What causes feline infectious peritonitis? Feline coronavirus (FCoV)
Coronavirus specific antibodies are present in up to what percentage of cats in catteries and
90% of cats in catteries and 50% of cats in single cat households
what percentage of cats in single cat households?
What percentage of FCoV infected cats develop FIP and where would that percentage usually
5-10% and usually only in a cat-crowded environment
be seen?
What percentage of cats have been exposed to FIP? 50-90%
Cats with weak immune systems, kittens, geriatric cats and cats infected with FIV and/or
What cats are most likely to develop the disease?
leukemia. Most cats that develop FIP are <2 years, but any age can develop it
Intestinal epithelium which may cause destruction of intestinal epithelial cells and diarrhea in
Where is the site of viral replication?
some cats
What spreads the virus around in the body? Macrophages
Some cats are subclinical for a long period and can shed intermittently or continuously and
What are some cats infected with the virus, and how do they shed the virus?
act as a source of infection for other cats
It is not highly contagious. Virus is in the saliva and feces of cats during the acute infection
Transmission of FIP
and in some recovered or carrier cats. It can live in the environment for weeks
What's the most common mode of transmission for FIP? Infected female cats passing the virus to kittens
When is the virus usually transmitted to kittens? When they are between 5 and 8 weeks of age and MDA levels begin to decrease
It is likely they will become infected and develop antibodies. Most will shed virus intermittently
What happens when naive cats first encounter the virus?
for a period of weeks of months
It can survive in dry conditions (eg. carpet) for up to 7 weeks but it is a relatively fragile virus
How does the virus live in the environment?
that is destroyed by most household disinfectants and detergents.
Transient and mild diarrhea and/or vomiting. Mild upper respiratory symptoms (sneezing,
Clinical signs of corona virus NOT FIP watery eyes, nasal discharge). Some may have a more severe and chronic diarrhea with weight
loss. Some will be asymptomatic
Liver, kidneys, pancreas, CNS, and/or eyes can be attected. There is reduced blood flow to
What organs are attected with FIP and what can happen because of that? supplied organs, protein rich fluid leaks out of the blood vessels. Vasculitis and organ failure
from damage to the blood vessels that supply them
The wet form: creating ettusions. Young cats tend to have it. The dry form: creating granulo-
What are the two types of FIP?
mas. Old cats tend to have it
Abdominal swelling. Fluctuation and a fluid wave may be present. In less severe cases, fluid
Clinical findings with abdominal ettusion with wet form
can be palpated between the interstitial loops
Thoracic ettusions: dyspnea, tachypnea, open-mouthed breathing, or cyanotic MM, auscul-
Clinical findings with thoracic and pericardial ettusions with wet form
tation may reveal muffled heart sounds
They can be visualized by diagnostic imaging (radiographs, U/S, echocardiography) and
How can you tell if there are ettusions?
verified by a fluid tap
Cats with ettusions can be alert or depressed. Some eat with a normal or even increased
What are other clinical signs with the wet form?
appetite; others are anorectic. Fever, weight loss, and/or icterus
Cats without obvious ettusion, in which mainly granulomatous changed are present, signs
Clinical signs of the dry form are often vague and may include: fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss, retinal
granulomas and uveitis
What can also happen with FIP? Neurological signs which occur in 15% of cats with FIP
How do you diagnose FIP?
1/2
Coronavirus specific antibodies are present in up to what percentage of cats in catteries and
90% of cats in catteries and 50% of cats in single cat households
what percentage of cats in single cat households?
What percentage of FCoV infected cats develop FIP and where would that percentage usually
5-10% and usually only in a cat-crowded environment
be seen?
What percentage of cats have been exposed to FIP? 50-90%
Cats with weak immune systems, kittens, geriatric cats and cats infected with FIV and/or
What cats are most likely to develop the disease?
leukemia. Most cats that develop FIP are <2 years, but any age can develop it
Intestinal epithelium which may cause destruction of intestinal epithelial cells and diarrhea in
Where is the site of viral replication?
some cats
What spreads the virus around in the body? Macrophages
Some cats are subclinical for a long period and can shed intermittently or continuously and
What are some cats infected with the virus, and how do they shed the virus?
act as a source of infection for other cats
It is not highly contagious. Virus is in the saliva and feces of cats during the acute infection
Transmission of FIP
and in some recovered or carrier cats. It can live in the environment for weeks
What's the most common mode of transmission for FIP? Infected female cats passing the virus to kittens
When is the virus usually transmitted to kittens? When they are between 5 and 8 weeks of age and MDA levels begin to decrease
It is likely they will become infected and develop antibodies. Most will shed virus intermittently
What happens when naive cats first encounter the virus?
for a period of weeks of months
It can survive in dry conditions (eg. carpet) for up to 7 weeks but it is a relatively fragile virus
How does the virus live in the environment?
that is destroyed by most household disinfectants and detergents.
Transient and mild diarrhea and/or vomiting. Mild upper respiratory symptoms (sneezing,
Clinical signs of corona virus NOT FIP watery eyes, nasal discharge). Some may have a more severe and chronic diarrhea with weight
loss. Some will be asymptomatic
Liver, kidneys, pancreas, CNS, and/or eyes can be attected. There is reduced blood flow to
What organs are attected with FIP and what can happen because of that? supplied organs, protein rich fluid leaks out of the blood vessels. Vasculitis and organ failure
from damage to the blood vessels that supply them
The wet form: creating ettusions. Young cats tend to have it. The dry form: creating granulo-
What are the two types of FIP?
mas. Old cats tend to have it
Abdominal swelling. Fluctuation and a fluid wave may be present. In less severe cases, fluid
Clinical findings with abdominal ettusion with wet form
can be palpated between the interstitial loops
Thoracic ettusions: dyspnea, tachypnea, open-mouthed breathing, or cyanotic MM, auscul-
Clinical findings with thoracic and pericardial ettusions with wet form
tation may reveal muffled heart sounds
They can be visualized by diagnostic imaging (radiographs, U/S, echocardiography) and
How can you tell if there are ettusions?
verified by a fluid tap
Cats with ettusions can be alert or depressed. Some eat with a normal or even increased
What are other clinical signs with the wet form?
appetite; others are anorectic. Fever, weight loss, and/or icterus
Cats without obvious ettusion, in which mainly granulomatous changed are present, signs
Clinical signs of the dry form are often vague and may include: fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss, retinal
granulomas and uveitis
What can also happen with FIP? Neurological signs which occur in 15% of cats with FIP
How do you diagnose FIP?
1/2
