FIP in Cats

 

FIP in Cats
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Dr. Jennifer Creed, a veterinarian serving a Chicago-area animal boarding facility, underwent her professional training at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. An animal healthcare provider interested in purebred felines, Dr. Jennifer Creed has experience treating ragdoll cats, a breed susceptible to illnesses like feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

A disease uncommon in indoor cats that live in one-cat residences, FIP is a very serious illness that inexorably leads to death. Unfortunately, veterinarian researchers have yet to discover a cure for the disease, though a controversial FIP vaccine has been developed.

However, most cats exposed to the virus that causes FIP do not go on to develop FIP, which is characterized by either “dry” symptoms like weight loss, jaundice, and neurological problems or “effusive” symptoms like fluid buildup in the abdomen. Cats with effusive FIP usually succumb much faster than those exhibiting the dry version.

The key risk factor for FIP centers on living conditions that bring many individual cats together in one space, where the cats become exposed to each other’s infected feces. Veterinarians have few options when treating patients with FIP, though in mild forms of the “dry” condition, treatment may prolong life.

Preventing Feline Infectious Peritonitis in Kittens

Feline Infectious Peritonitis
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Based in Illinois, Dr. Jennifer Creed has extensive experience as an emergency veterinarian, with a particular focus on Ragdoll Cats. Among the conditions that Dr. Jennifer Creed treats and vaccinates against are upper respiratory disease and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Most prevalent among indoor cats, FIP is caused by a coronavirus that inhabits the intestines and usually does not impact health and everyday life. Of the vast majority of house cats with the condition, a few experience a viral mutation that develops into a deadly disease. It manifests in symptoms such as fever, swollen abdomen, white gums, and cloudy eye. Samples of blood will often have inflammatory disease indicators such as elevated globulins and anemia.

One unfortunate aspect of FIP is that it primarily affects kittens that have not yet developed strong immune system defenses. In order to limit instances of this disease in shelter or cattery situations, kittens can be weaned and separated from other cats before the protective antibodies passed on through the mother wear off. Simply ensuring proper nutrition and a minimum of stress in kittens’ lives can also help ensure that FIP does not become a major issue. Additionally, the area where cats are housed should be well-sanitized and free of organic debris.

An Overview of Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Feline Infectious Peritonitis
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A veterinarian well versed in the treatment of ragdoll felines, Dr. Jennifer Creed delivers quality animal care through DePaw University’s Canine Campus. Among the many conditions with which Dr. Jennifer Creed is familiar, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) ranks among the most deadly to the cat population.

FIP is a fairly rare disease caused by exposure to the feline coronavirus. In most cases, when cats initially become infected by this virus, they present no obvious symptoms. However, on account of a viral mutation or an atypical immune response, up to a 10th of cats infected with the feline coronavirus develop clinical FIP.

During the course of FIP, the virus invades feline white blood cells, infecting them and using them as a means to spread the condition to the rest of the body. This attack on the body results in severe inflammation of such vital organ systems as the brain and kidneys.

Once symptoms become apparent, cats may first experience depression, weight loss, and other generalized problems. Within only a few weeks, however, FIP escalates into a serious health crisis characterized by either “wet” symptoms like fluid buildup in the abdomen or “dry” symptoms like vomiting, liver failure, and neurological problems. In the vast majority of cases, FIP results in the death of the feline patient.