Cat has symptoms of FIP: Feline Infectious Peritonitis, but i was wondering if it could be something else...?

Question

...and if it is something else, what other conditions could it be?

He is a 2 1/2 years old Abyssinian. no other cats around, indoor only. We went to the vet today, and she felt a "growth" whether its a enlarged lymph node or a pocket of fluid i dont know. He also has fluid buildup in the lungs and stomach area. We only had an x-ray done.

I have read many things about this, since my revelation of this condition at the vet today. Including that its nigh impossible to diagnose and that its mis-diagnosed frequently.

In all of my readings i havent found anything that indicates a "growth" in the abdomen when citing symptoms of FIP.

He's not doing too bad right now, i took him home and wanted to research this. his breathing labored, but i dont want him to go on like this too long.

So again, my question is, given these symptoms, what else could it be if NOT FIP?

Answer 1

First off, let me say that as a vet technician and the mom of 6 cats, this is one of the diseases I hate the most, mostly because no matter how much I research, there is way too little known.

This is one the most difficult infectious diseases in cats to diagnose. There are 2 forms:
1. wet, which explains the fluid
2. dry, which is harder to determine due to the fact that is can present any where in the body in the form of masses, tumor, cysts, nodules, etc. This could explain the mass in the abdomen.

There are no clinical signs that are specific to FIP, although putting several signs together can make the possibility more likely. High fever that is unresponsive to antibiotics, straw colored fluid in the chest or abdomen, and a positive corona virus titer can increase the likelyhood. As your vet may have told you, FIP is always fatal, and I am very sorry that you kitty has this horrible disease.
Did your vet run coronavirus titers? A positive titer does not in itself prove FIP, but along with fluid and other clinical signs, it probably does mean FIP.
To try to answer your question about other possiblities-
The sad thing is however, there is no good reason for fluid in the chest. The outcome is always poor no matter the disease-FIP, heart disease, cancer, pyelothorax, etc-they all have very poor prognosis.
Communicate with your vet. Trust what he says and research has much as you can. Especially information on how it effects your other cats. FIP is not proven to be contagious, coronavirus is the concern and how it effects each individual cat. Most cats have coronavirus, but in some cats it mutates into FIP, and that is the puzzling part-no one knows why.
There is just so much information out there, and so little is known as fact.
I am very sorry you are going through this.
Good luck

**Oooops-after re-reading your question, I see you have no other cats around. Sorry for the oversight.

Answer 2

I have had WAY too much experience with FIP. I have lost three cats to it in 4 years and 4 foster cats. Most of these were Siamese. Abbys seem to be highly effected also. Cats from a cattery are at higher risk also.
The fluid being in the lungs and abdomen is not a good sign and surely a sign of FIP. The "growth" in the abdomen can easily be a lymph node.
I have had fluid drained from the chest to allow easier breathing, but it seems to return quickly. Oftern it is a yellow and thinck fluid that is removed. Symptoms can come on very quickly!! The last boy we lost was a year old Siamese, and he went from seemingly healthy to very ill in a week. He also had fluid around the chest and when we saw the thick yellow fluid, be euthanized him then. It can progress rapidly. You can go to bed at night and they are holding their own, and the next morning, they cannot hardly breathe and it is an emergency.

There is no good test for FIP. I live very near Cornell and had sent fluid,tissue, and blod samples....but they never committed to a diagnosis. Even a necropsy was "highly suspect", but they would only go that far.

I wish you well, and that it is NOT FIP. If it is, they do not live long once they are at this phase.

Best Wishes.

Answer 3

I would deffinately take your cat to the vet, and have a thorough work up done on him. Ask for a referral to a specialist if necessary.

I had a cat a few years ago who was having buildup of fluid around her lungs and stomach area. They did all sorts of tests to see what was wrong. They first thought it was FIP, but that was negative. After all the testing, they couldn't find out what it was. Eventually they thought it might be some kind of tumor pressing on a gland in the brain wich regulated fluid intake.

But if it goes on too long, you may have to put him to sleep. I know it's not something you want to do, but if your cat is suffering, it's the most humane thing you can do. It's a VERY hard thing to do, but in the end it's their comfort that you need to think about.

Answer 4

If you want a living cat I would get thy cat to vet and stop guessing.
Didn't your vet give you some options and tell you what she thought it was? Don't walk out without treatment options.

Answer 5

You need to do Blood work.