Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline infectious peritonitis in cats - causes and diagnosis
By Séverine Tasker et al.·Published in Viruses·2023·Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK, CH·View original on DOAJ →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Feline Infectious Peritonitis: European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases Guidelines
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A young cat under two years old was brought to the vet with symptoms like fever, loss of appetite, and weight loss. After some tests, the vet diagnosed the cat with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a serious condition caused by a common virus. Fortunately, new antiviral treatments, such as an oral medication called GS-441524, have shown effectiveness in helping cats recover from FIP. With proper treatment, many cats can now overcome this previously fatal disease.
People also search for: cat fever and weight loss · feline infectious peritonitis treatment · GS-441524 for cats
Abstract
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a ubiquitous RNA virus of cats, which is transmitted faeco-orally. In these guidelines, the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD) presents a comprehensive review of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). FCoV is primarily an enteric virus and most infections do not cause clinical signs, or result in only enteritis, but a small proportion of FCoV-infected cats develop FIP. The pathology in FIP comprises a perivascular phlebitis that can affect any organ. Cats under two years old are most frequently affected by FIP. Most cats present with fever, anorexia, and weight loss; many have effusions, and some have ocular and/or neurological signs. Making a diagnosis is complex and ABCD FIP Diagnostic Approach Tools are available to aid veterinarians. Sampling an effusion, when present, for cytology, biochemistry, and FCoV RNA or FCoV antigen detection is very useful diagnostically. In the absence of an effusion, fine-needle aspirates from affected organs for cytology and FCoV RNA or FCoV antigen detection are helpful. Definitive diagnosis usually requires histopathology with FCoV antigen detection. Antiviral treatments now enable recovery in many cases from this previously fatal disease; nucleoside analogues (e.g., oral GS-441524) are very effective, although they are not available in all countries.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/v15091847