Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

I received a bad news last week.

My beloved cat, Chubby, was diagnosed with Feline Infectious Peritonitis, or shortly called FIP. It's a disease affecting cats, said to affect 1 in 5000 cats. My world came crashing down when the vet told me that the disease is fatal. And what an evil disease it is, cos as of now, there is no cure for it. T___________T 

 

The vet said he might have a week, a month or longer to live. It all depends on his body, and of course, our Creator.

My nightmare began earlier this month when I noticed that he was not acting like his usual mischievous self. Suspecting he was down with fever, I brought him to the clinic. He was indeed down with fever so the vet gave him a jab, and prescribed antibiotics and 'ubat kuatkan badan' for him.

he would snuggle up to us whenever we brought him to the vet

I went to Penang during Hari Raya holiday to visit my relatives. Imagine my shock when I came back home and saw him like this!

 close up

Such a huge belly! And I only left him (with my sisters) for 2 1/2 days.. 





According to the vet, the huge belly is due to the accumulation of fluid within his abdomen or chest.
 

There are two types of FIP, the 'wet' version (effusive) and the 'dry' version (non-effusive). My poor baby is obviously having the wet version.  

The culprit for this deadly disease is actually coronavirus. The cat can be infected by the virus, and do not develop FIP immediately. It can stay in their body for years. But over time, when the cat's immune system deteriorated, the virus may mutate and causes the FIP. :(

Read all about this lethal disease here.

As there's no cure for it, the best we can do now is to offer him unconditional love, and make him comfortable as much as we can. 

 

I bring him to the vet on a weekly basis now for check up and medicine supply to help prolong his life. Be strong sayang!