RE: fip question
Hi Michelle, Sorry to hear Lucy is having a tough time. I only have limited experience with wet FIP, (12 week old Ally) and that wasn't confirmed by necropsy, but Lucy's symptoms do sound a bit different from what I saw. Ally never seemed to be in any discomfort, even when her belly was quite distended. I found the inappetance and depression to be less of an intermittent problem, and more of something that became gradually worse. She responded very well to antibiotics for her initial URI, but within a couple of days of being off of it would start to sneeze again. Other odd problems cropped up as her immune system began to fail. She had teensy, pin-prick black dots of dried blood in one ear one day, than bright red swimmer's ear a couple of days later in the other ear, then began to get fevers that became less and less responsive to antibiotics. Somewhere between the swimmer's ear and the beginning of the fevers is when I started to notice her belly. It seemed slightly distended (like a wormy kitten), and the area just in front of her hip bones seemed slightly sunken in a triangle shape. It was very slight, but I was worried enough to mention it to the vet when I took her in, but the vet just prodded her a bit and didn't comment. That was on a Thursday, by Sunday there was no question that her belly was filling with fluid, the triangle depression was quite obvious,her spine was protruding, the fever became worse, the antibiotics and steroids were doing nothing, she was glassy eyed and just wanted to snuggle under my chin and purr. This is common enough that FIP is sometimes called the purring disease. I believe that with FIP, once you notice fluid the progression is usually very quick (Ally was maybe 1-1/2 weeks). If Lucy is still eating that is good. Does her spine feels muscled-over and flat, or raised and knobby? I think that Ally's belly felt pretty firm. If Lucy hasn't had any other illnesses (other than the ibd) lately, is eating and active, I would bet that it is ibd discomfort and not worry too much about FIP. Best wishes, Beth Original Message: I spoke to my vet about lucy, and he did not see a reason to bring her in. He agreed that her discomfort for a few hours in the evening is probably related to her ibd and to up her flagyl and pred a little. I have, though, probably irrationally, started worrying about wet FIP. Her sides look a little pooched out to me, which may just be that she had lost some weight for the couple weeks she did not want her turkey mush and looks a bit skinny all over and has just started gaining it back so may be gaining it back in her tummy first. But, not knowing why she is getting uncomfortable for a few hours a day, and being paranoid about fip, I started worrying that maybe the poochiness is fluid accumulation. I looked for a wet fip photo online but can not find one. I found info on wet fip symptoms, and it did say that fluid accumulation can happen slowly and that other symptoms can be intermittent inappetance and depression. Does anyone think she could have fip? When she is not having the discomfort, she is pretty normal, maybe a slight bit less active than usual, but she is eating quite a bit. When cats get wet fip, are the symptoms normally constant? Should I be worried about this? And is fluid accumulation very obviously fluid, or could it look sort of like tummy weight gain (i.e. when I look at her from behind, her butt looks thin and I can see her sides sticking out a bit, rather than just chubby all over like my other cats). Does the fluid feel mush like water, or firm? If I press on her belly, it just feels like her stomach is bigger. Thanks for any thoughts or advice. I think if I call my vet and ask him this he will think I have gone round the bend, but I am feeling anxious. michelle
Re: fip question
Hi Michelle, I'm glad to read that Lucy is feeling better, but just for the reference point: my Hepburn that I lost to wet FIP (also not confirmed with a necropsy), succombed quickly, like Beth said, it was over about a week and a half before I decided that she was suffering more than enjoying life. Funny, one of the things that made the decision so hard is that she would purr. I didn't know that it was called the purring disease, but I did know that purring doesn't always mean content, it can also mean pain or fear. In any event, her belly was quite round - think of a very pregnant horse - or maybe a pregnant cat, I don't know, I've never seen one. No real disguising it. I still get nervous sometimes with Satchmo and Beatrix though - especially Bea since she's longer haired and a kitten, and it's hard to tell if she's fluffy, got a full little belly, or is dying - that's pretty much how my mind works. :) My test is to palpate the tummy when they are standing, if you can feel the ropy/bumpy muscle, connective tissue, whatever, that's in there, then you're fine, if you can press in and there is nothing resisting your fingers, then I would worry. This is not to say that it means wet FIP, it just means that I would worry. Anyway, I am glad that you don't need this info now, but in case it comes up in the future for anyone. By the way, they did draw some of the fluid and tested for lymphoma, it came back negative, so combined with the lethargy, inappetance, and belly...I can't remember if there was a fever, the vet concluded wet FIP. Leslie From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: fip question I spoke to my vet about lucy, and he did not see a reason to bring her in. He agreed that her discomfort for a few hours in the evening is probably related to her ibd and to up her flagyl and pred a little. I have, though, probably irrationally, started worrying about wet FIP. Her sides look a little pooched out to me, which may just be that she had lost some weight for the couple weeks she did not want her turkey mush and looks a bit skinny all over and has just started gaining it back so may be gaining it back in her tummy first. But, not knowing why she is getting uncomfortable for a few hours a day, and being paranoid about fip, I started worrying that maybe the poochiness is fluid accumulation. I looked for a wet fip photo online but can not find one. I found info on wet fip symptoms, and it did say that fluid accumulation can happen slowly and that other symptoms can be intermittent inappetance and depression. Does anyone think she could have fip? When she is not having the discomfort, she is pretty normal, maybe a slight bit less active than usual, but she is eating quite a bit. When cats get wet fip, are the symptoms normally constant? Should I be worried about this? And is fluid accumulation very obviously fluid, or could it look sort of like tummy weight gain (i.e. when I look at her from behind, her butt looks thin and I can see her sides sticking out a bit, rather than just chubby all over like my other cats). Does the fluid feel mush like water, or firm? If I press on her belly, it just feels like her stomach is bigger. Thanks for any thoughts or advice. I think if I call my vet and ask him this he will think I have gone round the bend, but I am feeling anxious. michelle
Re: fip question
At 09:07 AM 1/3/2007, you wrote: Please be careful about the tummy thing. I have a few cats who look like they are pregnantthey are not and healthy.Some have a strange posture combined with obesity,, Lymphoma and several treatable diseases,,It is just not that common in adult cats and frequently has become a catch term we all dread,Titers are useless also,,, Kelly Hi Michelle, I'm glad to read that Lucy is feeling better, but just for the reference point: my Hepburn that I lost to wet FIP (also not confirmed with a necropsy), succombed quickly, like Beth said, it was over about a week and a half before I decided that she was suffering more than enjoying life. Funny, one of the things that made the decision so hard is that she would purr. I didn't know that it was called the purring disease, but I did know that purring doesn't always mean content, it can also mean pain or fear. In any event, her belly was quite round - think of a very pregnant horse - or maybe a pregnant cat, I don't know, I've never seen one. No real disguising it. I still get nervous sometimes with Satchmo and Beatrix though - especially Bea since she's longer haired and a kitten, and it's hard to tell if she's fluffy, got a full little belly, or is dying - that's pretty much how my mind works. :) My test is to palpate the tummy when they are standing, if you can feel the ropy/bumpy muscle, connective tissue, whatever, that's in there, then you're fine, if you can press in and there is nothing resisting your fingers, then I would worry. This is not to say that it means wet FIP, it just means that I would worry. Anyway, I am glad that you don't need this info now, but in case it comes up in the future for anyone. By the way, they did draw some of the fluid and tested for lymphoma, it came back negative, so combined with the lethargy, inappetance, and belly...I can't remember if there was a fever, the vet concluded wet FIP. Leslie From: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: fip question I spoke to my vet about lucy, and he did not see a reason to bring her in. He agreed that her discomfort for a few hours in the evening is probably related to her ibd and to up her flagyl and pred a little. I have, though, probably irrationally, started worrying about wet FIP. Her sides look a little pooched out to me, which may just be that she had lost some weight for the couple weeks she did not want her turkey mush and looks a bit skinny all over and has just started gaining it back so may be gaining it back in her tummy first. But, not knowing why she is getting uncomfortable for a few hours a day, and being paranoid about fip, I started worrying that maybe the poochiness is fluid accumulation. I looked for a wet fip photo online but can not find one. I found info on wet fip symptoms, and it did say that fluid accumulation can happen slowly and that other symptoms can be intermittent inappetance and depression. Does anyone think she could have fip? When she is not having the discomfort, she is pretty normal, maybe a slight bit less active than usual, but she is eating quite a bit. When cats get wet fip, are the symptoms normally constant? Should I be worried about this? And is fluid accumulation very obviously fluid, or could it look sort of like tummy weight gain (i.e. when I look at her from behind, her butt looks thin and I can see her sides sticking out a bit, rather than just chubby all over like my other cats). Does the fluid feel mush like water, or firm? If I press on her belly, it just feels like her stomach is bigger. Thanks for any thoughts or advice. I think if I call my vet and ask him this he will think I have gone round the bend, but I am feeling anxious. michelle No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.16.4/615 - Release Date: 1/3/2007
RE: fip question
Michelle - if she is eating well, and has not lost weight, she probably does not have FIP - I lost only one cat to FIP a few years ago and lost 6 to dry --- but what's very consistent is that FIP cats' appetite does go down and star losing weight - if it's wet tip, it progresses very fast - other illness like liver disease can also cause fluid in tummy as well -- so usually with FIP kitty with dry form, they may have lost some weight in other area but has a swollen tummy, my gurfunkle did not have FIP, but passed with liver disease and had fluid in tummy -- _ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 11:55 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: fip question I spoke to my vet about lucy, and he did not see a reason to bring her in. He agreed that her discomfort for a few hours in the evening is probably related to her ibd and to up her flagyl and pred a little. I have, though, probably irrationally, started worrying about wet FIP. Her sides look a little pooched out to me, which may just be that she had lost some weight for the couple weeks she did not want her turkey mush and looks a bit skinny all over and has just started gaining it back so may be gaining it back in her tummy first. But, not knowing why she is getting uncomfortable for a few hours a day, and being paranoid about fip, I started worrying that maybe the poochiness is fluid accumulation. I looked for a wet fip photo online but can not find one. I found info on wet fip symptoms, and it did say that fluid accumulation can happen slowly and that other symptoms can be intermittent inappetance and depression. Does anyone think she could have fip? When she is not having the discomfort, she is pretty normal, maybe a slight bit less active than usual, but she is eating quite a bit. When cats get wet fip, are the symptoms normally constant? Should I be worried about this? And is fluid accumulation very obviously fluid, or could it look sort of like tummy weight gain (i.e. when I look at her from behind, her butt looks thin and I can see her sides sticking out a bit, rather than just chubby all over like my other cats). Does the fluid feel mush like water, or firm? If I press on her belly, it just feels like her stomach is bigger. Thanks for any thoughts or advice. I think if I call my vet and ask him this he will think I have gone round the bend, but I am feeling anxious. michelle
