Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

What happens after a diagnosis of FIP?

 

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for FIP. Although recovery from some signs and symptoms of FIP has been reported, it is uncommon. Up to 95% of cats with FIP will not survive. (1)

 

In cats with the wet form FIP, the disease progress is rapid and death usually comes within 2 months. The dry form of the disease has a more prolonged course and many cats live several months up to one year. (2)

 

Are there treatment options available?

 

Treatment is generally aimed at supportive care by using drugs that reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system. This can include the use of steroids, antibiotics and cytotoxic drugs that have a toxic effect on virus infected cells. (1)

 

Supportive care may also include fluid therapy to help prevent dehydration as well as draining fluids that build up in the abdomen and providing blood transfusions. (4)

 

There is ongoing research exploring the potential use of drugs that can further suppress the immune system to slow how fast the disease progresses or how fast the virus multiplies within the cat. (5)

 

In less than 10% of cats, treatment may extend survival time by several months, but it can still improve the quality of life for an infected cat. (1)

 

Treatment offers the most hope for cats that are still in good physical condition, are still eating on their own, have not yet developed neurological problems, and that do not have additional diseases (ie: feline leukemia virus infection). (4)

 

How can I help prevent FIP in my cat?

 

Keeping a cat healthy with nutritious food, up to date vaccines, and reducting environmental stress and  is ideal. (7) Ensuring a healthy cat combined with minimizing their potential exposure to feline coronavirus can help reduce the chance of FIP developing.

 

Litterboxes should be scooped daily (feces is a source of spreading feline coronavirus) and be kept away from any food and water dishes.

 

The recommended thorough cleaning of litterboxes is a two step process: (8)

1. Scrub all traces of feces/urine from both the lid and base of the litterbox.

2. Follow with disinfection of surfaces using a 5% bleach solution to kill the virus.

 

In a multicat environment, isolation of any sick cat(s) immediately can also help reduce the chances of the disease spreading further.

 

 

Is there a vaccine for FIP?

 

An annual intranasal vaccine is available to help prevent FIP in kittens 16 weeks or older, but isn’t recommended at this time due to the lack of scientific evidence confirming how effective the vaccine is. (9) 

 

Literature suggests that perhaps 60% to 90% of uninfected cats that are vaccinated against  feline coronavirus are protected from developing FIP, however, the vaccine may not be very effective in protecting cats that share an environment with an already infected  FIP cat or that have been exposed to the feline coronavirus previously themselves (especially those in multicat environments). (4)