![]() ![]() Owners that have acquired a kitten or young cat often become deeply attached to the animal before the first signs of FIP occur. In one study concerning mainly cats with relatively mild presenting signs of non-effusive disease, the 1 year survival rate was only 5%. Some cats, even with effusive FIP, can live for many months and the author has worked with a Birman cat that died of dry FIP at 6 years of age based on its extensive clinical history, the cat appeared to have subclinical disease for its entire life. The disease course between onset of clinical signs and death is also variable, but is generally shorter in younger cats and cats with effusive disease than in older cats and cats with non-effusive disease. There are rare occasions when a cat will make an apparent recovery, only to have clinical signs recur months and even years later ( Legendre and Bartges, 2009). The onset of overt disease is a signal that the cat's battle with the virus has been lost and a return to normal health is extremely uncommon. Subclinical infections are usually limited to the mesenteric lymph nodes and can resolve or progress ( Pedersen, Black, 1983, Legendre, Bartges, 2009, Pedersen, 2009). This period could reflect the time it takes for mutant FIPVs to evolve, or for the disease to progress from a subclinical to clinical state. The time period between initial FECV exposure and clinical signs of disease can be as short as 2–3 weeks, as long as several months or, rarely, years. Resistance to FIP is complicated and involves genetic susceptibility, age at the time of exposure and a number of stressors that occur at the same time as infection and have a negative impact on the ability of the infected cat to eliminate the virus. However, only a small proportion of cats exposed to these mutant viruses will develop FIP. Mutants of FECV capable of causing FIP are probably generated in large numbers during this initial infection, when levels of FECV replication are extremely high ( Pedersen et al, 2008, Vogel et al, 2010). Kittens usually become infected at around 9 weeks of age ( Pedersen et al, 2004, Pedersen et al, 2008). FECV is shed in the feces of most apparently healthy cats in large multi-cat environments ( Pedersen et al., 2004) and transmission results from direct ingestion of feces or contaminated litter and other fomites. A detailed clinical description of FIP can be found in earlier comprehensive reviews and will not be covered herein ( Addie et al, 2009, Pedersen, 2009, Drechsler et al, 2011).įIP virus (FIPV) arises through specific mutations in a common feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) that is ubiquitous in cats throughout the world and not in itself an important pathogen ( Pedersen, 2009). The mortality is extremely high once clinical signs appear, although some cats can live with the disease for weeks, months or, rarely, years. Typical of an enzootic infection, the incidence of FIP can vary widely over time. FIP occurs commonly in catteries (pedigreed cats), shelters, kitten foster/rescue facilities and dense free-roaming colonies. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a coronaviral disease that can affect cats of any age, but is most prevalent among cats <3 years of age and especially from 4 to 16 months of age ( Pedersen, 2009).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |