With careful treatment you may be able to keep your cat healthier for a little longer. Interferon (a powerful drug that suppresses immune reactions) may be helpful in some cats but is very expensive and generally does not provide much increase in life beyond the use of steroids). In the future it may be possible to treat FIP with one of the anti-viral drugs that are being developed for use against human diseases but this is likely to be many years away.
Treatment is unlikely to be needed in cases of acute overdosage. Increased intracranial pressure with papilloedema in children (pseudotumour cerebri) -usually after treatment withdrawal. Dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, oesophageal ulceration, candidiasis, pancreatitis acute.
Prompt treatment is required for cats with sudden onset blindness if sight is to be recovered. Asthma is also called chronic bronchitis or allergic bronchitis. Inhaled antigens within airways cause a sudden contraction of the airway smooth muscle, narrowing the air passages. Cigarette smoke is becoming a greater suspect in smokers’ households because the pollutants gravitate to the floor or carpet.
An FIP vaccine has been developed in the US but vets disagree on how effective it is in preventing symptoms of FIP and it is not yet available in the UK. Vaccinating healthy cats against other important virus diseases, such as Feline Leukaemia, keep their defences strong and may reduce the risk of them getting FIP. Hearing that your cat has Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is one of the worst bits of news you can get from your vet. The disease is almost always fatal although treatments can make your cat’s remaining time more comfortable.
Most cases will be treated with a product containing a combination of drugs such as ‘Surolan’ or ‘Otomax’. Otitis is inflammation of the ear, otitis externa is inflammation of the outer ear canal, otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear, and whitneycrossroads.com otitis interna is inflammation of the inner ear. Treatment can be carried out with both topical shampoos or oral medication. It is extremely important to isolate any affected animals and clean and disinfect the environment as thoroughly as possible.
When resting or sleeping a cat will normally take in 24 to 30 breaths per minute – anything over 40 may need medical attention (remember, cats may breathe faster when excited or purring). Snoring or loud breathing when resting is not necessarily a sign of asthma. The condition usually develops between the ages of two and eight years old, with a slightly higher prevalence in female cats. Certain breeds also have a genetic disposition to the condition, such as Siamese and Himalayan cats.
High doses of corticosteroids impair the immune response and so live vaccines should be avoided (see also section 4.4). The lowest dosage that will produce an acceptable result should be used (see section 4.4); when it is possible to reduce the dosage, this must be accomplished by stages. If your cat suddenly finds it difficult or painful to take exercise they may have myositis.
Serological, clinical, MRI and histopathological features of these cats demonstrate remarkable similarities to their human counterparts. Optimal management for these cats is not fully understood and euthanasia may even be considered for refractory feline cases. However, many cats have a milder disease course and even severely affected cats can do well with prompt recognition and treatment.
If an acute respiratory crisis develops then hospitalisation and oxygen therapy can be used. X-rays may be required to diagnose the problem since ear examination may reveal only a normal outer ear canal. Treatment with antibiotics to clear underlying infection should be instituted.
