Page 466 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

458 PART 7 SICK CAT WITH SPECIFIC SIGNS

The main differential diagnoses for abdominal disten- An important time of transmission is from asympto-
tion due to a non-septic exudate are steatitis and matic queens to kittens at 5–7 weeks of age.
cholangiohepatitis. With steatitis, the abdomen is usu-
In utero infection may occur, but this usually leads to
ally painful on palpation and abdominal fat is yellow to
abortion or neonatal loss.
brown.
Differential diagnoses for liver disease include cholan-
Prevention
giohepatitis, lipidosis and neoplasia.
Routine disinfection is important because the virus is
readily inactivated.
Treatment
Do not introduce FCoV test-positive cats into a house-
Supportive care.
hold. Identifying FCoV carriers prior to introduction in
Large-volume abdominocentesis. a multi-cat facility is the main value of FIP tests.
Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents at stan- For catteries with a history of FCoV infections, isolate
dard doses have been used with limited success. queens 2–3 weeks before parturition, quarantine queen
and kittens after parturition, and then wean kittens at
Antiviral drugs have been used with limited success.
4–5 weeks of age and isolate.
Recombinant human and recombinant feline interfer-
Modified-live intranasal vaccine is recommended for
ons appear to prolong survival in some cats.
open multiple-cat households.
Recombinant feline interferon has been used at a dose
of 1 million U/kg SC every other day until remission of FeLV vaccination is recommended for open, multiple-
clinical signs, followed by 1 million U/kg SC once a cat households.
week. Prednisolone has been given concurrently at an
initial dose of 2 mg/kg once a day and then tapered to
ABDOMINAL LYMPHOMA***
0.5 mg/kg every other day. A common recommenda-
tion is to use low-dose human recombinant interferon-
Classical signs
alpha at 30 U/cat/day PO for 7 days on alternate weeks,
although there are little firm data documenting benefit. ● Painless lymphadenopathy (multicentric
lymphoma).
The thromboxane synthetase inhibitor ozagrel
● Anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea
hydrochloride, 5–10 mg/kg, combined with pred-
(alimentary lymphoma).
nisolone, 2 mg/kg, dramatically improved clinical
signs in two cases, but ozagrel is not readily available.
Pathogenesis
Dapsone is effective in the treatment of vasculitis but
has not been evaluated for FIP. Multicentric nodal lymphoma, characterized by
peripheral lymphadenopathy, frequently involves
the liver and/or spleen. This form is often associated
Prognosis
with FeLV infection and is occasionally associated
Effusive FIP is almost always fatal within a few days with FIV infection.
to months of onset of signs.
Alimentary lymphoma may affect various sites in the
gastrointestinal tract and mesenteric lymph nodes,
Transmission and may extend into the liver, spleen or kidneys.
Extra-abdominal sites (e.g. lung, bone marrow) may
FIP is most common in multiple cat households
also be involved. Alimentary lymphoma is infrequently
where cats are exposed to FCoV.
associated with FeLV infection, and is occasionally
FCoV transmission occurs by inhalation of virus shed associated with FIV infection.
from oronasal secretions or ingestion of virus shed in ● It has long been believed that chronic inflammatory
feces. bowel disease may progress to lymphoma.