Is This Necesseraly Fip?

[Ivana90]

Hello, my name is Ivana and I am from Serbia. I am reaching out to you because I need urgent help. I adopted a kitten 1 month ago. She is now 3 months old. She is cleansed from parasites, and she got her vaccine. Around 2 weeks ago, I've noticed that kitten is sleeping excesively, and than she started urinating all over the house, although her litter box was always acesible to her. I took her to the vet, he said that her body temp.is high and gave her antibiotics. Several days after, I've noticed that her belly is big and swallen. I took her to the vet again and he did ultrasound and said that belly is full of water and she has FIP. He punctired water from belly and said that it shows that it is virus desease. He did FASTest and it turned out negative. He gave her diuretics, and she lost a lot of belly water. She is lethargic, but she eats a lot, she started using litter box again for all her needs. I am not sure if this is FIP, could it be anything else. I mus say that other kittens from same stray cat died, but their adopters never took them to the vet. They died very young, few of them 1 month old, and two of them a week ago, but we don't know their diagnosis. Vet said that euthanasia is only solution. Could you please tell me if there is any hope that this is not this lethal virus. Did anyone have those symphtomes but not FIP?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Sorry your kitty is not feeling well. As long as she is eating, that is a good sign! When my Tawny (RIP) was diagnosed with FIP, his belly was swollen and we did have it drained, but he already was not eating well when the swelling appeared. He also never really regained his appetite even after we had his belly drained either.

He punctired water from belly and said that it shows that it is virus desease. He did FASTest and it turned out negative.

I am sorry, but I don't know what test your are referring to that the vet ran that turned out negative. Many cats have the corona virus which is what can mutate to FIP, but a lot of these cats never have the virus mutate. Was your cat ever tested for the corona virus? If she was and it came out negative, then she would not have FIP.

There is a more recent test that has been developed that can be run on the belly fluid to more accurately determine if it might be FIP. See if this is the test your vet performed:

https://idexxcom-live-b02da1e51e754...c75ac/feline-infectious-peritonitis-virus.pdf

She is lethargic, but she eats a lot, she started using litter box again for all her needs.

I am not sure the litter box issue she was having is a symptom of FIP - other than if she were so tired she wasn't able to get to her litter box in time. That sounds more like some sort of urinary infection that might have been corrected with the antibiotics.

If at all possible, a second opinion from another vet practice might be appropriate, just to see if there might be other tests they would want to run to rule out or confirm other possibilities for the lethargy and belly swelling.

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! I'm glad you joined the site and came here for advice but very sorry to hear about the kitten you adopted having health problems, possible FIP. Here is a thread with further explanation about FIP that may be helpful:
Anyone With Experience With Fip?

Also an Article that discusses FIP: Fip In Cats

I agree with FeebysOwner , is it possible to get a second opinion from a different vet in your area? Best of luck, please keep us posted on her progress.

 

[Ivana90]

Hi. Sorry your kitty is not feeling well. As long as she is eating, that is a good sign! When my Tawny (RIP) was diagnosed with FIP, his belly was swollen and we did have it drained, but he already was not eating well when the swelling appeared. He also never really regained his appetite even after we have his belly drained either.



I am sorry, but I don't know what test your are referring to that the vet ran that turned out negative. Many cats have the corona virus which is what can mutate to FIP, but a lot of these cats never have the virus mutate. Was your cat ever tested for the corona virus? If she was and it came out negative, then she would not have FIP.

There is a more recent test that has been developed that can be run on the belly fluid to more accurately determine if it might be FIP. See if this is the test your vet performed:

https://idexxcom-live-b02da1e51e754...c75ac/feline-infectious-peritonitis-virus.pdf



I am not sure the litter box issue she was having is a symptom of FIP - other than if she were so tired she wasn't able to get to her litter box in time. That sounds more like some sort of urinary infection that might have been corrected with the antibiotics.

If at all possible, a second opinion from another vet practice might be appropriate, just to see if there might be other tests they would want to run to rule out or confirm other possibilities for the lethargy and belly swelling.

Thank you so so much for your reply. I am so sorry to hear about your little angle. As of my kitty, her belly was already so swalen when she tested her. Test was some kind of plastic tile or something like that, she used blood and belly water on it. I will attach pic of the test I think she used. She said that it turned out negative maybe because she didn't develop antibodies for the viruse. I am litteraly clinging to a straw, waiting for a miracle. Veterinary medicine in my country is not yet so developed, so vets always presume FIP when cat experience trouble like belly water. I am devastated.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Now, I am really confused. That test, from what I read about it, is only testing to see if a cat has the corona virus - and, you said the vet indicated the results were negative. One statement made in what I read was:

"A negative result for Feline Coronavirus antibodies can rule out the chances of the cat developing Feline Infectious Peritonitis."

Unless I am totally misreading something, it would seem to me that your cat does NOT have the corona virus - making it impossible for her to have contracted FIP. To the best of my knowledge, if the virus antibodies aren't present in the blood, the virus is also not present.

I am going to continue reading about this...

 

[Ivana90]

That is excatly what I said to the vet. How can it be possible to have all symptomes but not to have antibodies? Yesterday I went to see another vet, one that I heard that is very good and he acted so cruela. He took her, punctured water, looked at it and without any testing said it is FIP and that I should put her to sleep. Didn't even ask if she eats nor about her behaviour. He left me in tears. Tommorow I will visit my vet again, I will ask her to redo that test for antibodies and to do some blood tests as well. If it is any other desease it must be treated right away. But all I get from vets is that belly water is symptome of only FIP and nothing but it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

There is another test called the Fastest RIVALTA FIP-VETube test, which is actually supposed to detect FIP - not just the corona virus. Either way, whichever test is/was used, if the results are negative, I am befuddled as to how your cat could have FIP.

The test I mentioned above includes a statement as follows:

"The Rivalta test is not pathognomic for FIP but nevertheless has a very good sensitivity of 98% (high negative predictive value) and a specificity of 80%. Positive Rivalta tests can occur in cats with bacterial peritonitis or lymphoma although these conditions are usually easy to differentiate between using other tests."

Is there any way to search for cat-only vets and call them to ask if they would be willing to review the test results and give their opinion?

 

[Ivana90]

There is another test called the Fastest RIVALTA FIP-VETube test, which is actually supposed to detect FIP - not just the corona virus. Either way, whichever test is/was used, if the results are negative, I am befuddled as to how your cat could have FIP.

The test I mentioned above includes a statement as follows:

"The Rivalta test is not pathognomic for FIP but nevertheless has a very good sensitivity of 98% (high negative predictive value) and a specificity of 80%. Positive Rivalta tests can occur in cats with bacterial peritonitis or lymphoma although these conditions are usually easy to differentiate between using other tests."

Is there any way to search for cat-only vets and call them to ask if they would be willing to review the test results and give their opinion?

We actally don't have cat only vets here but I am heading to the vet right now and I will insist that she repeatea test. I will let you know the results rigt away, thanks alot.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Good luck!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed that the test is once again negative - and then hoping you can get the vet to explore other possibilities!

 

[Ivana90]

Good luck!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed that the test is once again negative - and then hoping you can get the vet to explore other possibilities!

I just got back from vet. Test is again NEGATIVE. They punctured water again, they say it is sticky so it looks like virus. But two test are negative, blood tests are allright, and body temp is high 40.1c. They don't know what is going on, they can't tell me anything. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Ivana90]

I will post some pictures of her.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Did you ask how the tests could be negative and they still think it is FIP? The story your vet gave you last time is - to put it bluntly - is B.S. If there are no antibodies for corona virus appearing in your cat's system then I do not understand how she can possibly have FIP.

Would looking possible vets to consult with on this web site help any?
European Veterinary Specialists - EBVS - European Board of Veterinary Specialists

 

[Ivana90]

Did you ask how the tests could be negative and they still think it is FIP? The story your vet gave you last time is - to put it bluntly - is B.S. If there are no antibodies for corona virus appearing in your cat's system then I do not understand how she can possibly have FIP.

Would looking possible vets to consult with on this web site help any?
European Veterinary Specialists - EBVS - European Board of Veterinary Specialists

Her explanation is : "maybe kitty still didn't create antibodies, she is pretty small". How could this be? How could she develope all symptomes but not antibodies? This can't be true. She is not so weak. She eats and drinks and goes to toilet. She sleeps too much due to her high body temperature. She would develope antibodies by now. I will consult someone else. Could it be liver?

 

[FeebysOwner]

It could be any number of things. Did the vet do bloodwork/enzyme tests?

 

[Ivana90]

It could be any number of things. Did the vet do bloodwork/enzyme tests?

She did blood test nad said that she is slightly anemic, but everything else is in normal parameters. She didn't mention anything about enzimes...

 

[FeebysOwner]

Your vet probably only did a CBC (complete blood count) - a slight anemia would probably be identified from that.

There is also a Chemistry Profile that can be run from blood which includes checking for things like liver and kidney function.

 

[Ivana90]

Your vet probably only did a CBC (complete blood count) - a slight anemia would probably be identified from that.

There is also a Chemistry Profile that can be run from blood which includes checking for things like liver and kidney function.

Yes, she only did CBC. I don't know why is she doing this, why is she excluding all other things and only claiming only FIP diagnose. And she is like one of the best vets in my city... my hands are tied, they are always indefinite, unsure in anything... They are just repeating the same thing.

 

[FeebysOwner]

If you want to, I can ask one of the administration folks on this site to add your city (which is ??, if you don't mind) and country to the title of this thread to see if there is by any chance any other members near you that might have some suggestions/ideas about other vets/clinics?

It's OK if you don't want to...

 

[Ivana90]

If you want to, I can ask one of the administration folks on this site to add your city (which is ??, if you don't mind) and country to the title of this thread to see if there is by any chance any other members near you that might have some suggestions/ideas about other vets/clinics?

It's OK if you don't want to...

The problem is that I visited top two vets in the city, recommended by everybody on forums and sites... this is so frustrating, I can't fight the feeling that time is running out and they are vasting it with wrong diagnosis. Vet gave her antibiotics, vitamines (vitomune) and diuretics. I think that it is allright for all deseases but we must find a source. I just found another vet with good reviews, whom I will visit tommorow morning. They wanted to put her to sleep yesterday, claiming it is FIP, unbelievable...

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hope this next vet will be a bit more helpful. Keeping my fingers crossed!