What to do if your cat has feline infectious peritonitis

There is currently no effective specific treatment for feline infectious peritonitis, and treatment usually involves supportive care, including the use of drugs with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects. These include corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, and some immunomodulatory drugs such as interferon. These drugs can usually prolong a cat's life to some extent, but the cure rate is very low. The most commonly used specific drug in clinical practice is 441. It is worth noting that once typical symptoms appear, the prognosis is usually poor.

Feline infectious peritonitis can usually be diagnosed only by histopathology. There are no specific drugs to cure feline infectious peritonitis, and conventional treatment mainly involves using drugs with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as broad-spectrum antibiotics to prevent bacterial infections. Supportive therapy includes fluid replacement to prevent dehydration in cats, and thoracocentesis to withdraw abdominal fluid and relieve chest pressure.

If a cat has dry feline infectious peritonitis, symptoms include cloudy eyes, weight loss, and vision impairment. Typically, there is no abdominal fluid and no abdominal distension, and the main focus is on eye diseases such as corneal edema and iridocyclitis. A few cats may accompany multiple and progressive neurological symptoms, including hindquarters paralysis and ataxia, and a few male cats may have scrotal swelling.

If a cat has wet feline infectious peritonitis, most cats will die within two months of the disease onset. The main symptoms of wet feline infectious peritonitis are loss of appetite, depression, and increased body temperature. Abdominal distension due to fluid retention causes breathing difficulties, and a wave-like sensation can be felt when the cat's belly is shaken. Wet feline infectious peritonitis is usually easier to diagnose than dry feline infectious peritonitis.

The cure rate for feline infectious peritonitis is usually very low, and the most important way to prevent it is to have your cat vaccinated. Cats with serum reactions can be nasally vaccinated against feline infectious peritonitis at 16 weeks of age, and good preventive effects can usually be achieved. In addition to vaccination, proper management of the cat's living environment and regular serum antibody testing are also crucial.