Diagnosed with FIP!  

My cat died from this just last week. He had the wet FIP. The vet told me that it is 99.9% fatal. He strongly suggest I have my cat put to sleep. He was in a great deal of pain as he couldn't breath. It is a terrible thing to have happen. How old is your mothers cat? My cat was only 6 months old. It only happens in about 5% of the cat population. It even happens to cats in zoos.
Hope you have better luck than I did. But if you vet is telling you that the cat should be put down I would strongly listen to what he is telling you. I loved my kitten enough to let him go.

It really is an unfair disease. Willow was almost 9 years old when I lost her to it last month. She had been healthy her whole life, lived indoors only, and had minimal exposure to other cats--only a few fellow feline housemates over the years. Odo had been with us for more than a year when she was tentatively diagnosed with dry FIP because of her ultrasound results and her high protein and lower albumin/globulin ratio. She was with me for a little over a month after her blood work came back with abnormalities. We did everything we could to keep her comfortable, including putting in a feeding tube so she would get adequate nutrition. The vets didn't think middle aged cats got FIP, so they were not sure about her diagnosis until it progressed. FIP was eventually confirmed via tissues samples sent to Auburn University after her passing.

It is rare that a cat survives FIP, unfortunately. A few people have found that Feline Interferon has helped their cats, but getting it is tricky in the United States as it is not approved here and has to be imported. Also, it's very expensive, and the research that has been done is very limited and inconclusive.

What tests were done to diagnose your kitty? The only "conclusive" tests are done through PCR on tissue samples. Since most of these kitties are too sick for surgery, the biopsies must be done after they have passed on. If the vet's diagnosis is based solely on a Feline Enteric Coronavirus or FIP titer test, get a second opinion from another vet. Ask the vet to explain to you how he/she came to the conclusion that your kitty has FIP. Enlarged kidneys alone might be managable for a while, but if it is indeed FIP, I would suggest talking with your vet about your kitty's quality of life and how to know when it's time to let go.

Just wanted to say in reference to cloud shade's post, there is no "feline" Interferon, it's just plain interferon and it readily available here in the states, it's a drug widely used to treat human aids patients. As for expense it's really not that bad, If I remember correctly it was $50 or so for around a 3 months supply? I have used it in the past with my leukemia cats.

However, the interferon is usually used to treat the dry FIP, wet FIP is almost always fatal like harlowquin said.

FIP is actually caused by a mutation of the corona virus, and a large number of cats carry the corona virus, but very few of them develop the mutation. FIP can be diagnosed based on symptoms and blood tests, but like cloud shade said, it can only be 100% diagnosed with a necropsy.

I hope your Mom's kitty can pull through!

I'm paying $85.00 for 100 cc's of the interferon, which lasts about 2 months; but I have 2 cats on it now.

Regarding feline interferon or human interferon, someone told me on that there are two different forms of the stuff, and that you had to make sure your cat was on feline interferon - not human - otherwise it wouldn't do any good. Is that true?? I didn't know there was supposed to be two different kinds.

~KK~

I wouldn't trust any vet that says a lab test has confirmed a cat has FIP. There is no lab test to 100% positively diagnose FIP until the cat has passed and as others have said, a necropsy is done. If your mom's kitty has a kidney disease then that may be able to be treated sucessfully unless he's in the end stages. But at any rate. I'd get a second opinion. And let the vet know you know there is no test to diagnose FIP! IMHO vets use this "diagnoses" way too much!

The kind you're referring to is Interferon alpha, which is inexpensive and readily available in the United States. Some studies have shown that it is not effective for very long as cats build up an immunity to it. There is a different interferon--Interferon Omega--that is not readily available in the United States. The tests that have been done with the Feline Omega Interferon (FOI) have been inconclusive. One study showed some results in cats with the wet form of FIP. A slightly large study showed no benefit. People are still holding out hope that it will work and are trying different protocols. It is one of those things that may or may not help, but it probably won't hurt (except for the expense).

http://www.dr-addie.com/treatment.htm#Interferon
http://www.shojai.com/articles/FIP-2.html

This site has links to published studies regarding the use of FOI in cats for FIP and other viral diseases:
http://vetinterferon.nexenservices.c...feron&lang=eng

I am so sorry you are going through this. Thank you for giving Tux the ultimate gift of love and letting him go.

He is a beautiful baby. Cross in peace hansdome Tux.

I'm so sorry you had to come to this decision. Prayers for the both of you.

I am so sorry

Out of respect for Tux, I will now close this thread.

RIP

http://thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146355