Update on FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)

fingers crossed it's just a bizarre coincidence.....

@Toon does the organisation have an online website with a contributions link that people can use to donate ?

JIm

@shotokan101

Sadly Jim its not as our out of area vet has indicated he is surprised we haven't had more.. as Paphos has been hit hard since we last spoke.

The organisation I volunteer for... Only TNR .....have a web page and Facebook page with details of our donation routes

Website... onlytnr.site123.me

Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/peyiacoralbay

Only TNR are setting up a Cyprus based crowdfunder dedicated to FIP treatments at the moment so watch this space

Crowdfunder almost ready just awaiting ID verification to approve ....

So not far away now

@Toon will that accept PayPal?

Jim Not sure but I will let you know know once it's completed as a registered charity  organisation theres loads of paperwork required to do almost anything new including setting up accounts and fundraisers ....AML  requirements and all that jazz

Ok both crowdfunders are now in place and are available from the site onlytnr.site123.me .

PayPal not available at the moment

It's great to give this update as both Tyson and Pamela are responding well to the FIP medication treatments according to our vet.

However we have now identified that Aphrodite (Tyson's girlfriend a much smaller cat ) has been diagnosed with Feline Corona virus which is very similar to FIP.

https://gogetfunding.com/only-tnr-fip-treatments/

Update

So, first the good news: Tyson is responding well to his medication and we are hopeful that he is going to make it.

His girlfriend Aphrodite (who had stopped eating after Tyson was brought to the vet and who subsequently joined him at the vet) does not have feline infectious peritonitis (“FIP”) but was diagnosed with feline coronavirus (“FeCV”) - which hopefully isn’t as bad as it sounds.

FIP is a far more serious illness than FeCV. FIP is caused by specific strains of FeCV but most strains of FeCV do not cause significant medical issues. FeCV cats usually do not show any symptoms during the initial viral infection but may occasionally experience brief bouts of diarrhea and/or mild upper respiratory infection which they can generally recover from without veterinary assistance. In Aphorodite’s case, she received some antibiotics and has been released back to her home – patiently waiting for the return of Tyson.

Having said that, FeCV mutates into FIV in about 10% of cases, so we shall keep a close eye on her – she has an approximately 90% chance of not developing FIP. 

The bad news is that Pamela (who is from a different colony) has not responded properly to the tablet-form medication she has been receiving and she has had to be drained of fluids yet again. She is eating but obviously she needs not to be continuously filling up with fluids. To this end, the vet has switched her to an injectable form of the medication which he hopes may produce better results. Poor Pamela needs a bit of good luck here…. ☹.

Hi @Toon ,

How are Tyson and Aphrodite doing?

Jim

Latest update ....

FIP UPDATE

Pamela and Tyson our 2 FIP cats are both doing well – they are a little more than half-way through their treatment, and fingers-crossed, it looks like they are both going to make it!

While Tyson  was on the road to recovery pretty much straight away, Pamela was touch-and-go.  Her initial tablet-based medication didn’t work but then the vet changed her treatment to being one of injections and that seems to have kick-started her recovery such that she is now doing well. She is now back on the (less expensive) tablet medication and other than being cooped-up at the vet she is fine so that barring unexpected developments, she will be back at her humble abode off the Coral Bay strip in a month or so’s time. Many thanks to those who have donated so far for their treatment and helped to save their lives – it is much appreciated! The combined veterinary costs over the last month were just under €1,000 so please check out our funding request if anyone else can see their way to help these adorable kitties… They have both used up at least one of their nine lives (probably two of them in Pamela’s case…), so at least seven more to go….

FIP Crowdfunder https://gogetfunding.com/only-tnr-fip-treatments/

That sounds like good news @Toon 👍

Jim

@shotokan101

Hopefully they both continue to improve ... But just shows how dangerous FiP is ...especially for domestic cats who maybe allowed to be and roam outside and may come into contact with full on community or feral cat groups

@Toon

Yes indeed - we stopped allowing our cats to roam outside a good many years ago following a series of unnecessary accidental deaths.

We did have an outdoor "Catio" built so that they still have some sort of outdoor access.

Despite them being effectively "house cats" we still keep them fully vaccinated/wormed etc.

Do you think that over time the feral FIP situation might "self regulate" and die out or will it be a long term problem with the feral population permanently being "carriers" ?

Jim

Sadly with the ever inreasing cat population I can't see it going away anytime soon

@Toon

I was sort of thinking that, sad and horrific as it would be, with most of the feral not getting any treatment then the majority of those would either die or recover with some form of immunity.

This would obviously radically reduce the "inevitable population" and therefore might be enough to all the dreaded "herd immunity" to come into play.....

Jim

I agree that's one of the reasons behind Only TNR  model program of feeding and neutering as we monitor our community cats colonies for new arrivals then trap Neuter and return accordingly.  We have 20+ daily volunteers across 23 government registered feeding stations in Coral Bay and Pegeia and spend approx €30000 per year on neutering feeding and vets bills.... Most of our funds are raised via private donations quiz night proceeds and our Charity shop in Coral Bay.

The problem with FIP is it's highly infectious especially in groups.  We have been lucky so far as only two have been found and diagnosed and then treated in our colonies ... A further major expense as treatments are mega expensive and are required to be administered daily in a controlled environment in a vets surgery which means boarding for 86 days with that added  expense. For the meds to be effective they must be administered at the same time each day... Luckily for the two cats we have found one of them is being fully paid for by a private donor and the other is being financed by Only TNR

The problem being further exacerbated by free living cats wandering and roaming from place to place in search of a bit of feline fun and food...

It's a never ending battle... But we can only do our best

Definitely an uphill struggle and thank god that there's caring people like yourself and the rest of the TNR volunteers who are prepared to invest their time and resources to help the cats.

Jim

Cheers Jim I will pass your comments on to the Organisation

Good news at long last...it's been a long drawn oot treatment but essential ... the FIP cats were released today. Pam collected Tyson and took some photos.

Tommy collecting Pamela and will take some photos

Tyson and Pamela was discharged today after 84 days in the Pet hospital.

Tyson was reunited with his friends and girlfriend Aphrodite. He did a lot of exploring and I guess has now wandered off to sleep.

He didn't look traumatised at all and I  hope he will settle back home.

Can  I say a big thank you to those of you who sponsored them.