FIP in cats

Question
What I want to know is if you have had any success in treating FIP cats and if so what have you done to keep them alive and overall what is the average age they have lived til?  Did they need treatment continually after they were over 6.6lbs (3kg)?  We have a Scottish Fold, as far as we know it's pure.

I am an American living in Taiwan and am not 100% satisfied with some of the vets here.

Our vet did a blood test and blood chemistry when our kitten was 1kg, he used a type of white box that has two lines on it, added a chemical and if the line shows up then it's positive.  Do you know this test, is there a better one? Now, our kitten is 5.7lbs (2.6kg) and is almost 4 months old.  The vet has indicated that after 3kg it will be more stable. The vet says that 3kg is the magic number... why is that?

Right now our kitten continually, almost daily, has a fever. Her temperature will range from 100.4F to 104F.  I know 100.4-102.2 is normal. But hers often goes above 102. We can tell she has a fever when she sleeps she cannot get comfortable. We take her to the vet to confirm it.  

We have already spent an enormous amount of money to care for her over the last two months, she is showing signs of improved immune system, but of course we want her to be healthy. All the information I have read has stated most FIP cats die.  Our vet has said that if her immune system can be better she can live to 14 years.  

Everytime we bring her to the vet he gives her a 0.2 to 0.4CC shot of some kind of antibiotic.  She's had... probably 50-100 shots by now.

He is using anti-sestemic medication to treat her FIP to improve her immune system. He says her weight for her age is very good and we should be patient and continue doing what we are doing.

I hope this is enough information? I am willing to give you an email address if this questions requires more detail or more coorespondence.

Thank you so much for your help.

Jeff


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Followup To
Question -
Hi Dr. Gotthelf,

Do you have an experience or knowledge about FIP in cats?

Jeff
Answer -
Yes, what do you want to know?

Answer
FIP is not a treatable disease.  THe problem is that this virus punches holes in the lining of the blood vessels so serum leaks out.  There is nothing that will re-seal these holes.  So the cat gets a belly full of fluid. Attempts at treatment usually make this disease worse.

Fever is a feature of this disease because the blood vessels in the brain are also affected.

There is no test that confirms FIP that you can run in the office. We have to run coronavirus titers and if they are positive, we need to send off PCR confirmation.  That is very expensive and technically difficult. There is an in-house test for FeLV and FIV, but not FIP.