FROM SYMPTOMS TO DIAGNOSE
Symptoms of FIP vary from effusive (wet) to non-effusive (dry). Usual symptoms of FIP include;
Anorexia, fatigue, sleepiness, weight loss due to decreased appetite, fluctuating fever, stunted growth in kittens, dull, rough hair coat.
Common symptoms of wet FIP other than those listed above include;
Swollen abdomen, difficult breathing due to effusion in pleural cavity
Dry form may become wet form with disease progression and FIP is often difficult to diagnose if there isn’t effusion.
CLINICAL SIGNS;
Procedures to diagnose FIP;
Blood tests (Hematology and biochemistry)
Fluid analysis of effusions (rivalta)
Diagnostic imaging with X-ray and ultrasound
PCR test of effusion
Immunostaining of FCoV antigen
Histopathology
If you’re a veterinarian looking for more information, please check FIP ACADEMY
- The Feline Infectious Peritonitis guidelines
- Ed. Weese J S, Evason M , 2020, A Color Handbook of Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat, CRC Press, 245-249
- Tilley,Smith Jr., Sleeper, Brainard, 2021, Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline, 7th Edition, 510-514