Is it possible to cure peritonitis in cats? Peritonitis in cats: what the owner needs to know about this dangerous disease. Treatment when a cat has peritonitis

The causative agent of feline infectious peritonitis is coronavirus. The disease can occur in subacute and chronic form, and be proliferative (pathological uncontrolled cell proliferation) or exudative in nature. Peritonitis manifests itself in the exudation of a large amount of pathological fluid into the abdominal and pleural cavity cat's body.

Causes of viral peritonitis in cats

It is quite logical from the name of the disease that the main cause of its occurrence is a virus, namely the RNA-containing coranovirus FIPY. In this case, the effect of the virus can be of a different nature:

exudative, that is, there is a process of fluid effusion into internal environment body;
non-exudative, accompanied by granulomatous changes (formation of nodules in internal organs).

Ways of infection with the virus

Viral peritonitis is a relatively new disease in cats.

Most often, animals that are not yet 2 years old, or quite old, one might say, elderly individuals, over 10 years old, are infected.
Cats entering age group Between 2 and 11 years of age are not particularly susceptible to the disease, although cases of peritonitis do occur among them rarely.

The main route of infection is through the mouth:

when eating food contaminated with a virus;
when feces of a sick animal accidentally enter the body of a healthy one.

Most likely, viral peritonitis can be classified as a disease that occurs as a result of complete unsanitary conditions.

The virus can also be transmitted through the air, that is, the aerogenic route of transmission plays an important role in the spread of infection.
But there is another version of the occurrence of the disease: many scientists suggest that most cats are infected not by the virus itself, but by its mutants that multiply in the intestines of a healthy animal, and the presence of contact with other four-toed cats seems to have nothing to do with it.

Viral peritonitis - quite rare disease, but the mortality rate (mortality) reaches 100%.

Signs of feline viral peritonitis

Peritonitis is accompanied depressive state and damage to the internal organs of the cat.

The exudative form of infectious peritonitis is accompanied by:

depression;
loss of appetite;
insignificant;
gradual weight loss;
increased abdominal volume as a result of ascites;
shortness of breath due to fluid accumulation in chest cavity and development of pleurisy;
in more rare cases, fluid accumulates in the heart sac, leading to abnormal heart rhythms.

The proliferative form of the disease usually has chronic course and includes the following features:

depression;
rapid loss of body weight;
rapid appearance of signs of damage to internal organs (kidneys and others).

Often the proliferative form of peritonitis is accompanied by eye damage, which manifests itself:

accumulation of dry plaque under the eyelids;
signs of ophthalmitis or.

Changes in the central nervous system are also observed:

ataxia (sharp, causeless change in mood);
paralysis of the limbs (mainly the hind limbs);
unusual behavior.

Diagnosis of feline viral peritonitis

A reliable diagnosis can only be made by autopsy of the animal, as sad as it may sound, based on pathoanatomical and histological changes in the internal organs.

In addition, there is PCR diagnostics. This method determines the presence or absence of the virus genome in the animal’s body.
Another option for diagnosing peritonitis is to study ascites fluid in the laboratory, for which a puncture of the abdomen is performed. Laboratory workers indirect signs(the presence of a gray viscous fluid with fibrin flakes) may suggest the presence of a virus in the body.

Exudative peritonitis is differentiated from:

bacterial peritonitis;
fungal infection;
toxoplasmosis.

How to treat viral peritonitis?

Unfortunately, treatment for this disease has not been developed at this time; this is largely due to the extent of the damage and the involvement of vital organs in the pathogenic process.

Some veterinarians try to treat by:

intravenous administration of antiviral drugs such as Fosprenil or Enterostat;
removal of exudate;
insertion into the abdominal cavity antimicrobials based on iodine.

However, such treatment does not give a positive result.

Prevention of viral peritonitis in cats

Currently, there is only one vaccine in the world produced in America, Primucell FIP.

Its harmlessness to animal health is not reliably known, so many Russian veterinarians are afraid to use it.
Although there is another category of specialists who are inclined to believe that, provided that the content is good, intranasal (through the nose) use of this vaccine reduces the likelihood of contracting peritonitis to a minimum.

The main one preventive measure To combat the occurrence and spread of viral peritonitis is to observe and maintain cleanliness in the room with periodic disinfection. It is also worth avoiding crowded keeping of cats; in nurseries it is necessary to isolate babies and pregnant cats from other individuals.

Well, indirect measures that are common to prevent any infectious disease:

strengthening immunity;
reducing stress factors that help reduce the likelihood of illness.

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Viruses cause in cats various diseases. One of the most dangerous and mysterious viruses is coronavirus. It provokes the occurrence of various kinds of diseases in animals, including viral peritonitis in cats, kittens are especially susceptible to it. The article describes the features of the disease, causes, symptoms and treatment methods.

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Features of the disease

The coronavirus has a spherical shape with a diameter equal to one ten-thousandth of a millimeter. The virus got its name because of the club-shaped protrusions that resemble a crown. The disease is characterized by an inflammatory process of the serous membranes that line the surface of the internal organs from the inside and abdominal cavity. In cats, this virus causes two types of disease: coronavirus enteritis and feline viral peritonitis.

Causes of infection

The most common form of the virus is the intestinal form of the virus (feline enteric coronavirus, FECV); this virus is easily transmitted from one individual to another through the oral-fecal route. In other words, the virus is transmitted through contaminated food or from one cat's feces to another. Airborne infection is possible, but extremely rare. Once inside, the virus multiplies in the cells of the gastrointestinal tract. Cats infected with this virus have no obvious Clinical signs. There is short-term diarrhea caused by damaged cells intestines, which gradually goes away on its own.

Spread of the virus through the tray

The virus can be excreted in excrement for several months, and then this process is interrupted. The cat begins to produce antibodies in response to infection. She may become infected with the virus again if she is in an environment where it is highly prevalent. Although over time, more cats become permanent carriers of the virus and cease to be its source. The coronavirus has such a feature as a tendency to genetic changes: it can mutate into a virus that will be more pathogenic than the previous one. There is a version that peritonitis in cats occurs in this way. The mutated virus leaves the gastrointestinal tract and affects other organs and systems of the cat’s body, causing various complications.

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) triggers the immune system. But often this does not improve, but rather aggravates the situation. The antibodies produced cannot destroy the virus and form a complex with the virus, which begins to move through the blood and, accumulating in blood vessels, causes dangerous inflammation in various systems of the cat’s body, so the disease has wide range signs.

During a normal body reaction, antibodies find the virus, attach to it, and immune system cells (macrophages) destroy the virus. In case of an inadequate immune response during viral peritonitis in cats, macrophages cannot destroy the virus, but rather carry it throughout the body through the blood vessels.

Feline infectious peritonitis can be chronic and acute form. The chronic form is divided into two subtypes: exudative (wet) and non-exudative (dry) peritonitis. In the first case, a lot of fluid is released into the animal's abdominal cavity. With dry peritonitis, granulomatous changes occur - nodules form in the internal organs.

The disease is very dangerous for animals and can lead to the death of a cat. Therefore, it is important to identify it in time and provide appropriate treatment.

Granulomatous changes in internal organs

Most often, kittens aged 1 to 5 months become infected with viral peritonitis. The disease begins with vomiting, progressing to diarrhea, which lasts several days. The kitten then recovers, but remains a carrier of the virus for a long time. The virus present in the carrier's feces is transmitted to other kittens if they share a litter box. Elderly cats that have passed the ten-year mark are also susceptible to this disease.

Research intensively conducted by American scientists has identified factors that increase the likelihood of cats contracting infectious peritonitis:

keeping a large number of cats in one room;
kittens under the age of 5 months, as well as cats over 10 years old;
unsanitary conditions and unbalanced nutrition;
a large number of stress;
with early separation of kittens from their mother;
external contacts: transportation, exchange, mating, exhibitions, etc.;
weakened immune system, most often this applies to kittens and old cats;
some cat breeds are more susceptible to the virus;
genetic predisposition;
surgery, possibly castration.

If the animal has a strong immune system, the virus is suppressed by macrophages and the cat recovers. With an average intensity of the cellular immune response, the disease proceeds in latent form, after which the animal remains a carrier of the virus. With a weakened immune system, the disease passes into the wet form and the animal, after being ill for a short time, dies.

Symptoms

Feline viral peritonitis has various symptoms, which depend on the degree of development of the disease, the intensity of the animal’s immune system and general condition cat health. The main symptoms that are characteristic of infectious peritonitis can be identified:

diarrhea and vomiting (on early stages), especially in kittens;
prolonged lack of appetite;
sudden weight loss, especially noticeable loss of subcutaneous fat in the withers and lower back;
painful sensations when pressing on the abdominal cavity;

jaundice and anemia with damage to the mucous membranes;
at wet form diseases increase in abdominal volume;
kittens with peritonitis are noticeably stunted in growth;
depression;
accumulated fluid in the chest cavity causes shortness of breath, cough and the development of pleurisy;
when fluid accumulates in the heart sac, heart rhythm disturbances may occur;
enlarged lymph nodes;
slight increase in temperature;
fever;
possible disorders of the central nervous system, which manifest themselves in paralysis of the legs, convulsions, and coordination disorders of the cat, which are not typical for it;
there is clouding of the eyes;
possible conjunctivitis, damage to the iris;
depressed state of the animal, lethargy, decreased activity;
disturbances in the functioning of the intestines and digestive system;
in the dry form of feline peritonitis, symptoms of damage to the cat’s internal organs (liver, intestines, kidneys) sharply appear;
disturbance of stool and urination.

As a rule, feline infectious peritonitis leads to the death of the animal within a short time - no more than a few months. At strong immunity animal disease can progress to chronic form, in which the cat feels satisfactory. The process takes on a granulomatous form without the release of fluid. If the virus persists in kittens that have recovered from the disease, then with further weakening of the immune system, the disease may recur.

An accurate diagnosis of feline viral peritonitis can only be made by performing an autopsy of the sick animal based on histological and pathoanatomical changes in the internal organs. In specialized clinics, you can conduct a PCR (polymerase) study chain reaction), which can be used to determine the presence of a virus in a cat’s body. Alternative way diagnostics - take a puncture of the abdominal cavity from the animal and examine it in laboratory conditions ascites fluid. Blood tests, ultrasound, and Comparative characteristics symptoms and detailed study clinical picture diseases. Diagnosis is complicated by the fact that intestinal coronavirus and peritonitis virus are similar in genetic composition.

Treatment and prevention

Feline viral peritonitis is a disease that has no cure, progresses rapidly and is fatal. The disease in cats progresses very quickly from several days to several weeks. The wet form of the disease progresses faster. With this disease, symptoms are treated and supportive treatment is provided to alleviate the pet's condition. Maintenance nutrition, corticosteroids and antibiotics may provide temporary relief, but the disease will still progress. Animals are often euthanized.

In the early stages of the disease, steroid hormones can be used. The immune system cats, when the infectious peritonitis virus appears, produces antibodies and triggers a mechanism in which secondary signs arise - symptoms of viral peritonitis. The appearance of these signs indicates that the disease has entered an active phase. The use of steroid hormones makes it possible to suppress the immune system and prevent the formation of antibodies. This treatment cannot cure the disease, but it can help prolong life for a while pet.

Depending on the severity of the disease, your veterinarian may prescribe the following treatment:

immune correctors;
serum;
anabolic steroids;
antibiotic therapy;
vitamin therapy;
maintenance therapy.

It is currently impossible to cure the animal. Since diagnosing the disease is difficult, cases of cure of the disease cannot be confirmed, since there is no guarantee that the animal was suffering from infectious peritonitis and not intestinal coronavirus.

Examination of an infected animal

You can alleviate the condition of a sick cat using a puncture, clearing the abdominal cavity of exudate. At acute attacks For peritonitis, cold can be applied to the cat's abdomen. In acute cases, blood transfusion is possible. If the kitten is sick viral hepatitis, it should be switched to light food, enriched with vitamins, to support the weakened body.

Prevention of the disease consists of preventing the kitten from becoming infected with intestinal coronavirus. To do this, it is necessary to take the following preventive measures:

Monitor the cleanliness of the animal's toilet, change it more often and carry out disinfection regularly.
Provide each cat with a separate toilet.
The number of animals in the house should not exceed 8-10.
Kittens and their mother should be isolated from others for three months.
If there is a suspicion that a mother cat has been infected with coronavirus, the kittens should be transferred to artificial feeding and isolate them from others until they are sold.
A newly arrived cat should also be isolated from other animals for a month.

The mutated virus is not transmitted from animal to animal, and only mutates from the coronavirus of an infected cat. Peritonitis in cats is not a viral case, it is a situation where the animal's antibodies fight the virus itself.

To date, there is only one vaccine against feline infectious peritonitis - Primucell (Pfizer). But its effectiveness has not been proven, and its safety is highly questioned, so the attitude towards it is skeptical. The kitten is vaccinated at the age of 16 weeks and the drug is administered intranasally. In this case, immunity is created only for the mucous membranes, and not for the entire body. The degree of protection against the virus is only 50% and is valid only for animals positive for coronavirus enteritis. Therefore, as a reliable prophylactic this vaccine cannot be called.

For humans, feline infectious peritonitis does not pose any danger.

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Video “Peritonitis in a cat”

In this video you will learn what viral peritonitis in cats (VPC) is, who is sick, symptoms, treatment and prevention.

An attentive owner will definitely notice changes in the behavior of his pet. Owners of young cats and those whose age limit has crossed the 11-year-old line should be on their guard. Viral peritonitis is a dangerous disease.

Viral peritonitis in cats - what is the danger

When a person decides to have a pet, he is well aware that this is a huge responsibility. When bringing an animal into your home, you need to clearly understand that now the life and health of this furry creature depends entirely on your care. Feeling this, the cat or dog will repay with devotion and love, giving a lot of unforgettable moments.

Most often, a pet becomes a full-fledged member of the family, and if it gets sick, they worry about it as if it were loved one. Loss four-legged friend Children and lonely people experience this especially painfully. To protect your family pet from illness and loved ones from shocks, it is better to find out in advance about possible diseases cats, to prevent their development.

Viral peritonitis primarily affects young cats under two years of age and individuals after eleven. This does not mean that the disease is not scary for those who do not fall into this group. Infectious peritonitis in cats is caused by a virus of the coronavirus genus. But if, according to scientists, coronavirus is present in the body of every cat, then peritonitis is caused by its mutating forms. It is believed that the mutation occurs after the animal has suffered stress. This disease is rare - about 10% of animals become infected with this disease, but, unfortunately, the number of deaths is 100%. A natural question arises: why such a high mortality rate? The fact is that this disease is relatively young. It has been known to science only since the 80s, so very little has been studied. To date, there are only assumptions about the origin of this disease. A cure has not yet been found. Doctors can only alleviate the animal's suffering. In addition, there is no vaccination, which makes the situation worse.

As mentioned above, cats under two and after eleven years of age suffer first of all. It was found that the infection occurs by mouth. Sources of infectious peritonitis can be:

contaminated food, if it was previously eaten by a cat who is a carrier of the disease;
feces containing the virus accidentally entered the animal’s mouth;
cats licking each other;
mating of animals in nurseries;
infection of the kitten by the mother.

Another version of the development of the disease is a mutation of the coronavirus. That is, it is known that this virus is present in every pet, but until a certain point it does not make itself felt. After an animal experiences stress or illness, the virus mutates and viral peritonitis occurs.

Symptoms of viral peritonitis

Every loving owner will notice the slightest change in the condition of their beloved four-legged friend. You should be alert to the following unusual phenomena:

lack of appetite;
weight loss;
increase in abdominal volume;
depression;
shortness of breath;
dryness of the upper eyelid;
change in the shape of the pupil.

How does infectious peritonitis occur in cats?

Viral peritonitis has two forms of manifestation:

Exudative form of the disease. Also called “wet”. It is characterized by sweating (accumulation) of fluid in the stomach, which leads to inflammatory processes. Fluid can also form in the heart, disrupting the functioning of this organ.
Non-exudative form or dry, accompanied by damage to the eyes, internal organs, and nervous system.

Unfortunately, after 2-5 weeks the affected animal dies.

The first thing you need to pay attention to is a sharp decline weight of the pet, with an increase in the abdomen. The cat may behave strangely, for example, change its mood quickly. Paralysis of the limbs, most often the hind limbs, is observed.

If you notice these symptoms, you should immediately go to the veterinarian. To make a diagnosis, a puncture of the abdomen is performed. But only after autopsy of an already deceased animal can it be confirmed.

Treatment for peritonitis

Due to insufficient research of this disease To date, there is no way to cure an injured pet. The disease irreversibly affects the internal organs, and they stop functioning. Doctors administer antimicrobial and antiviral drugs. Fluid is pumped out from the abdominal cavity. But it doesn't give positive results, and still the animal dies.

It should be remembered that this disease is not transmitted to humans. That is, you can care for your pet without fear of being infected.

Disease prevention

If infectious peritonitis cannot be cured, you can try to protect your cat from the possibility of acquiring it. To do this, you need to follow the following recommendations of leading veterinarians:

protect the cat from communicating with other cats;
if you have several animals, you need to constantly keep the toilet clean and wash with disinfectants trays;
prevent stress in your pet;
provide adequate nutrition;
Avoid visiting places where there are a large number of cats.

Viral peritonitis causes pathomorphological changes in the animal's body. There is no cure for it, only relief of the symptoms. In order not to encounter this terrible disease, you need to remember all the recommendations of specialists and take care of your pets.

Peritonitis in cats is an inflammation of the peritoneum, or rather, the mucous membrane of the abdominal organs. At risk are young animals aged from 6 months to 5 years. The prognosis is very alarming if a cat gets sick. Death almost always occurs. The fact is that there is no cure for peritonitis, and therapy in most cases is aimed at maintaining and prolonging the life of the pet.

What kind of disease is peritonitis, how a cat becomes infected with it, types and forms of peritonitis, the main symptoms of infection and treatment are in our article.

How does a cat become infected with peritonitis?

Peritonitis- This infection, pathogen - . It is registered in many cats, but they do not always develop the disease. Occurs in a healthy pet as a result of sniffing or licking the feces of a sick cat. For several months after infection, the cat's feces contain the virus. Also most of infected animals are observed in nurseries (i.e., in places where four-legged animals gather) and after visiting exhibitions. The virus undergoes significant mutations, and the cat may simply be its carrier. The virus will begin to progress when a provocation occurs: weakened immunity, stress, or general weakening of the body after an illness.

What is the danger of peritonitis and its similarity to AIDS

The cat's immune system produces antibodies, but they are not able to destroy the virus. Therefore, immunity works in the opposite direction: instead of destroying the virus, it actively spreads through the vessels to all organs where inflammation begins.

Forms of peritonitis

There are two types of viral peritonitis in cats:

- escudative(fluid appears in the abdominal cavity, the cat’s belly swells and feels like a balloon filled with water.

- dry(liquid is not formed, but the central nervous system, kidneys, liver are affected - accompanied by jaundice, eyes, lungs, lymph nodes).

Symptoms of peritonitis

3. Loss of appetite.

4. Apathy.

6. Fever bodies.

7. (for liver damage).

8. Seizures or loss of coordination.

9. Abdominal pain.

10. Enlarged lymph nodes.

11. Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity - plump abdomen (with wet peritonitis).

12. Shortness of breath (with wet peritonitis).

12. With dry peritonitis, the process of excretion of urine and stool is disrupted.

Treatment of peritonitis in cats

Viral peritonitis in cats not treated. To date, no medicine has been developed that kills the virus. All therapy is aimed at maintaining the animal’s vital functions. If you contact a veterinarian in time and he immediately makes the correct diagnosis, the animal can live with this disease for more than a year. If you contact a doctor late, it is recommended to euthanize the animal.

Therapy is aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disease and supporting the body’s vital functions. The veterinarian will introduce medications that suppress the immune system, these are steroid hormones or other immunocorrectors, vitamins and antibiotics.

Painkillers and heart support medications are also prescribed.

If fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity, apply a dry, cold compress to the cat's abdomen. To prolong the cat's life, the veterinarian prescribes surgery to drain fluid from the abdominal cavity. After the operation, after some time it will form again, but for a short period the cat will not suffer from abdominal pain.

The mortality rate for viral peritonitis is extremely high. A number of veterinarians talk about 100% death of the animal from this virus, some claim a small percentage of surviving but not recovered animals - 10-15%.

There is a second type of peritonitis - infectious peritonitiscats. Typically, it occurs as a result severe injury abdomen or rupture of internal organs, for example due to a fall or accident. Also, feline infectious peritonitis occurs after surgical intervention in case of violation of aseptic requirements.

Infectious peritonitis in cats: symptoms andtreatment has the same as with viral peritonitis. The only difference is if the disease provoked serious injury. It is often eliminated by surgical intervention, and then drugs that relieve pain, antibiotics of the penicillin group, are administered.

What to feed a cat with peritonitis

A sick cat should be fed exclusively according to the diet prescribed veterinarian. We recommend special food designed for cats with digestive problems. Such nutrition will be easily digestible and fill the body with vitamins and minerals.

Vaccine against peritonitis

The drug is called "Primucel". Does not provide 100% protection for cats against the virus. A small dose of a weakened virus is injected into the body, which spreads in the upper respiratory tract, as a result of which immunity of only the mucous membranes should be developed.

If a pet lives with a carrier of the virus, the vaccine protects it only by 75 percent. However, this is better than absolute vulnerability. The vaccine is given when the kitten reaches 16 weeks of age.

Prevention of peritonitis

Under no circumstances allow your pet to come into contact with neighbors or stray animals.
Don't let him go outside without vaccination. Carry out antihelminthic measures regularly.
Always clean and wash your cat's bedding and periodically disinfect the room.
Wash bowls with disinfectant.
Remove the tray in a timely manner.
Avoid stress for your cat.
Provide.
Do not neglect to consult a veterinarian when obvious signs ailments.