Comprehensive WebSite on FIP Disease in Cats

comprehensive website on fip

LÜTFEN ANA SAYFAMIZDAKİ UYARIMIZI OKUYUNUZ! PLEASE READ OUR NOTICE IN THE MAIN PAGE.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Source : http://www.tica.org/deseases.htm

Source Date : 1997

Laura Cunningham

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR CAT?

Cats are at risk from a multitude of infectious diseases. An unvaccinatedcat may become severely ill from one or more of these diseases and risklong-term illness, lameness, blindness or even death as a result. That iswhy it is so important for cats to be properly vaccinated. There are fourcommon feline upper respiratory diseases: Feline Panleukopenia, FelineViral Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Chlamydiosis. FelineLeukemia Virus is another infectious disease for which there exists avaccine but it is not as easily transmitted to cats as the upper respiratorydiseases.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is spread via Feline Coronavirus (FCoV),a virus endemic to most multi-cat environments. There is a new vaccine forFIP however, statistics arestill being gathered on the extent of the protection it provides to cats.Bordetellabronchiseptica (kennel cough) is a disease first thought to only affect dogsbut recently, laboratories have tested cats and found them to be infectedwith Bordetella.

Feline Panleukopenia (also known as Distemper or Feline infectiousenteritis) is a highly contagious viral disease that can kill both kittensand adult cats who have not been vaccinated. Symptoms include sudden onsetof fever, lack of appetite, dehydration, depression, vomiting, dizziness.Infected cats may show a decreased number of white blood cells. Mortalityrates can be high.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR, also known as Feline Herpesvirus) is arespiratory disease caused by Feline Herpesvirus type 1. Symptoms includessneezing, coughing, photosensitivity (where the eyes are sensitive tolight), swelling in the conjunctiva (eyelid tissues) in one or both eyeswith discharge from eyes and nose. Depression and lack of appetite andfevers may be seen. Ulcers of the eye may develop and may lead to severeeye infections or blindness.

Feline Calicivirus is a respiratory disease similar to a human cold.It is caused by an RNA virus and is more resistant than FVR although itssymptoms may appear less severe. Symptoms are similar to FVR but ofteninclude ulcers of the tongue. Pneumonia may develop, leading to highmortality rates in kittens.

Feline Chlamydiosis (also known as feline pneumonitis or chlamydia) is arespiratory disease that shows most of its symptoms in the eyes. Severelyaffected kittens may have eyes completely swollen shut and have prolongedconjunctivitis. Chlamydia can be very resistant to treatment; infected catsmay take months to recover with antibiotic ointments.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is an infectious disease transmitted from cat to cat in aclose and intimate setting. No vaccine can provide 100% protection butkeeping kittens away from sources of infection (outdoor FeLV positive cats)is the best way to prevent the spread of this disease. Symptoms of FeLV arevaried; before the vaccine is administered, the cat should receive a bloodtest and test negative for FeLV.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VACCINATIONS

The incidence and severity of Feline Infectious Diseases has been greatlyreduced through the use of vaccines. Vaccination is an event that begins acomplicated process within the cat or kitten to encourage the cat's immunesystem to recognize the various foreign proteins (antigens) present in thevaccine and produce protective biological forces, including proteins calledantibodies, against those antigens. This immune response providesprotection for the cat against the specific infectious agents in the vaccine.

Vaccination and immunization are used interchangeably but they are notidentical in meaning. No vaccine is 100% efficacious against all strains ofinfectious disease, however most cats vaccinated will become immunizedagainst that disease if vaccinated properly. The proper use of vaccineswill provide kittens with the best amount of protection against devastatingand potentially fatal feline infectious diseases.

It is important to vaccinate kittens and boost them at least one-to-twotimes later to ensure immunization against these diseases. Kittens receiveprotective antibodies from their mother's milk. This is called maternalimmunity. These antibodies begin to wear off between six and ten weeks ofage. Vaccination typically occurs at six to eight weeks of age in kittens.Kittens are vaccinated (boosted) twice more (two to four week apart) inorder to ensure that immunization occurs. The kitten's maternal immunityprevents immunization from occurring if vaccines are given too early. Whenthe maternal immunity decreases, the kitten may then be successfullyimmunized through vaccinations. The maternal immunities decrease over aperiod of weeks, so vaccinations are spaced out from six to twelve weeks ofage to permit the kitten to build up immunity.

A vaccinated kitten may show signs of fatigue, lack of appetite, may sneezeor have watery eyes after vaccination. These signs are usually temporarybut it is recommended that a newly vaccinated kitten not be overwhelmed withattention or activity, or have other medical procedures (such asneutering/spaying) done at the same time as the vaccination. Kittens shouldalso not be given multiple vaccine injections at the same time. Monitorkittens closely for 24 hours after vaccination as some kittens mayexperience a reaction to the vaccine. Some veterinarians suggest thatowners remain with their kittens at the veterinarian's office for at least 30minutes to monitor for reactions.

Types of vaccines available include modified-live and killed. Modified livevaccines contain viruses that have been grown in a special way (calledattenuation) so they stimulate the same high level of immunity that anatural infection would, without causing the same degree of illness.Modified live vaccines, however, can not be given to pregnant animals.Many veterinarians and breeders prefer to use killed virus vaccines becausethey are comprised of inactivated viruses which cannot replicate. Whilekilled virus vaccines are considered safer because the virus can notpossibly grow within the animal's system, they may not provide as great alevel of protection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A RECOMMENDED VACCINATION SCHEDULE FOR KITTENS MIGHT INCLUDE:

Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis at6 weeks, 9 weeks and 12 weeks with an optional booster at 15 weeks andannual boosters thereafter.

Feline Chlamydiosis at 9 and 12 weeks with an optional booster at 15 weeksand annual boosters thereafter.

Feline Leukemia vaccine, if appropriate, should be given at 12 and 15 weeksof age with annual boosters thereafter.

A TICA responsible breeder will ensure that their kittens are properlyvaccinated before releasing them to their new homes.

Proper vaccination of kittens and cats will allow them to be protectedagainst severe feline infectious diseases. Vaccination usually providesimmunity to most strains of these diseases. While vaccinations cannotcompletely prevent kittens and cats from becoming ill from these diseases,they can greatly lessen the severity of the symptoms and prevent death fromthese diseases.

Fip Library

Source 1: Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Dr. Diane Addie

Source 2 : A Winn Foundation Health Article On Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Susan Little

Source 3 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Cornell University

Source 4: Feline Infectious Peritonitis FAQ by Erin Rebecca Miller

Source 5 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis, by Annette Hegyi, Andreas F. Kolb

Source 6 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Fred W. Scott, James R. Richards, Jeffrey E. Barlough

Source 7 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Chick Newman

Source 8 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Alice M. Wolf

Source 9 : WINN FOUNDATION COMPLETED STUDY REPORT Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Catherine Rokaw

Source 10 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Mark Schlatter, Class of 1998 edited by Tsang Long Lin

Source 11 : Feline Infectious Peritonitis by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia