My cat has FIP, How do I comfort him?

[glitch]

Cloud-shade, Kittkat, & Kluchetta,

Thank you all for helping me get through this. Today he is still eating and his belly doesn't seem so swollen. (due to the fact they drained it yesterday) He just wants to sleep though. The fatty tumor thingy went away and now its like a little scab. He drinks an awful lot of water and I supose thats due to the fluid filling up in his belly. I think my vet wants to use him as a guiney pig and Im not ok with that but I am ok with them finding out everything they can. They kept the fluid out of his belly for testing, they took 18 oz out and he lost over a pound, now he looks like that skinny cat he once was! I hope he does well for a little while yet, I need to take more pictures and I would like one more day of him being able to play with me, I miss that.

Thank you so much for all your suppose! You're a Gift from Above!

Glitch's mom
Amber

 

[penbelwest]

KittKatt --

You say your kitties have FIP and are doing well on Interferon? More details please......how was the FIP diagnosis obtained? How much Interferon do you give how often and how are they responding? How advanced was their FIP before Interferon administration? We have an FIP (dry form) kitty who is on Feline Omega Interferon for about 12 days now. I am looking for any hope I can get from someone who has seen actual improvement/remission in their definitively (or as definitively as possible) diagnosed FIP kitty from Interferon.

Thank you so much!

 

[duchess15]

I'm so sorry about Glitch.

I don't know very much about FIP, but what little I do know is that it is devastating to both the cat for being diagnosed and to the owner who is then heartbroken.
All of the posts above me have given you excellent advice. As far as knowing when Glitch is ready - he will let you know. It will be one of the hardest decisions of your life and your heart will ache with grief, but at least Glitch will no longer be suffering. Sometimes it seems as if life is unfair by taking the most precious gift away from us.

 

[kittkatt]

Originally Posted by penbelwest

KittKatt --

You say your kitties have FIP and are doing well on Interferon? More details please......how was the FIP diagnosis obtained? How much Interferon do you give how often and how are they responding? How advanced was their FIP before Interferon administration? We have an FIP (dry form) kitty who is on Feline Omega Interferon for about 12 days now. I am looking for any hope I can get from someone who has seen actual improvement/remission in their definitively (or as definitively as possible) diagnosed FIP kitty from Interferon.

Thank you so much!

The FIP "diagnosis" was obtained through testing their blood: it's kinda difficult to explain, and there are other peeps here who can explain it better than I can (Hissy being one of them: she has a lot of info regarding FIP - if you send her a PM, I'm sure she'd be glad to help!). There really is no actual diagnosis (which is why I use the " symbol when I refer to diagnosis), but it has something to do with blood counts. I think I have an article somewhere that refers to it: if I can find it, I'll PM it to you...

Both Geronimo & Winchester had reoccurring coughing/gagging attacks which were accompanied by fluid in their lungs, and which were not being cleared up by administering antibiotics and other meds that are generally used to clear up a URI. When the symptoms weren't going away on their own, and when they continued to reoccur, the vet took the blood tests, after about six months of the symptoms continuing to reoccur. Winchester was to the point where he had several attacks a day: Geronimo's attacks weren't as frequent, but they were more severe. So the vet recommended the Interferon, and there was significant improvement after about 3 weeks. They both still occasionally have an attack, but they are not anywhere as severe as they once were, and it occurs just once in awhile now..

When they first started taking the Interferon, they were on it for 3 weeks (1 cc a day) till they went into remission. After that, it was 1 cc a day for a week, every other week. Occasionally, if the symptoms start to become more severe again, I'll have to give them the "3-week" dosage again, till they go back into remission, and also sometimes have to give them antibiotics & Fluoresemide (sp?) to help aid the infection and fluid in their lungs.

I hope that helps answer your questions, and I hope your furbaby will do well on the Interferon, also.

~KK~

 

[penbelwest]

Thank you -- that helps a lot!

 

[glitch]

For those of you who have been reading this, thanks for the help. We just lost the battle with my furbaby! I feel alone and empty. I keep thinking I see him, I miss him already. He couldn't hardly walk anymore and couldn't eat, what he was eating wasn't staying down. I took him in and let the vet make the call and now I wish I would have just held on for one more day. I want my baby back.

He had the wet form of FIP and they got that diagnoses by his swollen belly, which they then drained and tested. I hear the dry form isn't so bad. I wasn't so lucky but I hope no other person or kitty will ever have to go through this. Right now, I just want to crawl in the grave with him.

Thank everyone
Glitch's mom
Amber

 

[katachtig]

I will close this thread for you. Those who wish to give condolences can visit your thread in the Rainbow Bridge, http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=148484.