General clinical symptoms of FIP include: depression, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, muscle wasting, poor coat condition, jaundice, anemia and diarrhea.
WET FIP
(effusive)
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The most common form of the disease is referred to as “wet" FIP
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With wet FIP, fluid can be present in the abdominal or chest cavities causing visible bloating or labored breathing
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Cats with abdominal effusions usually manifest with abdominal swelling, while cats with thoracic (chest) effusions often manifest in breathing problems (dyspnea). Many of these cats will be noticeably jaundiced due to high levels of bilirubin and/or have strongly yellow-tinged serum and urine. Neurological and ocular signs are seen in less than 1 in 10 cats with wet FIP.
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If your cat has wet FIP and the fluid is in the ABDOMEN, do not have the fluid drained unless it it causing breathing or organ function issues
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If the fluid IS causing those issues, do not allow for more than 30% of the TOTAL FLUID VOLUME to be drained as it can send the cat into shock​
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If your cat has wet FIP and the fluid is in the CHEST CAVITY, you may allow for 100% of the chest fluid to be drained by a veterinarian
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DRY FIP
(non-effusive)
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FIP can also take a more chronic form referred to as “dry FIP”. Dry FIP, as the name implies, is not associated with fluid accumulations in the abdomen or chest, but rather with more localized masses in the organs, including kidneys, spleen, liver and terminal bowel, eyes, and the linings of the lungs and heart, and central nervous system.
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Uveitis (intraocular inflammation, also called OCULAR FIP) can affect the eyes, making them look cloudy and changing the colour of the iris. Inflammation can enter the brain and spinal cord and cause a spectrum of progressive neurologic abnormalities (also called NEUROLOGICAL FIP).
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FIP accounts for over one-half the cases of inflammatory intraocular and nervous system disease in cats under 3-5 years of age. Ocular and neurological involvement is associated with 60% of cats with Dry FIP.
OCULAR and NEUROLOGICAL
FIP ocular symptoms
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The diagnosis of neurological and/or ocular disease is ultimately based on where a cat comes from, the clinical signs, age, common changes in complete blood count (anemia, lymphopenia), serum protein changes (high total protein, high globulin, low albumin, low A:G ratio). The diagnosis may be confirmed if there is still doubt, by characteristic changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and aqueous humor (high protein, high white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages), suggestive lesions on MRI, PCR or immunohistochemistry on CSF, or high serum coronavirus antibody titer by IFA (>1:3200). One must be careful, however, to follow the 70% rule, i.e., no single typical laboratory abnormality will occur 100% of the time.
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The rapid response of FIP to GS-441524 is in itself a diagnostic indicator.
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When Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) affects a cat’s nervous system or eyes, it manifests in a couple of specific ways:
Neurological FIP - This form affects the cat’s brain and spinal cord. Inflammation to the brain and spinal cord result in symptoms such as: ataxia (poor muscle control that causes clumsy movements), head tilt, anisocoria (uneven pupil sizes), paralysis, and seizures.
​Ocular FIP - This form impacts the eyes. Cats with ocular FIP might have inflammation in the eyes, which can cause symptoms like eye redness, cloudiness, or swelling. They might also have changes in their vision, which could make them bump into things or appear disoriented. Symptoms can include anterior uveitis, keratic precipitates, hyphema, hypopyon, chorioretinitis, retinal hemorrhages, or retinal detachment.​