Does a cat with feline infectious peritonitis have ascites in the early stage?

Cats with feline infectious peritonitis will have obvious abdominal fluid accumulation. The absorption of abdominal fluid in cats with feline infectious peritonitis usually begins to take effect slowly after 2-3 days of symptomatic treatment. However, due to individual differences, some cats may absorb the abdominal fluid more slowly. In addition to using feline infectious peritonitis drugs, it is also necessary to check whether there is hypoproteinemia. If so, timely treatment is required.

Reasons for ascites formation in feline infectious peritonitis

The feline infectious peritonitis virus can cause cats to develop peritonitis, resulting in increased permeability of the peritoneum and reduced reabsorption capacity. Obstruction of lymphatic vessels causes exudative ascites in cats. At this time, you can observe that the cat's abdominal circumference expands, the dorsal spine and ribs are exposed, progressive weight loss occurs, and in the later stage, increased intra-abdominal pressure can cause respiratory difficulty.

Characteristics of ascites in feline infectious peritonitis

The ascites in cats with feline infectious peritonitis is generally colorless or slightly yellowish in the early stage. The liquid is sticky and contains a large amount of fibroblastic clots. It coagulates upon contact with air. The ascites contains a large number of mesothelial cells, neutrophils, and macrophages. As the ascites continues to increase, it will compress surrounding organs, so it is recommended to seek treatment as soon as possible.

How to drain ascites in feline infectious peritonitis

There are two methods to drain ascites in cats with feline infectious peritonitis. The first is aspiration, which is a long-term process that is relatively traumatic to the cat and only addresses the symptoms, with the ascites regenerating quickly. The second method is natural absorption, which requires treating the underlying feline infectious peritonitis. The current treatment drug is 441, which requires long-term scheduled injections.