Health Issues

FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS (FIP)- AN UPDATE
By Jenni Spencer, Department of Biology, Medical University of South
Africa

I was recently fortunate enough to be able to spend some time in the
labora-tory of Dr Niels Pedersen at the Uni-versity of California, Davis.
These are his current feelings on FIP/Coro-na Virus infections and the
serologi-cal testing thereof. As there is much controversy surrounding
this disease, the diagnosis and interpretation of serological results and
also the advice that should be given to cat owners, I felt it important to
share Dr. Peder-sen's view with practitioners. He says:

“The virus of FIP is genetically very similar to the common feline
coronaviruses (FECV) and we believe that it is a simple mutant that
occurs with some frequency during out-breaks of FECV infection.  The
FIP virus and FEC virus are so close that there are NO SEROLOGIC
TESTS THAT CAN DISTINGUISH ONE IN-FECTION FROM THE
OTHER. Therefore, all so-called serology merely measures antibodies to
the entire group  of coronaviruses.  Although there is a tendency for cats
with FIP to have higher antibody titres than cats infected only with
FECV, there is so much as TO NEGATE CORONA-VIRUS SEROLOGY
AS A PRIMARY DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR FIP”.

“FECV infection is endemic within virtually every cattery. The larger the
cattery, the closer the confinement, and the more kittens that are raised,
the more problems that vou will have with FECV.  Although FECV only
rarely causes severe diarrhoea, it does cause seroconversion.  Kittens
are infected with FECV at a very young age. Almost all kittens become
coronavirus seropositive.  Cats that remain carriers and fecal shedders of
the virus will usually maintain rela-tively high titres, while cats that lose
the infection will have rapidly declin-ing titres.”

“Most cases of ElF occur because of two reasons”:

1)  A high incidence of FECV in-fection  within  the cattery, which
    is usually a husbandry problem - too many cats, too many
    kittens, too poor sani-tation, too high density.

2)  Genetic susceptibility or high stress.  Many strains of FIP virus
    are of low pathogenici-ty.  Cats infected with such strains will
    usually contain the infection in their body, and most will
    eventually get rid of it altogether. in others, the infection will
    persist and over a period of time the low grade infection or
    stress will grind down the cat's resis-tance and allow the
    infection to activate and kill the ani-mal.  However, I feel that
    most cases of FIP are from en-dogenous rather than exoge-nous
    infections.

“Pathogenesis depends on an in-tact immune system”

i)      A healthy immune system - no infection
ii)     Partial  cellular  immunity - dry form FIP
iii)    Ineffectual cellular immunity - wet form FIP

“The reason why serology is no good is that, given the nature of FECV
infections in catteries, 70% or more cats will test positive with varying-
titres.  Most of this seroconver-sion will have NOTHING to do with FIP
infection. The so-called FIP test will NOT tell: (1) whether or not there is
FIP in a cattery; it will only tell that there is FECV infection; (2) whether a
seropositive cat is shedding FIP or FEC viruses; (3) whether a cat will at
any time develop FIP during its life; or (4) whether or not a cattery has
FIP at the time of testing. The only value of serology is to confirm that
the cat-tery has FECV. This is of no value as most catteries have the
virus, -although it might indicate an over-crowded, over-stressed
catterv”.

“Cattery breeders should not stop breeding cats because they have core-
navirus seropositive animals. If they have no problems with FIP, their ge-
netics, husbandry, etc., are probably good.  I would also not make
seroneg-ativity a criteria for going to a show, because this would negate
virtually all showing. Owners should only be concerned when FIP losses
become frequent and high.  Such a scenario would prompt a close look at
the ge-netics of the cats and the husbandry. Virtually every breeder will
occasion-ally lose a kitten from FIP if they breed enough cats, and are in
the business long enough.  If you are raising dozens of kittens a year,
and only one in a hundred are dying of FIP, this is acceptable.   Catteries.
should not waste money on routine FIP serology, because serology
cannot be fully interpreted at the present time. If a veterinarian suggests
that cats be tested, but cannot explain what to do with the results, then
the veterinarian does not understand the disease and should not be
offering that service. Healthy cats should not be culled or killed because
they are coronavirus seropositive. It has been stated with some
truthfulness that FIP serology may kill more cats than FIP”.

“If a cattery has a MAJOR out-break of FIP, stop ALL breeding for 6-12
months. Major outbreaks of FIP usually follow the introduction of a
certain new strain of FECV into a cattery.  By stopping breeding, you get
rid of the fuel (young kittens) that will sustain the infection. Also, by
waiting you will allow the infec-tion to become endemic and for most of
the older cats to become immune. This will limit the spread of the vi-rus.
Periodic losses of a single kitten should be handled more conserva-
tively. Continue breeding as if noth-ing has happened and see what
occurs over the next year or so.  If death losses slowly rise, think about
making changes and/or husbandry. Male or female cats that frequently
produce affected kittens should be eliminated from the cattery.  The only
way to diagnose FIP is by clini-cal symptoms; even doing liver bi-opsies
will not help as this is like trying to catch a goldfish in a big dam using a
spear gun”.

“The problem with the disease is that it is too complex to explain to lay
people. That is why catterv -owners and veterinarians keep looking for
the simple solution and this sim-ple solution inevitably involves se-
rology. I hope this information will be of help”.

I think that this article clarifies a great many problems that veterinari-ans
are often faced with and also serves as a guideline when answerin-g
questions posed by cat owners.

Gene Stuff

 A = agouti
> a = nonagouti
> B = Black
> b = not black or the dilution to chocolate
> bl = diluted to cinnamon
> C = Complete
> c = albino
> cb = "Burmese-brown"
> cs = "Siamese-gene"
> D = Dark
> d = not dark or diluted to Blue
> I = Inhibitor gene for smoke and silver
> i = non-silver
> L = Shorthair
> l = longhair
> S = Spotted as in with white, also called the Piebald gene
> s = not spotted so without white markings
> T = Tabby mackerel or spotted
> Ta   = Tabby abysinian or Ticked
> tb = Tabby Blotched
> W = white (whole coat, under this the cat can be any color with or without
> white)
> w = non-white
> 


Formula for babies......

Put in a blender-
    1 cup powdered Esbilac puppy milk replacer
    1 cup plain fat free yogurt (preferably with acidophilus)
    1 squirt childrens Poly-vi-sol vitamins with iron
    1 Pet Cal tablet or 1 tsp. osteoform
    Add distilled water till all  makes 40 oz.
    Blend

Food for wild things........

30 lbs (one case) skinned turkey necks
10 lbs chicken or turkey gizzards (whichever is cheaper) this is
       muscle, not organ meat
7 lbs good quality dried cat food
3 cups Chapparrel zoological vitamins


Species  Fat    Protein    Carbohydrate    Ash     Lactose    Total Solids
Domest. 3.33%   9.08%      4.91%           0.58%
Domest.   --    4.49%       --             0.75%   4.80%      22.2%
Lynx     6.2%   10.2%      4.5%            0.58%   --
Cougar  18.6%   12.0%      3.9%             1.0%   --
Leopard  6.5%   11.1%      4.2%            0.75%   --
Lion    18.9%   12.5%      2.7%            0.75%    2.7%      36.1%
Cheetah  9.5%    9.4%      3.5%             1.3%   --
Lynx     6.2%   10.2%       --             0.75%    4.2%      18.5%
Cougar  18.6%   12.0%       --              1.0%    3.9%      35.0%
Leopard  6.5%   11.1%       --             0.75%    4.2%      19.4%
Cheetah  9.5%    9.4%       --              1.3%    3.5%      23.2%
Geoffroy 4.6%   11.3%       --              0.6%    2.7%      19.2%

More home made goodies.............

Bring to boil:
8 oz water or 4oz. water then add 4oz. pedilyte unflavored with rest of
ingrediants when mixture is cooler.

Dissolve in:
1 packet knox gelatin(unflavored)

Mix with all of the following in a blender:
8oz evaporated milk(whole)---I prefer Goats milk
2 egg yolk---seperate with glass and spoon not shells--salmonella
2 tablespoons hi-calorie mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hi-calorie yogart(plain)
1teaspoon karo syrup(if not use honey)
Liquid pet vitamins
Refrigerate.Glop becomes jelled when cold.when needed scoop out only what
you need and heat in microwave slightly-it will turn into milk.do not
pour any unused heated portion back into main supply.

Getting Your Sick Babies through the night/weekend
Dehydration/loss of appetite is of great concern with a sick Cat/Kitten to determine if the cat is dehydrated pull the skin on the back of the neck if it "snaps" back the animal is not dehydrated. If it stays pulled up the animal is very dehydrated and needs fluids right away!
Some weapons to use in fighting this are Pedilyte, Kaopectate, baby food meat, Nurti-cal, V.A.L. syrup, SQ fluids.
 


This is what we would do for the loose stools, after running all the
tests. and no partsites or blockage is found: Commercial dry food
often causes allergic reaction in hybrids and wildcats as well as
feral cats.  Take kitty off all food for 24 -48 hrs. give only
electrolyte solution to drink. I use Merricks Blue Ribbion for calfs
because the cats like it. Gatorade or pediolyte will work to if he
will drink it. If you use either of these then add Benabac. You can
get it at the pet store or feed store. If all else fails go to the
health food store and get some non dairy acidophillius for children
and add to water. Kitty will try to make you feel guilty as hell for
not feeding him but DON'T give in. Check stools if they are still
really runny after 48 hours then keep up with the electrolyte but add
to it 1/4 tsp of vegetable laxative like Metamucial, 1/2 tsp of the
herb slippery elm (powdered or you can buy the tea and make a tea)
using the electrolyte for water and the Benabac or non dairy
acidophilous. Give this to kitty for the next 24 hours. Monitor
stools. Add to this after 24 hours a little plain baby rice cereal and
cooked turkey babyfood not Gerber because it has onion powder in it.
Onion powder is toxic. Slowly increase rice and babyfood turkey to the
slippery elm electrolyte stuff. stools should firm up. Gradually
increase gruel to thick stuff and begin to return to normal diet
slowly when stools have been firm for 3 days.

This formula helps to heal the intestines that are damaged by the
constant loose stools and adds bulk for stool formation while the
intestines are healing. It also helps to aid in the absorption of
nutrients that kitty is not getting because of the loose stools. If
you think that nerves or overstimulation could be one of the sources
of the loose stools then add 1 cap of valerian from the health food
store to the electrolyte stuff for 3-4 days. The goal here is to keep
kitty hydrated while providing a resting healing environment for the
over worked intestines. This usually works great!
 Let me know If I can be of any further help. Just increase back
slowly until you are feeding normal diet again.

Sherry:)
PS this works with all mammals too not just felines.

Ivomec is safe on cats - I've been using it for over 10 years.  The
dosage is 1/10th cc per 10 lbs.  Make sure you use the cattle ivomec -

Fel-O-Vax IV by Fort Dodge - I give at 8, 11 and 14 weeks.

Fel-O-Vax LvK (leukemia) - I give at 11 and 14 weeks.


 

Home.............


Herbs.............