FIP or something else?

[jlgros2]

I needed a second opinion from someone that is more knowledgeable about FIP. My cat is a seven month old bengal. I noticed that he had become a lot less active and just wanted to sleep on the tile floor in the bathroom. His stomach started getting very swollen and big. He had no appetite and wasn't drinking much water and became dehydrated. The vet said he had a fever and his gums were pale from being dehydrated. The vet extracted some of the fluid that was in his peritoneum, and the fluid was a very bright neon yellow color and not cloudy. It looked like urine from a dehydrated cat. The fluid had the viscosity of water and contained no chunks in it. His protein results were at a normal level and his fever is starting to go down. The vet also said that he is starting to eat. I know you are very busy and any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and consideration,
Justine Gross
justine.***@****

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

I am very sorry about your cat.    

Unfortunately, It does sound like he has the wet or effusive form of FIP.  Since your cat is so young he probably had the FIP since birth.  I would contact the breeder about the disease.  The breeder may not even be aware that the disease is present in her breeding facility.

The following is a list of Non-FIP diseases that can resemble the symptoms of FIP.  There is a possibility, no matter how small,  that your cat does not have FIP but has one of the following instead: (The following information is from the "Merck Veterinary Manual"  an important veterinary text and reference book)

1.  Ascites (free fluid in the abdomen) due to congestive heart failure  
2.  Ascites due to hypoproteinemia (from renal and liver disease, glomerulonephritis,     malabsorption, or parasitism),
3.  neoplasia,
4.  bacterial peritonitis,  
5.  toxoplasmosis.

These other diseases can be ruled out by blood tests, X-Rays, etc.

[jlgros2]

justine. g @ u k y . e d u