Charlie May Have FIP :(

Hello all, I haven't posted in awhile.  We've been kind of playing it by ear and testing things here and there to see what improvements may have come for Charlie's condition.  We've ran numerous tests, tried numerous antibiotics, probiotics, and other things.  We ended up switching Charlie's diet to Nature's Variety Raw diet and we have him on weekly B12 shots currently.  These have shown tremendous results as far as Charlie's leaking diarrhea.  However, the diarrhea itself has ceased to stop.  His stool has had some, not a whole lot, formation, but is still yellow-y, extremely smelly, and soft.  Over the past month, we'd noticed Charlie growing and gaining weight (he's up to 4.9 lbs now!) however, some of that weight is due to the fluid build up in his abdomen.  The vet did a fluid tap and tested the fluid which came back to be a transudate?  The vet claims this could be caused by an array of problems, but most of them are unlikely for Charlie since he is a kitten.  The vet has prescribed prednisolone and an acetate to help with the inflammatory problems Charlie is incurring.

Right now our intentions are to continue with the B12's as well as getting Charlie on the Prednisolone and Acetate and observing Charlie's stool to see if it helps with the diarrhea.  We plan to maintain Charlie's symptoms in order to prolong his life to its fullest potential.

If you have any insights or advice, anything at all will help.

Thank you all again.

Gee, I am so sorry you and Charlie are going through this. Major vibes coming your way. He is way too young to be having to deal with such serious issues. I think with chronic fluid build-up and inflammation the transudates can become modified transudates because of a secondary inflammation associated with the fluid accumulation. It is such a scary thing to deal with and try to manage as there are many things that could be causing the pleural space in the abdomen to leak fluid. Let's hope that the pred does it job with that inflammation. It sounds to me that you are doing everything right here and have a good vet too. Just mega vibes to you and Charlie. Keep us updated on Charlie.

p.s. For the chronic diarrhea though, I wonder if there is the possibility of Tritrichomonas Feotus. http://www.fabcats.org/breeders/infosheets/tritrichomonas.html That would not show up on a fecal (the parasite) but leaking stool is a classic sympton. My Pipsqueak had that as a kitten and was treated two times for four weeks each with Ronizadole. Maybe ask the vet about this. :dk:

Charlie91 said:

If you have any insights or advice, anything at all will help.

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Do you know about...has anyone ever suggested to you...this group: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FIPCatSupport/ ?

I ask because I have seen the value of these specialized groups up close (as have many others here) - and, because that's where I'd be for sure were I in your position.

I'm so, so, so sorry that you and Charlie are going through this. I sincerely hope it's not FIP... My kitten passed away from FIP 5 months ago and I'm still struggling to get over it. Hope things work out for you and Charlie.

I don't know much about FIP, but wanted to give you and Charlie a big  .