Feline infectious peritonitis - FIP. Feline infectious peritonitis, FIP

Feline infectious peritonitis (or FIP for feline infectious peritonitis) is a severe infectious disease that most often ends in death.
The causative agent of the disease is RNA coronavirus (FCoV). In cats, two strains of this virus can occur, which are very pathogenic and dangerous: FIPV— feline infectious peritonitis virus and coronavirus enteritis virus FECV(feline enteric coronavirus).

FECV and FIPV are closely related strains of the same virus that cannot be separated from each other by conventional means, stimulate the production of similar antibodies/antigenic responses, but there is a significant biological difference between them. This difference allows many cats to be carriers of the coronavirus while remaining healthy, but only one or two mutations of the coronavirus (FECV) become the deadly FIP virus, which is able to replicate itself in macrophages (white blood cells) and thus spread throughout the animal's body .

Fortunately, the likelihood of converting FECV to FIPV is quite low. Today there are two theories explaining the probable causes of this process:

• Classical theory. Supporters of this version believe that mutation can only occur in special cases. In this case, the relationship between age, physiological state of the body, living conditions and genetics plays an important role. This theory is indirectly confirmed by the sporadic and local nature of cases of degeneration of virus strains.
• The theory of "hot tension". There is a version that different strains circulate in nature, some of which may be “unstable”, initially prone to restructuring. This theory may help explain random outbreaks of the disease, during which infectious peritonitis sometimes affects quite a large population (in nurseries, shelters). There is no exact evidence of the validity of this assumption yet.

FECV and FIP viruses coexist in the environment, and cases of infectious peritonitis occur several months later in cats that have been infected with the coronavirus in a population clear of other types of infections.

The FECV coronavirus is transmitted primarily through feces and the oral route (through litter trays and shared bowls). The spread of the virus by airborne droplets is considered unlikely. There is also evidence of transmission of infection from mother to kittens through the placenta. Kittens, young animals under 2 years of age and old cats are most susceptible to the disease due to weakened immunity. The incubation period is 2-3 weeks. Infected animals may remain carriers of the virus for several weeks, or perhaps months.
The virus is quite persistent and can remain active indoors for several weeks or even months. But it is easily destroyed under the influence of ordinary disinfectants and detergents. Virus particles can survive for several weeks in a tray or porous floor.

Spread of infection

Coronavirus infection thrives in environments where large numbers of cats share food, water and a litter box. In single-cat homes, only 25% of animals test positive for antibodies to this virus, while in catteries this figure ranges from 75 to 100%. The percentage of cats infected with coronavirus increases with the increase in the number of kittens, the arrival of new animals from other nurseries and the sending of their own, as well as with years of breeding work. There is no clear connection between a cat's attendance at exhibitions and cases of FIP in the cattery. The constant introduction of new animals increases the likelihood of FIP occurring in the nursery. Susceptible cats exposed to an environment with endemic FIP usually demonstrate antibodies to the infection within 1-2 weeks. Successful control of FIP depends on preventing transmission of infection from infected animals to susceptible animals by the fecal-oral route.

Factors that may influence the likelihood of developing FIP are: the presence of FIP in a littermate, all kinds of stress, including surgery, early pregnancy, weaning, sale, transportation and adaptation to a new home. In a cattery with endemic FIP, you can stop breeding for a period of 6 months to a year.

Susceptible animals include kittens 6 to 16 weeks of age, externally susceptible animals, and previously infected cats that have lost their immunity. If you suspect that a breeder is a carrier of FIP, you can prevent her from infecting her kittens by weaning them from their mother before six weeks of age and separating them from their mother and other cats until they are 16 weeks old. If your cattery has FIP, you can close the cattery to susceptible animals from outside for any reason.

Cats with positive blood titers for coronavirus (antibody titer greater than 1:100) may have been exposed to this virus, but it is impossible to tell from the titer whether it was only coronavirus or FIP. Whether the cat is sick or clinically healthy, as well as the conditions in which it was kept, can help in interpreting the titers. Animals with elevated titers (above 1:100) are likely to shed the virus in their feces, thus making them infectious to other cats, including their own kittens between 6 and 16 weeks of age.

Signs, symptoms and diagnosis

Coronavirus infection can go undetected because it manifests as several days of diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. The duration of FIP disease can vary from a few days to several months, developing more quickly in the wet form than in the dry form. Both wet and dry forms can occur in the same cat at different times. Common symptoms for both forms of FIP include fever that is not relieved by antibiotics, loss of appetite, weight loss, and growth cessation in kittens. Peritonitis and excess fluid in the abdominal area are characteristic of wet (effusion) FIP.

Symptoms of FECV infection

FECV primarily affects the lining cells of the cat's small intestine and causes diarrhea (diarrhea). First, the virus enters the nasopharynx, hence the cough, snot, and hoarse voice. But all this may not happen. Then diarrhea begins, often with mucus and blood. Diarrhea lasts several days - about a week. Then everything goes away, no symptoms are observed, but the coronavirus is still present in the intestinal mucosa. The stool of such cats is not stable - diarrhea can spontaneously appear and disappear. The vast majority of cats eliminate the coronavirus: most of them within a month, others take 9-12 months. 13% of infected cats become lifelong carriers of FCoV. These cats constantly shed coronavirus in their feces, most of them have no clinical symptoms, but some develop chronic diarrhea.
In 5-10% (according to various sources) of infected cats, the FECV virus mutates into FIPV, and the cat develops FIP. The mutation can occur due to stress, adverse environmental influences and other factors that weaken the cat’s immune system - vaccinations, previous diseases, surgical operations.

Symptoms of FIPV infection

The FIPV virus attacks macrophages (white blood cells), destroying them and thereby opening the way for infection in the tissues. The virus binds to antibodies, forming immune
complexes that accumulate in the walls of small blood vessels, causing immune-mediated vasculitis. The disease then affects various tissues and organs. There are two forms of FIP—dry and wet (effusion). The initial symptoms of both dry and effusion FIP are quite non-specific and under normal conditions they are often ignored. The cat may periodically have a fever, lack of appetite, and sometimes have mild diarrhea, vomiting, anemia, dehydration, weight loss, and respiratory distress.
FIP is called the “great imitator” because the disease can manifest itself in so many different ways. It can masquerade as a disease of the brain, spine, digestive system, eyes, cancer or cardiovascular disease.
In the dry form, granulomatous lesions of various organs develop, and clinical symptoms reflect these disorders. The liver, lungs and kidneys are often affected, and the eyes (bilateral granulomatous uveitis, often accompanied by chorioretinitis) and the central nervous system may also be affected. Damage to the central nervous system results in a variety of neurological symptoms, including incoordination, increased muscle tone, paralysis, nystagmus, seizures and behavioral changes. Complications such as focal meningitis and encephalomyelitis are sometimes observed.
Exudative (wet) FIP is the most severe clinical form, which quickly leads to death. It is characterized by effusion into the abdominal cavity. Along with this, in 20% of cases there are effusions into the pleural cavity and pericardium; the main clinical symptom in such cases is difficulty breathing. Weight loss, anemia, fever, vomiting, diarrhea are observed, and pericarditis and liver failure may develop. Jaundice may occur, especially in later stages of the disease. Damage to the eyes and central nervous system is observed in 10% of cases of effusion peritonitis. Death occurs within 1-2 months.

Prognosis and treatment

Because there is no adequate diagnostic that distinguishes coronavirus from FIP virus, it is unknown what proportion of cats infected with FIP survive. Animals that have recovered from FIP usually never appear sick. Among those who were obviously ill and subsequently diagnosed with FIP, less than 5% survived. In the treatment of FIP, antibiotics are ineffective, anti-inflammatory drugs only delay the inevitable, and immunomodulators do not bring noticeable improvement. It usually makes sense to support a cat that is active and has a good appetite, but not to prolong the suffering of an animal with a severe illness.

The disease with non-mutated coronavirus is usually mild and requires only supportive care and fluid replacement for several days.

Kittens generally become susceptible to the disease between 6 and 10 weeks of age, when they lose maternal immunity. Although kittens can be infected during this early period, the highest mortality rate from FIP occurs between 6 and 18 months of age.

Unfortunately, there is currently no effective cure for FIP. Treatment usually comes down to supportive therapy and quality care.

Prevention

Vaccination

The FIP vaccine Primucell has been shown to be effective (50-70% effective) in cats over 16 weeks of age. It is not effective for kittens under 16 weeks of age or cats positive for coronavirus. It is also not effective when used on animals coming from breeding facilities with endemic coronavirus, possibly because they are already infected with it.
The Primucel FIP vaccine causes the formation of an immune response in cats to the feline peritonitis virus, 4 weeks after a double dose, lasting at least 12 months. The vaccine is harmless and has no medicinal properties.

Kittens are vaccinated from 16 weeks of age twice with an interval of 3 weeks. Subsequent revaccinations of animals are carried out annually with one dose of Primucel FIP vaccine - 0.5 ml.
After vaccination, nasal discharge and a slight increase in body temperature may appear for 1-2 days. After administration of the Primucel FIP vaccine, an allergic reaction may develop. In this case, the animals are given appropriate symptomatic therapy. The immune response can be reduced in animals that have been exposed to stress (transportation, regrouping, etc.), are in unfavorable environmental conditions, are not fed properly, and are not following the instructions for using the vaccine.

Cats living in households in groups of 1 to 3, where the expected probability of developing FIP is only about 1/5000, are the group that will develop the best immunity from the Primucell vaccine, but its use in this environment will be quite ineffective in reducing the incidence cases of FIP in the entire cat population. For example, if a vaccine is 50% effective, 10,000 animals would need to be treated with it to save one from the infection. Some cattery owners have experimented with the use of the Primucell FIP vaccine in six-week-old kittens, on the assumption that since kittens at this age lose maternal immunity, they will be able to mount an immune response to coronavirus vaccination, and that by thus preventing coronavirus infection, it will be possible to avoid disease with its mutant form of FIP. To date, such experiments have demonstrated a reduction in the incidence of virus carriage in vaccinated animals, but not a reduction in the mortality of kittens from FIP. It remains to be assessed whether the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of vaccinating very young kittens. One of the possible risks is the recombination of coronavirus strains into new, even more virulent ones.

Control through isolation and early weaning

A study conducted by Addie in Scotland on 600 kittens born to seropositive mothers found no relationship between a cat's titres, her age, her breed, and whether her kittens were infected. However, a strong correlation has been found between the practice of raising kittens and their infection with coronavirus. Of those kittens that interacted freely with other cats in the house, 124 of 238 (52%) became infected; five died of FIP. Thirty-five of the 114 (30%) who remained with their mother until the time of sale were infected. None of the 46 kittens, which were isolated with their mothers until they were 5-6 weeks of age and then weaned and raised together in isolation, became infected. From the above, it follows that kittens lose immunity to coronavirus at 5-6 weeks of age and if a cat sheds this virus, they are prone to infection if they stay with her longer than this time or if they freely interact with other coronavirus-infected cats in the house. Even if you put two cats and kittens together, such isolation does not work. What would happen if one cat was seropositive and the other was not is that the infected cat would shed the virus and infect the healthy cat's kittens, which had no maternally acquired immunity to it. When the kittens of a seropositive cat lost the immunity acquired from their mother - after 6 weeks - they would be infected by the kittens of a seronegative cat. In this study, the majority (6 out of 7) of cats infected with coronavirus cleared it within one year. Three of them were then reinfected and became seropositive, and then again, later, seronegative. Thus, it is clear that cats typically shed coronavirus for less than one year.

When a study was conducted to determine antibody titers to the virus in breeding cats at the time their litters were infected, titers ranged from 80 to 1280, although the majority were 160. It is clear that cats with antibody titers below 100 can shed the virus. When a comparison was made between homes with reported cases of FIP and homes where only the coronavirus enteritis virus was thought to exist, it was found that approximately 10% of kittens from all coronavirus-infected catteries developed FIP. It is very dangerous to assume that cats were infected with a harmless strain of coronavirus. The final message of this study is that no cat breeder whose animals are seropositive for coronavirus can afford to isolate and remove their kittens early. Once the virus has been cleared from the cattery, it can be reintroduced with a new animal or kitten. Even a cat or kitten with an antibody titer below 100 can shed the virus into the environment. It is recommended that kittens from other catteries have titres of 1:10 or lower before they are allowed into a non-coronavirus cattery. Clinical signs that should alert a breeder to the presence of this virus include diarrhea and slow kitten growth. Regular antibody titer tests at 3-6 month intervals, although expensive, can provide useful information. Some breeders prefer to test only kittens or animals they plan to breed or sell soon. It appears that experienced breeders with catteries of 8-20 cats or more (where FIP is most likely to occur) should maintain animal numbers at a level that allows for early weaning practices and strict isolation of litters from all other cats over the age of 6 up to 16 weeks. This technique, although labor-intensive, can save kittens' lives.

One of the cat health issues that breeders are most concerned about right now is the diagnosis of FIP. A feeling of powerlessness comes over us when we are faced with this disease - because it is quite difficult to both prevent and almost impossible to treat. But besides that, we still know very little about this disease.
It is generally accepted that FIP ​​is a disease caused by a coronavirus, which is present in almost all cats in a “normal” state, and which can mutate into FIP. But recently, information has begun to appear from various sources that the coronavirus has nothing to do with the occurrence of FIP.
It is also believed that there are several strains of this virus, and only one mutates into FIP. Unfortunately, modern science cannot yet find a way to isolate different strains of coronavirus.

At the moment, tests (analyses) only allow us to see “titles” - i.e. quantifying the coronavirus, but there are no reliable tests for the FIP virus

Signs of FIP:

• General weakness
• Heat
• Weight loss
• Vomit
• Anemia
• Bloated belly
• Damage to the nervous system
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage
• Eye disease

FIP is always fatal and there is very little we can do. Unfortunately, researchers know little about this disease—much less than we would like. But, nevertheless, in recent years we have made some progress in understanding the problem.

Misconceptions and facts about viral peritonitis.

1. MISCONCEPTION: FIP and coronavirus are the same thing
   FACT:
   The common name for coronavirus in cats is FECV (feline enteric coronavirus). When FECV mutates into a form that causes disease, we call it FIPV (feline infectious peritonitis virus). FIP is the name of the clinical disease caused by Coronauris. FIP is a disease caused by a mutation of the coronavirus, which is quite rare.
2. MISCONCEPTION: My cat got FIP ​​at a show
   FACT:
   The coronavirus mutation occurs individually in each cat. The vast majority of cats do not “get” FIP, but instead develop it themselves from a mutation of their own FECV
3. MISCONCEPTION: I'm afraid my cat with FIP will infect all my other cats.
   FACT:
   Cats with FIP do not pose a risk to other animals and do not need to be isolated
4. MISCONCEPTION: I bought a cat whose antibody titers are 1:800, which means she is infected with FIP
   FACT:
   Antibody titers have no significance either for the diagnosis of FIP or for the prognosis of its treatment
5. MISCONCEPTION: Cats with FIP always have a large, swollen belly.
   FACT:
   FIP comes in dry and wet forms. In the most severe form - wet - the cat's stomach increases due to fluid spillage, as a result of damage to the internal organs. Fluid may also accumulate in the chest, causing difficulty breathing. Other signs are high fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and depression. With the dry form, bloating does not occur.
6. MISCONCEPTION: If a cat has a bloated belly, she definitely has FIP.
   FACT:
   There may be other causes for this symptom that are not related to FIP. Only a veterinarian can make an accurate diagnosis.
7. MISCONCEPTION: The cat has a bloated belly and high coronavirus titers - the vet thinks the cat must have FIP
   FACT:
   Although the combination of symptoms may suggest the presence of FIP, there are currently no completely reliable diagnostic tests for cats with FIP. Biopsy (microscopic examination of samples) is the only reliable way to diagnose FIP. Negative antibody titers do not at all deny the presence of FIP. Likewise, positive titers do not indicate the presence of FIP.
8. MISCONCEPTION: I've heard about FIP ​​tests
   FACT:
   There are no tests for FIP. Incorrectly called “FIP tests,” these tests simply show the presence of coronavirus. The presence of coronavirus antibodies is not a definitive diagnosis or conclusion. Determining such titers can be useful in many nurseries and shelters - they indicate that the animal has been exposed to coronavirus, but even the presence of high titers does not directly indicate that the cat will develop FIP.
9. MISCONCEPTION: I heard that FIP ​​is hereditary
   FACT:
   FIP is not an inherited disease. It is possible that your cat may be predisposed to developing FIP. Therefore, the breeder must select in the nursery for resistance to various types of infections - especially fungal and viral. Cats with strong innate immunity to infection will be less likely to develop the mutation that leads to FIP.
10. MISCONCEPTION: If I vaccinate my dogs, they won't get sick.
    FACT:
    Although vaccines have been developed and are available, their effectiveness and safety are highly questionable.
11. MISCONCEPTION: My cat got FIP ​​from my new cat I bought.
    FACT:
    Transmission of FIP from one cat to another is extremely rare
    
12. MISCONCEPTION: FIP only affects small kittens
    FACT:
    The peak incidence of FIP is from 6 months to 2 years (the most common period of illness is 10 months). It is likely that immunity to FIP is related to the age of the cat.
13. MISCONCEPTION: Kittens contracted FIP from their mother
    FACT:
    FIP disease in kittens from mother has not been recorded
14. MISCONCEPTION: If tests are done and titers are negative, the cat will never get FIP
    FACT:
    Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent a healthy cat from developing FIP.
15. MISCONCEPTION: If a cat has died from FIP, you cannot have other cats for several years, because... the virus stays in your home for years.
    FACT:
    The virus is generally unstable outside its host, but (as proven in laboratory studies) can remain on dry surfaces for up to 7 weeks. The FIP virus can be killed by most household detergents and disinfectants

Infectious peritonitis is a viral disease of cats characterized by anorexia, tissue dehydration, fever, abdominal edema, and peritonitis. abbreviation FIP(FIP) comes from the English name for the disease Feline Infectious Peritonitis. The causative agent is a cat-specific RNA virus belonging to the genus coronaviruses. Coronavirus is widespread among cats, but infectious peritonitis is caused only by its mutant forms. According to statistics, FIP affects about 10% of animal carriers of coronavirus, and kittens are much more sensitive than adult animals. The spread of infection is facilitated by uncontrolled breeding, in which one male cat mates with many cats from different catteries, being a potential carrier of the disease.

Infection. A sick cat sheds the virus in its stool, urine, and nasal discharge. Infection can occur through contact, through contact of a cat with the excrement of a sick animal, through food, and airborne transmission of the virus cannot be ruled out. Cats with reduced immunity (weakened, exhausted, or those with other diseases) are more sensitive to coronavirus infection and FIP. When kept in crowded conditions (in nurseries, shelters), cats get sick more often. Some breeds are more predisposed to developing FIP (for example, the British Shorthair). It is believed that stress contributes to the mutation of the coronavirus into a virulent form.

Symptoms The incubation period ranges from several weeks to several months. Clinical signs of FIP are diverse and vary depending on the age of the cat, the number and virulence of the pathogen, and the presence of immunity. Typical clinical signs in kittens under one year of age are lack of appetite, high fever, peritonitis, and sometimes pleurisy. At the beginning of the disease, the cat becomes apathetic, depressed, inactive, eats less (but never stops eating completely). A characteristic sign of FIP is anorexia and severe weight loss. In adult cats, there are two forms of the disease: exudative (“wet” FIP) and non-exudative (“dry” FIP). The “wet” form is characterized by the accumulation of fluid (“effusion”) in the abdominal or chest cavity (). With general weight loss and exhaustion of a cat, its abdomen becomes enlarged, anemia, vomiting, diarrhea are noted, and jaundice develops due to liver damage. The “dry” form is accompanied by damage to the eyes, kidneys, liver, lungs and central nervous system. Clinical signs of rheumatism and meningitis are observed: pain in the spine and hind limbs, impaired coordination of movements, throwing the head back, manege movements, timidity. In both forms of the disease, there is a gradual but steady decline of the body, which after a few weeks (sometimes months) ends in the death of the animal.

Diagnosis is based on the results of an analysis for antibodies to the virus or the presence of the virus, as well as the clinical picture of the disease. However Diagnosis of FIP presents significant difficulties, since there is no reliable method to differentiate virulent strains of coronavirus from avirulent ones. An unambiguous diagnosis can only be made by autopsying a cat that has already died.

Treatment. There is currently no specific treatment for FIP. To alleviate the general condition of the animal, punctures are performed and fluid accumulated in the abdominal or thoracic cavity is removed. Prescribe medications for symptomatic treatment.

Nil desperandum.

This article is the final one in the “trilogy” about viral diseases of cats.
We will talk about the most dangerous viral diseases:
FIP (FIP, VPC) - feline viral peritonitis;
FeLV (FLV, FLV) - feline viral leukemia;
FIV (FIV) - viral immunodeficiency of cats.

VIRAL PERITONITIS OF CATS (FIP, FIP, VPC).
Deadly disease. No treatment has been developed.
It can appear at any age, but kittens, young cats under 2 years of age, and cats over 8 years of age are most susceptible. Feline infectious peritonitis is a slow infection that can take months and sometimes years to develop in animals without visible clinical signs.
Pathogen- infectious peritonitis virus, is a mutation of a highly pathogenic strain of feline coronavirus. Whether the virus mutates, into what form and how quickly depends on several factors: the presence of intense immunity in a cat, the degree of pathogenicity and the amount of virus that has entered the body, external conditions and conditions of keeping the cat, the body’s susceptibility to the virus, the presence of stress in the cat.
In simple terms(may terminology lovers forgive me):
If a cat gets sick with coronavirus enteritis, this means that a virus has begun to live in its intestines. If the virus has a low pathogenicity ("weak") or the cat has good immunity, then symptoms of enteritis (diarrhea, mucus / blood in the stool) may appear or the disease will be asymptomatic. One way or another, in this case, clinical recovery follows and then carriage or elimination (destruction) of the virus.
If the virus is highly pathogenic, if the cat has frequent relapses of enteritis (that is, the virus is constantly in the body and is constantly active), if the cat has weak immunity and if a spontaneous mutation occurs, a systemic infection begins. Viruses are designed in such a way that they always strive to expand their habitat. The main goal of the virus is to survive and reproduce. And to achieve this goal, the virus adapts - it mutates, and it does this especially successfully if the cat’s body allows it.
The virus mutates into a form that can live and multiply in cells designed to fight it - in macrophages. Once the mutation is successfully completed, the virus happily settles and multiplies in macrophages, traveling with them throughout the body. The body senses danger and produces even more macrophages, which immediately colonize viruses. With macrophages, the virus enters organs and infects them. Further, depending on the intensity of the remnants of the cat's immunity, one of the forms of peritonitis develops - dry or effusion. Initial symptoms Both forms are nonspecific and under normal conditions they are rarely paid attention to.
Two forms of viral peritonitis:
- Dry (chronic) form- with this form, granulomatous (inflammation in which “tumor nodules” of various sizes are formed in the organ) lesions of various organs develop and clinical symptoms depend on which organ is affected and to what extent. Most often, the abdominal organs are affected - the liver and kidneys, as well as the eyes and the central nervous system. The first symptoms are usually: a prolonged increase in body temperature (not necessarily a fever, the temperature may only be slightly elevated), weight loss, depression or lethargy. Lesions of the nervous system are manifested by paresis, paralysis, vestibular disorders, seizures or convulsions. Due to the fact that the dry form is often expressed by nonspecific symptoms, for example, in the form of renal failure, it is quite difficult to diagnose.
- Exudative (acute) form- with this form, ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity), anemia and jaundice, depression, anorexia (weight loss) develops. Sometimes the effusion form is preceded by the dry form, which does not manifest itself with significant clinical symptoms. Along with ascites, hydrothorax (fluid accumulation in the chest cavity) and hydropericardium (fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac) can develop. Effusions in body cavities accumulate due to increased permeability of blood vessels involved in the pathological process and organ damage.
The brightest initial symptoms Both forms are: depression, periodic fever, weight loss.
Diagnosis diagnosed based on examination and medical history, necessary studies and laboratory tests. If viral peritonitis is suspected, venous blood and ascites fluid are donated to the laboratory (for PCR and ICA studies). For ascites, an ultrasound is performed (at the same time examining the abdominal cavity for neoplasms, which can also cause ascites, as well as excluding diseases such as pyometra, liver diseases, kidney cysts, etc.), and the composition of the ascitic fluid is examined (to exclude other diseases that cause effusion - diseases of the heart, liver, neoplasms of the abdominal cavity, purulent serositis or peritonitis, lymphosarcoma or leukemia, etc.), with effusion in the chest cavity - x-ray. Blood tests, clinical and biochemical, are taken to assess the extent of organ damage. Diagnostics is carried out comprehensively, since sometimes the laboratory can give a false negative result, but it will not mean that there is no FIP. Analysis of the affected tissue also helps - biopsy and histology, which is done mainly for the dry form.
Treatment this disease has not been developed. Symptomatic therapy is carried out to alleviate the course of the disease and partially improve the cat’s condition. To alleviate the general condition of the animals, punctures are performed and accumulated exudate is removed. Unfortunately, this manipulation brings only a temporary effect - the effusion accumulates again quite quickly.
Forecast the disease is unfavorable and the outcome is fatal. Kittens die much faster than adult cats. With supportive care, cats can survive from several days to several weeks. Sometimes with active treatment the effusion decreases, but dry peritonitis develops and with constant support the cat can live from several months to a year, provided that the diagnosis was made early and correctly.
Vaccinations does not exist. A specific way to prevent the development of peritonitis in an infected cat ( prevention) does not exist, except maybe less stress and treat your cat for diseases on time, and not wait until it “goes away on its own.”
In the environment Coronavirus is weakly resistant and is easily killed by heating and the use of disinfectants. Infectious peritonitis itself is not contagious, as it is a mutation of a pathogenic strain of coronavirus in a weakened body.

FELVINE VIRAL LEUKEMIA (FeLV, FLV, FLV).
A viral infection that is fatal to cats.
Pathogen This disease is an RNA-containing oncogenic (oncornavirus) family of retroviruses.
Kittens and young animals are most susceptible. Cats that are kept in crowded conditions (shelters, catteries, other large cat communities) become infected more often.
The virus is detected in the saliva, feces, urine, and milk of infected animals, so susceptible cats can become infected through any contact with patients with viral leukemia. The virus is most common among stray animals. Domestic cats walking outside often become infected during fights over territory. The main gateway of infection is the digestive tract, but infection can also occur through “saliva - blood” and “from mother to offspring” (with milk or in utero; in the second case, the litter is born dead or non-viable). The average infection rate in stray cats reaches 10%.
Feline viral leukemia can manifest itself in different forms. This depends on the state of the immune system, the amount and pathogenicity of the introduced virus, and its location.
Many cats, when the virus enters the body, give an immune response, due to which the virus is eliminated, although in some it may remain in a latent (inactive) form in the bone marrow (over time, under the influence of environmental conditions, stress, and medications, the virus can be activated). Other cats may get sick temporarily, after which the body manages and eliminates the virus. But the most susceptible cats cannot cope with the virus and an infection begins.
After entering the body the virus affects lymphoid tissues and bone marrow, which leads to the development of leukemia. Causes education tumors of various sizes in organs and tissues: intestines, lymph nodes, eyes, nasal cavity, skin, kidneys, liver... Such neoplasms are called neoplasia / lymphoma / lymphosarcoma.
Symptoms and clinical manifestations depend on which organs are affected and how severely they are affected. For example, when the kidneys are damaged, symptoms of renal failure develop - anorexia, vomiting, uremic syndrome. When the eyes are damaged, uveitis and glaucoma occur. When cells of the central nervous system are damaged, paresis and paralysis may develop. If lymphoma affects the lungs, shortness of breath and signs of pulmonary edema develop, and fluid accumulates in the chest cavity. But still, the main organs that the virus affects are the liver, kidneys and intestines. Malignant neoplasms of the hematopoietic organs (thymus, spleen, bone marrow) - in most cases occur against the background of viral leukemia.
In addition to neoplasms, feline leukemia causes not oncological symptoms, but immunosuppression(immunosuppression). FeLV infection is in many cases accompanied by gingivitis or stomatitis, non-healing abscesses, infertility and abortion, as well as secondary infections, mainly respiratory, bacterial and fungal, anemia, and a decrease in circulating blood cells (leukocytes, red blood cells).
Diagnosis diagnosed on the basis of anamnesis, examination and specific laboratory tests (venous blood is taken for analysis). Since the virus can be quickly eliminated from the cat’s body, samples are taken several times at intervals of 3 months. A repeated positive result indicates the presence and development of infection in the body. Also, a positive reaction is given not only by patients, but also by carriers who pose a threat to surrounding cats susceptible to the viral agent. A general blood test is required to assess hematopoiesis (the virus affects the hematopoietic organs and their condition will be clearly visible from the analysis). Due to the difficulty of diagnosing viral leukemia, this disease is suspected in the presence of any chronic or recurrent disease.
There is no specific treatment. The prognosis mainly depends on the extent and severity of the disease. Treatment is symptomatic and aimed at eliminating clinical symptoms and improving well-being. Chemotherapy is used to treat lymphoma, but the tumor cannot be completely removed and a relapse occurs after a few months. Associated diseases, viral and secondary bacterial infections are treated, but after a while they also recur. Blood transfusions provide good results for several weeks.
Of all infected cats, most die within six months after diagnosis, the remaining within three years, and only a small part of infected cats will have a normal life expectancy, but they will be predisposed to various chronic diseases.
Vaccination does not save 100%, but if the domestic cat does not go outside, the risk of infection is minimal. Also, as cats age, they become more resistant to the leukemia virus.
In the environment FeLV can only survive for a few days and is easily destroyed by most common disinfectants.

If a cat lives in the house, a loving owner tries to take care of its health, normal nutrition, periodic examination at a veterinary clinic, and the necessary vaccinations. The symptoms of FIP in cats are quite a challenge. To carry out timely treatment, it is necessary to know the symptoms of the pathology, the causes of its occurrence, and prevention.

Description of the disease

Fip or ICP (viral peritonitis) is a serious disease that affects the mucous membranes of the abdominal cavity of an animal. Infectious peritonitis has become most active in the last 10–20 years. The disease was first recorded in 1960 in America, but many believe that the virus developed even earlier. The disease is considered fatal, although death occurs in most cases when a large number of pets gather in one area.

There are many types of coronaviruses that characterize Fip. Some of them are only slightly dangerous and can cause short-term diarrhea in cats. Others imply a rather serious pathology that ends in the death of the pet. Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to accurately determine what type of infection a cat is infected with. Based on the symptoms, the veterinarian can only determine the presence of coronavirus. Fatal infectious peritonitis is diagnosed too late, when the animal has minimal chance of survival.

In addition, recent studies have shown that coronaviruses are capable of rapid mutation. Because the virus tends to persist indoors for weeks to months, there is no optimal protection for felines living in large groups in confined spaces.

Viral peritonitis is the most common form of coronavirus. Fip can be transmitted through the oral-fecal route. Infection can occur through food or cat feces. For several months it is excreted from the pet’s body, then it subsides for a while. This occurs due to the production of antibodies by the body of a sick pet. A healthy cat can become infected through feces if they are exposed to the public. Sometimes an animal is a carrier of the disease in the absence of characteristic symptoms.

Since viral bacteria can easily be destroyed under the influence of conventional disinfectants and detergents, it is extremely important to maintain cleanliness in the room where cats live.

Causes of pathology

There are several types of feline peritonitis. All of them have disappointing data on animal mortality. To prevent infection of your pet, it is advisable to understand the reasons that contribute to the development of infection.

Infectious lesion

Damage to the abdominal cavity occurs as a result of blood secretions or urine entering its cavity. This is caused by stagnation of feces in the cone area, which provokes the formation of wounds through which the infection penetrates into the vessels. The bloodstream subsequently carries the infection to the peritoneum. Infectious FIP is accompanied by increased thirst of the animal and refusal to feed.

At the same time, there is increased weakness in the pet; it constantly hides in dark corners and stops responding to its name. Severe pain leads to the fact that the cat constantly lies down and stops going to the litter box. To alleviate the condition, foods that irritate the intestinal flora (meat bones, cartilage) are excluded from the diet. It is advisable to buy special supplements and vitamins that promote good absorption of food and removal of hair from the intestines.

Bacterial damage

The most common cause of bacterial intestinal infections is obesity. This affects most domestic cats that have undergone medical sterilization, which leads to the development of Fip. The presence of injuries and chronic diseases of internal organs also contributes to the proliferation of bacteria.

Prevention of the disease includes high-quality feeding with special foods rich in vitamins. Adding some chopped vegetables is also an effective preventive measure. The cat should be protected from accidental injury.. To do this, it is advisable to remove sharp, piercing objects from the room and leave enough space to approach the tray.

Coronavirus infection

Increased reproduction of pathogenic microflora leads to complete damage to the pet’s entire body. An infection spread from the peritoneum is fatal in 99% of cases. A possible cause of peritonitis is complications after surgery. This is facilitated by improper treatment of wounds when surgical sutures diverge.

Since the pathology is serious, prevention includes observation by a qualified specialist. For this purpose, there are specialized clinics that provide competent drug treatment.

Symptoms of Feline Fip

Symptoms of the disease in cats manifest themselves in a varied clinical picture. That is why diagnosis of the disease and its treatment are quite complex therapeutic measures. Fip can modify symptoms so much that suspicion may fall on damage to the brain, stomach, eyes and other internal organs. Suspicion of the presence of FIP is based on blood tests, fluid accumulation in the respiratory tract, abdominal cavity, and laboratory tests of the material taken for biopsy.

The disease is most often found in young kittens under 2 years of age and in old cats. The cause of the development of pathology is the weakened functioning of the immune system. For the first 2–3 weeks, the infection is in the incubation stage.

The main symptoms are:

1. loss of appetite;
2. hyperthermia (temperatures up to 40 degrees and above are possible);
3. diarrhea;
4. vomit;
5. loss of orientation, weakness;
6. weight loss;
7. bloating;
8. respiratory dysfunction.

There are dry and wet forms of pathology development. Sometimes it is possible to develop both forms in one animal.

Dry Fip in cats is characterized by the following symptoms:

• the presence of purulent formations in the abdominal area;
• nodular formations in the intestines are palpated;
• the peritoneum is excessively compacted;
• damage to the organs of vision
• An autopsy reveals damage to the liver, lungs, and kidneys.

The wet type of Phip involves the following symptoms::

• the presence of yellowish fluid in the abdominal cavity;
• sudden weight loss;
• anemia;
• febrile state of the pet;
• diarrhea;
• vomit.

Exudative Fip has a tendency to develop rapidly. The life expectancy of an animal when affected varies from 1 to 12 weeks. The disease affects all internal organs, and paralysis of the limbs is often observed before the death of the pet.

Treatment

Since the symptoms associated with the disease are accompanied by a small chance of treating the cat, the approach to therapeutic measures must be comprehensive. Signs of FIP, detected in a timely manner by the owner, significantly increase the hope for recovery.

Drug therapy involves the following treatment methods:

• the use of antibiotics depending on the weight, age of the animal, and the degree of damage;
• puncture therapy to relieve fluid in the abdominal cavity. Pumping is accompanied by the introduction of antimicrobial drugs;
• taking painkillers by your pet;
• use of drugs that normalize cardiac function;
• blood transfusion;
• transferring the animal to an individual diet;
• taking several vitamin supplements at the same time;
• chemotherapy, administration of hormonal drugs to the cat.

The fact of the presence of infection has indications for carrying out preventive measures. The veterinarian injects a weak virus that is localized in the animal’s respiratory tract. This procedure does not provide a 100% guarantee, but it significantly increases the body’s resistance to the spread of bacteria.

To prevent peritonitis, it is necessary to keep the animal clean. Sometimes the room needs to be disinfected. To strengthen your pet’s immune system, it is advisable to feed him special food and add vegetables and vitamins to his food. Your cat should always have access to clean water. Antihelminthic therapy should be carried out periodically.

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