Cat diagnosed with FIP?

MurrayMint

I was hoping someone might be able to help me.

I have 2 beautiful birman cats, Ollie and Murray. Ollie has had an irritated bowel the last 3 months and has been on a diet of cod, scrunchies and a tablet (peridale) to bulk up his number 2's! On Wednesday I noticed his tummy looked swollen and on Thursday I took him to the vet. The vet was concerned as Ollie is only 2 years of age and too young to have a swollen tummy. I brought him back to the vet the next day (yesterday) for blood tests and an xray. His bloods came back ok - liver and kidneys were fine although the vet said his red blood cell count was a bit low and mentioned that he was a bit anemic and had a depressed immune system. When they took the xray they could only really see fluid. He took a sample of the fluid and said it was a nasty colour which indicated something serious was wrong. They have sent it off for further tests but it won't be until Thursday until I know (5 days). They said that everything pointed to FIP and that it would be a matter of days to weeks before I would more than likely lose him to this illness. I had noticed Ollie was less playful but I though that was because he had got lazy and not that he was so sick!

On top of this Murray will have also picked it up - they are very close, sharing everything, grooming each other etc. They are indoor cats and have been since they were kittens, never apart for more than 1/2 an hour. There is a good chance that it may not affect him as he is a stronger cat and has always been more confident . Ollie was always a worrier and a bit weaker physically. Looks like he probably always had this and the irritated bowl would have stressed him, acting as a trigger for this to develop.

I'm completely in shock as to how quickly something can happen. These have been my wee babies and I'm horrified at the thoughts of losing him and also what it this will do to Murray.

I suppose my question is if anyone else has had experience of this or does anyone have any ideas if there could be something else wrong that is not FIP? Should I get any other tests done? If it is FIP is there anything that can be done to reduce the impact so it isn't fatal? Most of what I have found says no, but I'm hoping that someone might know something I can do.

Any advice would be soo gratefully appreciated...

spottykatt

MurrayMint wrote: »

I suppose my question is if anyone else has had experience of this or does anyone have any ideas if there could be something else wrong that is not FIP? Should I get any other tests done? If it is FIP is there anything that can be done to reduce the impact so it isn't fatal? Most of what I have found says no, but I'm hoping that someone might know something I can do.

So sorry to hear of your poor cat. I think you should ask your vet these questions thou, really they should only be answered by someone qualified who has seen FIP.
Best wishes to your pair, fingers crossed

cotton

The first thing I would do is go back to your breeder & ask if any others have had it.
It's highly unlikely it's FIP if they haven't had it & to my knowledge, the only way they can truely test for it is post mortem.
If it is, your other cat will be at risk. It's like canine parvo.
Here's a fantastic website dedicated to FIP.
http://www.dr-addie.com

MurrayMint

Thanks for the information and your kind words. The website is great, I had a good look around it and I've ordered one of the books which will help. If I'm researching it makes me feel like I'm doing something good! I've spoken to the vet extensively about this and done so much research that I am wondering (well hoping) that Ollie has something other than FIP. Unfortunately the only way to be 100% sure he has it is post mortem.

I get the tests back on Thursday of this week, so hopefully it is something else. Maybe I'm grasping at straws, I dunno... What I have noticed is that other countries have carried way more research into this - main one being Japan where they love their kitties. With a cocktail of vitamins and omegas and other meds one scientist has been able to help some cats and in one study some with the effusive (wet) form made a full recovery. I know it was one study but where there is hope etc...The vet is open to me sending in any relevant information that might help which is great.

I contacted the breeder to let them know about Ollie and also to see if they had any advice or had seen this before. They said that they hadn't experience it, no one else has come back to them on this over the years about this nor have they heard anything of the rest of the litter Ollie was from.

Suppose I'm going to have to take this one day by day, specially until his tests come back. Only then will we have a better idea as to what to do next.

Thanks again for the responses. I really appreciate them...

Morganna

Good luck and thinking of you

JasperKat

can't offer any words of advice but just want you to know that we (that's me & our whole family of humans & 2 indoor cats) will all be thinking of you over the next few days & keeping you in our prayers - sincerely hoping that the results aren't as bad as you think
Jasperkat

MurrayMint

I got the results from the vet yesterday. They tested positive for the antibodies and they are fairly confident it is wet FIP.

I've been researching away and found on some occasions that homeopathy can help and in a few cases they cat had got better. From what I gather the homeopathy doesn't actually cure the disease, the difference comes from helping build up the cat. When I spoke to the Vet about it he was very positive about trying other things and gave me the name of a homeopathic vet, Tom Farrington. I spoke with him today, he has treated cats with the same diagnosis as Ollie and there is a possibility that treatment of this kind could help turn it around. There is also the possibility that it won't turn it around (have to stay realistic too), although at least it will help some of the symptoms.

I want to make sure I have tried everything I possibly can. He was playing for the first time the way he used to before he got sick yesterday on the bed (with my necklace though!!) and he was jumping about and hitting it with his 2 paws. Something tells me he's might have the fight in him to get through this (fingers and paws crossed!)

I'll keep posting here of Ollie's progress with the homeopathy as hopefully it will be of help to someone else some day...

Whispered

Please keep us up to date. I'm sorry to hear about your baby. x

MurrayMint

So far this week hasn't been going well at all. The only positive thing is that Ollie's details are now with the homeopath vet and Murray is in good form and getting more used to when cars come into the apartment complex when I take him out for his walks.

Ollie seems to be gradually going downhill each day and to be honest I am finding it all really difficult (my partner is away travelling plus the people I work with are away so I am on my own a lot). Me feeling like this probably isn't helping Ollie either. He's gradually going off his food and hasn't rushed into bed with me in the last 2 mornings the way he normally does. He's opting to stay in the living room where they both sleep at night.

I have tried feeding him using a syringe but that stressed him (and me) too much. He picked at food yesterday. I got some fillet steak cut offs from the butcher yesterday which he ate much to my delight along with some icecream later that evening (at this stage I will give him anything he wants). This morning I noticed that his breathing was a bit more laboured and there was a strange "clicking" sound every time he breathed. I spoke to the vet and it looks like the fluid is now affecting his breathing so I've had to up the steroids and also started him on diuretics. The vet said it would take a day or 2 to see some improvement as some of the fluid needs to drain. Now when I look at him this afternoon his breathing has gotten more laboured and there is a bit of a gurgle when he takes a breath, like he needs to clear his throat. I'm hoping it isn't a bad reaction to the diuretic.

I think what's worse is not knowing what to do to make him better. Especially when he looks at me and cries - I put down toys to play, he doesn't want them - I put down food and he's not interested. Hopefully the homeopath will get back to me soon. As it is I'm starting to lose hope if my little Ollie is wanting to fight this...

Morganna

Im so sorry to hear that he is not responding well .Thinking of you .

MurrayMint

Well the inevitable is coming. Ollie's breathing was off yesterday so he started the diuretics to help clear some of the fluid that was impacting his breathing. He didn't eat or drink all day, although was going to the bathroom more as a result of the diuretics. Then, last night about 11.30 he gave me a fright. Sitting in front of me his front paws wouldn't support him and they started to slide. He must of seen the panic in me because he walked of to the hall. Only problem was that his back legs were really wobbly. All I could think was "this is bad". When I went to him he was struggling to breathe and was breathing through his mouth with a glazed look in his eyes.

I called UCD vet hospital and brought him in (thank goodness this facility is there for emergencies). They were great. The fluid had built up a lot on his tummy and chest cavity and this was having an impact on him breathing. His temperature was down - indicating an unhappy kittie. He got some injections - steroid, diuretic and something to help open his airways. They said if he didn't pick up the next morning to bring him to my vet for fluids. We also talked about the outcome which there was only one really (apart from bringing him to the vet every few days to get fluid drained which offers part relief and stress for him and so not an option).

Anyhow, after 3 hours sleep I woke up with Ollie coming into bed as he used to do. He was a little (but not much) better but had also peeed on top of the bed during the night which he has never done before. Still not eating so we trundled down to the vet again as couldn't face trying to get tablets into him. They offered that it might be time to say good bye. I said "no, not yet, I need a few days with him". So at the moment he is getting some fluid drained from his tummy and some fluids in to hydrate him. This is the only time I will do this as it is unfair to Ollie to keep doing it. I am also thinking that I will see if he can say goodbye at home rather at the vets. Think it will be best so that Murray can say goodbye to his pal.

From a family of 3 we are to be a family of 2... life is strange...

MurrayMint

Oh, yeah, here's piccies of my wee babies (so you know who I'm chatting about!) - Ollie at 8 months and also Ollie and Murray..

Morganna

They are so beautiful i have always loved Birmans .I am thinking of you and know you will be strong when the time comes .my thoughts are with you.

MurrayMint

Ollie passed away very peacefully at the vets (on my knee) on Friday 20 June. I had him down at the vets for fluids on Thursday. They thought he should go on then, but I wasn't ready to leave without Ollie. I needed an extra day or two with him. I got him home that afternoon - as soon as he was out of the box he went to my bed and peed on it! This was to tell me exactly what he thought of his trip to the vet!

A few hours later I was at peace with what was to happen. He was content and didn't seem to stressed. We shared prawns from my plate that evening and the next morning he managed to get into the bed and give me a cuddle. It was the first time in a few days he had been able to lie down on his side which was so good. Murray licked the head off him which was nice as he hadn't really been grooming Ollie as much as he used to since he got sick.

His breathing wasn't great. He didn't look stressed but I reckoned that 5pm (when I said to the vet I would go down) was a long time for him to wait. Who would I be holding on for - me or him? I called to make sure John Comeford would be there. He was the vet Ollie and I had spoken to through all this and who had seen many of my tears! We went down for just after 12.

It was very peaceful, John and the rest of the team there where fantastic and sensitive (as they always are).

I left with my empty box and went home to Murray, now named the M Man (Main Man). My fear is that he would be stressed now with Ollie gone and this awful disease would develop with him.

So far so good - he does look about here and there wondering where Ollie is, but he isn't pinning. He's been a wee star, looking after me when it is me who should be looking after him! I'm getting lots of cuddles and lots of attention. He's a funny cat so there are lots of laughs. Now if I could only get him used to the car....

Hope this helps someone else should they find themselves in the same position...

mydarkstar

I'm so sorry to hear that, Ollie looked like such a gorgeous kitty.
It must've been such a hard decision but at least you were there with him at the end. We had to do the same thing for my King Charles last summer, it was such a sad time. Hopefully Murray will stay strong and healthy, the photos you posted are beautiful.

MurrayMint

You must know exactly how this feels.... It makes such a difference knowing there are other people out there who understand. Thank you for your message, means a lot...

BlackCat2008

I am so sorry you lost ollie They are both beautiful cats .

I had a post mortum done on a cat I thought might be a carrier 2yrs ago. She died of blood posion but I was losing so many at the time I thought something I wasn't aware of had got into the colonie I was glad to hear she showed no sign of it and her kittens were fine. She to was pedigree but came from a niegbours garden with kittens in toe. They said it was a very rare disease and they only ever get about one case every two years. They said that a cat can be a carrier and live happily for years with it or have it full blown. I would still be very curious if it came from the breeder or if your area has wild cats thet may be caring it. It sounds very worrying to me , may I ask the area you live in and the breeder he came from I might know someone who would know.You can pm it to me if the breeder is not in the wrong It wouldn't be nice to have other people hassle them. I am also aware of a kitten farm some were near me but no one seems to be able to find them. As pedigree female cat about 5 to 8 yrs old keep turning up on mine and another rescuers door steps every couple of years giving birth to Moggie's. The last one was a Havana (hope I spelled that right)

I really do wish you the best of luck with Murry and hope he lives a long and happy live.

Ismishacats

so sorry to hear your story, but hopefully that will be your first and last experience of FIP.

Experts reckon 80% of cats carry the "usual" corona virus, but thankfully it rarely mutates to FIP. Unless it was actually transmitted from mother to kitten it's unlikely that your other kitten will suffer the same fate.

The sad part is the only way to truly diagnose is post mortum as titre tests only indicate antibodies to the corona virus and not actual FIP, so a cat that has carried the original non-critical virus and is "safe" will still show as positive or have a high antibody titre