The treatment is also hard on both owners and cats, as injections can be painful. There is also a problem in some cats, especially those with neurological involvement, with development of partial drug resistance, which requires an increasing dosage.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a painful, incurable disease that's nearly always fatal.
One of the most difficult decisions is to determine when to stop treatment. 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.
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.
Treatment appears to be rapid, with most cats showing significant improvement within only a few days. Anecdotal evidence appears to result in 80-95% of cats being successfully treated. One of the most comprehensive studies involve 31 cats on long term treatment for FIP.
FIP Prognosis
Affected cats usually do not live more than a few weeks after diagnosis, so there is little possibility for long-term care. Fortunately, veterinary researchers are working hard to find a cure.
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)
If you have lost a cat to FIP, remove any cat related items that you cannot wash or disinfect, such as a scratching post or soft toys. Clean and disinfect everything else in the environment that you can. Time will take care of the rest, because viruses of this type are not long-lived in the environment.
In cats that develop FIP, the first signs of illness may be very vague. Listlessness, lethargy, decreased or absent appetite, weight loss, and a fluctuating fever are commonly reported clinical signs.
This infection can affect the brain, liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin. This form often causes the cat to have seizures and move in an abnormal or uncoordinated way. In some cases, cats will also have excessive thirst and urination, vomiting, weight loss, and jaundice.
Current Cost Of Remdesivir Treatment Of FIP In Australia (2022) 100mg vial costs $99 plus tax. The cost to treat a 2.5kg cat with effusive FIP (remember most cats are young and light) for 84 days with remdesivir (25mg per day or 2.5ml) will require approximately 21 vials @ $99/vial.
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.
Missing one dosage is not serious, because effective blood levels are sustained over 24 h. However, missing a dose is something that should be avoided if all possible as it can become a habit.
Signs Of FIP In Cats
Signs are: A swollen belly or trouble breathing. Poor appetite and muscle loss.
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.
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.
Regardless of which form they ultimately progress to develop, cats infected with FIPV usually first develop nonspecific signs of disease such as loss of appetite, weight loss, depression, and fever. It is also important to note that cases of the effusive form of FIP can evolve into the non-effusive form and vice-versa.
FIP can affect the liver, kidneys, pancreas, or other organ systems. Most cats will start showing symptoms of simply not feeling well—eating poorly, running a fever, or acting lethargic. Some animals will develop other diseases, depending on the type of the disease present.
How much does it cost? Although FIP is now curable, the treatment is not inexpensive. Costs will depend on your cat's weight and other symptoms. Typically, costs vary from typically around $1,000 to $3,000 for the duration of treatment.
The entire home should be carefully vacuumed to remove any traces of old cat litter (and fecal contamination) from the environment. Any traces of the virus should dissipate in about one to two months, and after that time, a new cat may re-enter the home as soon as the family is emotionally ready.
Rare in solo, indoor-only house cats, this dreaded disease sends chills down the backs of kennel and cattery owners. Its feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and its lethal and incurable. FIP is caused by common strains of coronavirus.
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.
IS FIP CONTAGIOUS? Very simply, the answer is no. FIP stems from infection with the enteric coronavirus of cats but FIP is not contagious.
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)