations.









Offline Ela

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Re: FIP
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2007, 11:25:59 AM »
The normal FIP test was inconclusive  although it was done at two different labs but another blood tests showed the chances of FIP are high, other diseases have been ruled out. The vet feels that the little one is still having a quality life just now so asked if we would take it in. No matter how long it has it will receive lots of TLC, I also have the vets personal home phone number and his and his wife's mobile so should we need assistance at any time we will be OK
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Offline Millys Mum

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Re: FIP
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2007, 11:24:41 AM »
George had dry.

CC: Theres lots of info here http://www.dr-addie.com/

Glad hes got a room sorted


ccmacey

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Re: FIP
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2007, 11:21:02 AM »
What is FIP?

Offline Michelle (furbabystar)

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Re: FIP
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2007, 11:12:42 AM »
He probably wouldnt need a pen for very long if he is already showing symptoms. George went in just 3 weeks  :'(

It will make a difference if he has WET or DRY FIP.

CC - I wouldnt have a FIV cat with a FIP cat, actually i wouldnt risk having a FIP cat with any cat as it is past on so easily.

Offline Millys Mum

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Re: FIP
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2007, 11:03:14 AM »
Ela, what is making the vet think he has FIP? He probably wouldnt need a pen for very long if he is already showing symptoms. George went in just 3 weeks  :'(

Good luck for a fosterer


CC. I think an FIV cat would be at more risk as they have a lower immune system.


Offline Ela

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Re: FIP
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2007, 11:00:37 AM »
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Can FIP and FIV pos cats live together?

We don't mix as we home our FIV cats. Also as you know a FIV cats immune system is not as robust as a 'normal' cat so we would not take the risk. The goos news is that Virginia on of our fosterers who lives on the farm is going to have the little one in one of her bedrooms.
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ccmacey

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Re: FIP
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2007, 10:34:22 AM »
Can FIP and FIV pos cats live together?

Fingers crossed for this little kitty

Offline Michelle (furbabystar)

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Re: FIP
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2007, 10:16:20 AM »
Oh Dear - Yes the problem you have is finding someone that can keep this cat totally separate.

What are his symptoms then ?

Offline CurlyCatz

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Re: FIP
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2007, 09:55:25 AM »
good luck with finding somewhere.

is this cat poorly then ??

Offline Ela

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FIP
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2007, 09:46:46 AM »
As I type with one hand I am desparately tring to find a fosterer who has a spare room for a possible FIP cat. None of the test can prove for sure it is FIP poss but none have ruled it out either. Although it is not 100% the vet feels that he does not want to PTS yet. The vet even took the little one home at the weekend so he could moniter closley his progress. I cannot justify keeping the cat in a pen long term as it would not be fair on the cat and secondly it would be blocking up a valuable pen that can be used to save the lives of many. Fingers crossed I find somewhere.
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