Steve

Steve – a nine-year-old, male domestic short-hair cat – presented to us having been off his food with a distended abdomen for a few weeks.

 

Steve was found to have a large build-up of fluid in his abdomen – a ‘peritoneal effusion’ - which sadly raised concerns for a cancerous process, such as lymphoma. Other possible diagnoses were feline infectious peritonitis (‘FIP’, caused by feline coronavirus), an unusual infection (such as toxoplasma), liver disease (such as cholangitis) and heart/vascular disease (such as right-sided congestive heart failure).

Steve underwent an echocardiogram to assess his heart function, computed tomography to assess for masses within his chest and abdomen, sampling of the abdominal fluid and liver tissue and bile, and extensive blood testing. He remained hospitalised for 10 days throughout this time on supportive treatments, and had his required nutrition administered through a feeding tube.

These investigations excluded cancer, heart/vascular disease, liver disease and unusual infections and the results lent more support for FIP. This was confirmed when feline coronavirus was visualised within the white blood cells in the abdominal fluid.

Historically, there has been no cure or beneficial palliative treatment for FIP and affected cats sadly would have passed away within months of diagnosis, but more recently there has been great success with the anti-virals, remdesivir and GS-441524.

Steve was started on injectable remdesivir and within 48 hours, his appetite had improved enough to be discharged back home without requiring tube feeding, and within two weeks his abdominal fluid had nearly disappeared. Steve’s brilliant owners continued to administer the medication at home (despite Steve not always being the most cooperative!) and after four months, the treatment could be stopped based on his clinical improvement and resolution in his FIP blood markers.

 

Steve has now been in remission for a year and a half and has been back to doing his normal favourite things – watching the birds and chasing dreamies - thanks to this newly available medication.

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