Feline infectious peritonitis

Feline infectious peritonitis. Mya Paugh T00677514 VTEC 1231 (Dillon) 02/17/22.

What is fip ? Why is it called that?. Feline infectious peritonitis, abbreviated as FIP, is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic cats. The name feline infectious peritonitis comes from when the disease was initially discovered. During this time, peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity) was a common finding. It is now known that a cat infected with FIP does not have to have peritonitis as a clinical finding, but many do..

causes. FIP is caused by particular strains of the feline enteric coronavirus ( FeCV ). Most strains of FeCV do NOT cause any harm to the individual. Infected cats may experience mild gastrointestinal upset such as diarrhea, or they may not develop any symptoms at all (asymptomatic carriers). This is usually the case as long as FeCV remains within the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases of FeCV , the virus may mutate within the animal’s body and develop into the feline infectious peritonitis virus, or FIPV. This is the strain that causes FIP. The development of FIPV does not necessarily mean that the cat will develop FIP. The cat may remain healthy and prevent clinical signs from appearing if they mount a strong immune response to the virus and are able to control the infection. Only a small portion of cats (approximately 10%) exposed to FeCV will develop FIP. FIP development can occur anywhere from weeks to years after the initial exposure to the virus..

About feline enteric coronavirus. The feline coronavirus is quite common and usually does not cause significant problems for its host. Within the body, the virus targets the intestinal cells causing gastrointestinal upset. In most cases, cats will develop only mild, self-limiting symptoms, such as diarrhea. Some cats may not develop any symptoms at all. Most cats infected with FeCV are able to mount an immune response to fight off the infection. Within 7-10 days, the infected cat’s body will develop antibodies (part of the humoral immune response) to tag the virus for destruction by macrophages (phagocytic cells that engulf invaders). In these cases, FIP does not have the chance to develop. FeCV is easily transmitted between cats. It can become endemic in large populations of cats that are housed within close proximity such as animal shelters, catteries, or multi-cat households..

Is fip contagious?. FIP itself is NOT contagious. The mutated virus, FIPV, is not shed in the feces or saliva, therefore it cannot be transferred to other cats. However, the feline enteric coronavirus ( FeCV ), which causes FIP, IS contagious and is readily transmitted between cats. Once FeCV is transmitted, the virus must undergo mutation within the newly infected individual cat in order to cause FIP..

Can i get coronavirus from my cat?. In short - No, you cannot get the coronavirus from your cat. The coronavirus that causes FIP is different from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in people. There are numerous different types of coronaviruses that affect multiple different animals. They often cause disease of the upper respiratory tract (like SARS-Cov-2) or the gastrointestinal tract (like FeCV ). FeCV = the coronavirus that can cause FIP in cats SARS-Cov-2 = the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in people.

Transmission Of fecv. A cat licking another cat Description automatically generated with medium confidence.

How does fip spread throughout the body?. The mutated virus, FIPV, can infect white blood cells called monocytes. These infected monocytes travel in the bloodstream throughout the body. As they travel throughout the body, the virus can infect other tissues and organs and spread the disease..

Who is at risk for developing fip ?. Any cat of any age, breed, or sex can contract FeCV and can therefore potentially develop FIP. There are certain groups that appear to be more at risk or predisposed to developing FIP: Young cats, usually between the ages of 6 months and 2 years Purebred cats (such as Persians, Abyssinians, Bengals, Birmans, Himalayans, Ragdolls, and Rex breeds) Cats living in multi-cat households or high-density facilities (e.g., shelters, catteries) Cats living in stressful, overcrowded, or poorly sanitized environments Cats with pre-existing disease such as FeLV or FIV Cats with compromised immune systems.

Where?. Cases of FIP are found worldwide. Diagram, venn diagram Description automatically generated.

Symptoms Of fecv. Cats exposed to FeCV may not develop any symptoms at all or they may present in one of the following ways: Mild upper respiratory symptoms Mild gastrointestinal symptoms Symptoms of feline enteric coronavirus include: Sneezing Watery eyes Nasal discharge Diarrhea Vomiting Most of the time these symptoms are self-limiting, meaning they will go away on their own without treatment..

Clinical signs and symptoms of fip. Cats with FIP often develop non-specific signs of disease such as: Decreased/loss of appetite Weight loss Lethargy Fever (often long-lasting and unresponsive to antibiotics) Other clinical signs may include: Pot-bellied appearance (due to ascites) Difficulty breathing (due to pleural effusion) Central nervous system (CNS) signs such as ataxia (uncoordinated movement) or seizures Signs may vary depending on which organs are affected Since many of these symptoms are non-specific causing FIP to mimic other conditions, it may be necessary to rule out other diseases first Symptoms tend to worsen over time.

“Wet” vs “dry” form of fip. There are two different forms of FIP: a wet, or effusive, form and a dry, or non-effusive, form The wet form of FIP may develop into the dry form and vice versa. The wet form of FIP is more common. Infected cats often show signs of both forms simultaneously. Which form develops depends on the immune response (or lack of) that the animal’s body responds with..

The Dry form of fip. Also known as the non-effusive form The dry form of FIP causes inflammatory cells to accumulate in various organs causing an inflammatory reaction to these organs. The inflammation prevents the organs from functioning properly and can even lead to eventual organ failure. Organs that may be affected include the brain, liver, kidneys, lungs, eyes, and skin. An array of symptoms may be seen. Neurological signs such as seizures or ataxia may be observed with this form. Affected cats may also experience polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyuria (increased urination), vomiting, weight loss, and jaundice. Symptoms of the dry form tend to develop slower than those of the wet form. With the dry form, the body responded with a partial immune response to the FIPV. The immune response was enough to prevent effusion, but not quite enough to stop the disease from developing..

The wet form of fip. Also know as the effusive form The wet form of FIP is easier to diagnose than the dry form. The wet form often presents with fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites), causing abdominal distention, or fluid accumulation within the chest (pleural effusion), which can cause breathing difficulty. Inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis) leads to damaged blood vessels, which then leak fluid into the surrounding body cavities, resulting in the fluid accumulation. The fluid usually has a high protein content. Symptoms of the wet form tend to develop more rapidly than those of the dry form. With the wet form, the body failed to mount any immune response to the FIPV..

diagnosis. Currently, there is no definitive test to diagnose FIP. A diagnosis of FIP is made based on a combination of a thorough history, clinical signs and findings, and eliminating other differentials. There are tests to measure FeCV antibodies. However, this alone cannot tell is if the cat has actually developed FIP. A positive result will only tell us that they have been infected with FeCV in the past and their immune system developed antibodies to fight off the virus. On the other hand, this test may inaccurately rule out an FIP diagnosis since some cats with FIP may not mount an immune response and therefore, would not produce antibodies for the test to find = false negative result However, there are a few clinical findings and indications that can be used to presume FIP as a diagnosis A biopsy from affected tissue, such as mesenteric lymph nodes, kidneys, or the liver, can be used to diagnose FIP..

Clinical findings that can be used to support an FIP diagnosis.

Pleural Effusion. Pleural Effusion = fluid accumulation within the chest cavity Animal may present with difficulty breathing. Pleural effusion can be diagnosed via a thoracic x-ray (see image to the right) or via ultrasound..

Ascites. Ascites = fluid accumulation within the abdominal cavity Animal may present with a distended abdomen and a “pot-bellied” appearance as shown to the right. As demonstrated below, ascites can be diagnosed via an abdominal x-ray (below, right) or via ultrasound (below, left).

treatment. FIP is considered to be fatal in most cases, often because it couldn’t be diagnosed until after death. FIP was long thought to be a non-treatable condition until recently. Antiviral drugs such as GS-5734 and GS-441524 may be effective for the treatment of FIP. These drugs have been used in humans but have yet to receive FDA-approval for the use against FIP in cats. However, current drug trials have had positive results and provide hope for the treatment of FIP in the future. Remdesivir , a prodrug of GS-441524, is one of the drugs currently being tested. It is currently used to treat COVID-19 in people. Drug therapy treatment for FIP is not commonly used in practice because it is still in its experimental phases and the drug is difficult to obtain. The drug is also quite expensive for clients. Currently, treatment revolves around making the animal as comfortable as possible for the remainder of its life. Supportive care is provided to alleviate symptoms and may include intravenous fluid therapy; drainage of the ascites or pleural effusion; blood transfusions; drugs such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and/or immune system stimulators. It is important to keep the animal in a non-stressful environment as well. Euthanasia may be considered if the cat’s quality of life is poor and they are not responding to supportive care..

prognosis. FIP is progressive and is almost always fatal without treatment. Up to 95% of affected cats will die from the disease. Drug therapies are still in experimental stages, but they have been seeing some success. With continued success, this could be a game changer for cats affected by FIP in the future. Supportive care treatment may extend the cat’s lifespan in some cases. Euthanasia is often considered if supportive care does not help improve the cat’s quality of life. Expected lifespan after infection ranges anywhere from just a few days to months depending on which form the cat is affected by. For the wet form, the cat can be expected to live only days to weeks. For the dry form, weeks to months could be expected..

Prevention. A cat walking on a wood floor Description automatically generated with medium confidence.

SUMMARY. FIP is NOT contagious. This is a more recent finding. We no longer need to isolate cats that are suspected as infected with FIP since it cannot be transmitted to other cats. There currently is NO cure, so this disease is almost always fatal. However, there are recent studies and clinical trials underway that are optimistic that there may be a treatment available in the future. Prevention of FIP relies on the prevention of the feline coronavirus. Basic hygiene practices, such as keeping litterboxes clean, can help with this..

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