Cats that do not have antibodies to the virus do not develop the disease.
Two basic forms of disease are described and these have different signs
associated with them :
Diagnosis
There is no single test for FIP.
Ideally intestinal or other tissue
samples are needed to confirm the presence of the virus by immunofluorescence
techniques.
Non-specific laboratory findings in FIP include :
- Serum albumin:globulin ratio decreases because globulin concentrations
increase
- Total serum protein is high
- There is a neutrophilia with a shift to the left
- Non-regenerative anaemia in some cats
- Heinz bodies are present
- High bilurubin - if liver necrosis present
- High CSF protein if showing neurological signs
The effusion is a modified transudate and may be
- Colourless
- Straw coloured
- Pink
- Sticky (viscous)
- Occasionally white (chylous)
Serological testing for antibodies is widely used and is useful if
interpretation is done carefully. The presence of a positive titre only means
the cat has been in contact with a coronavirus - it does not necessarily mean
that the cat has the disease FIP which requires immune-complex formation.
There is a specialized ELISA test which detects the immune-complexes and this
is specific for the disease - but it is not generally available yet.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment against FIP virus.
There is no need to treat
cats that have a positive blood test, but which do not have evidence of the
disease However, they should not be subjected to stress or be given any
immune-suppressant drugs as these can precipitate the disease in carriers.
Treatment
of cats with signs of the disease is invariably fruitless as death usually
occurs within a matter of months. When it is given treatment is aimed at
reducing immune-complex formation and remission and rarely total recovery have
been reported following the use immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs
(often in combination) including :