FIP virus

My dear kitty, Cliff (Richard), brother of Elvis and half brother of Bob (Marley) has just been diagnosed with the dreaded FIP virus.
He has suddenly lost loads of weight, lethargic and not eating. His gums etc are jaundiced and he is very sad.
The vet says there is nothing we can do.
I am now terrified his mates will be infected too.
They will have a blood test on monday but will a positive test mean they will also die, or will it just mean they will be carriers?

Found this for you to take a look at.

http://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/fhc/fip.html

Jblewis -

I am so very sorry to hear this. I'm praying for you and your kitties and hoping for the best (considering). My heart goes out to you.

I lost a young cat to FIP many years ago. He was one in a large household and the most groomed and played with cat (e.g. he had a tremendous amount of interaction with the other cats).

None of the other cats ever got sick from it. The way that my vet explained it to me, is that cats can be exposed and just never catch it, or could be carriers for years with no physical effects. Stress (such as a major change in your cats life) can trigger the illness in otherwise healthy carriers. We lost Boris 1 week after I moved him from Houston to Kansas City.

My other understanding is that the FIP test is not very accurate. So you might get either false negatives or false positives from the test. FIP is clearly diagnosable after they are fully ill, and from the fluids drawn from their abdomen once it swells (usually late stages).

My advice? No matter what the tests show, love your babies as much as you can, and try to keep major stresses out of their lives. How old are your boys?

I'm am sooooo sorry that this has happened to you! The thoughts of losing a young one are sometimes unbearable.

(I have a Bob Marley also)

Cats exposed to a cat with the FIP virus might definitely test positive. This means they came in contact, it does not mean they will get sick and die. 8 years ago I had 6 cats when 1 needed to be pts for FIP. None of the other 5 ever showed symptoms. They all lived to 14 or older and 1 is still with me. I am VERY sorry about the kitty with FIP (sending my sympathy ), but please try not to worry abouit the others. There is a good chance that they could be OK.

I am sorry to hear about your sweet cat, Cliff. How old is he?

Ask your vet about Interferon for treatment. Some cats have had a good response to it.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/P...nterferon.html
http://www.catclinic.co.uk/therapy/interferon.htm

I too have 3 positive FIPV cats diagonsed last December. All seem healthy except for a few scares recently which seem to be an overreaction on my part. Dealing with this disease, you too will experience this also unfortunately. You just have to keep a better eye on them regarding their health. Keep a journal if you have to if you notice something that isn't right.

All I can tell you right now is to make sure you keep the litter boxes and bowls constantly clean (daily). This is very important if you do not want the others to become just as ill. I would not separate them from Cliff as they have already been exposed to the virus. Each cat is different on how the virus will effect their body, just make sure you provide a healthy enviroment.
Try switching over to a healtier diet for them (Hill's Science Diet Nature's Best is what I use now), it has vitamins and minerals that normal local store brands do not have and will help keep your cat's immune system stong. Or you could even give them vitamin suppliments if you wish. It's worth a shot to try and keep them as healthy as possible when they have been exposed to a virus.

Try these support groups, they really have helped me understand this disease and clear up any myths I have heard about the corona virus and wet/dry FIP.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FIP/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FIPCatSupport/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FIPsupport-group/

Can you believe some people have actually put their cats down because their uneducated vets told them that their cat had FIP and would die, when it turned out they only were the carriers of the virus with no visable health problems? This is why you need to have an experienced vet when it comes to FIP, get second opinions if you have too. This is also important when dealing with FIP, most vets do not know enough about it. I too, had to turn to the internet for more information, my vet basically said after I got my strays tested that "They have FIP, sorry". I had a million of questions to ask and all she could tell me is that there is "no cure and it is fatal". Which is true in most cases with tests that come back with a higher titer, but she had no way of knowing if this would happen to my cats or not. She had no advice and basically sent me on my way. I cried the rest of the day at work because I thought my cats were dying right then and there.
Just make sure you have an understanding vet, is all I'm trying to say. False tests do indeed occur. Some recommend getting them tested every six months if you got them tested when they were young because their immune system would have changed with them getting older.
I'm not getting mine tested again unless I see a decline in their health. That is also my suggestion to you also.

Good luck, and I hope Cliff,Elvis and Bob stay well!