Aids HIV FAQ

FIP: The "Unknown" Cat Killer

Question:

> Hmm, my vet told us that the FIP vaccine is not very effective and

The FIP vaccine is very effective to prevent cats from getting infected via their nose, but it doesn’t prevent them of being infected by another   way, eg. biting. Sorry for my bad english Angelika —

Response:

> Secondly, our Buddy & Samantha have their annual vaccinations, which include > FIP preventative drops administered via their nose.  Before they had this done > I did ask their Vet all about this vaccine.  I have a brochure here which I’ve > read from front to back!  They both are immunized against FIP – a deadly and > airborne fatal disease.  Of course nothing is 100 per cent guarenteed, but at > the very least they’ve been immunized to cover every disease.

Hmm, my vet told us that the FIP vaccine is not very effective and because of this and the cost, he did not recommend we immunize our cats (both indoor only). I think he said the vaccination costs $100. Cost aside, we would have had the cats immunized if he hadn’t said the vaccine didn’t afford a great deal of protection. I wonder if there is something newer that he is not aware of, that is more effective? -yngver

Response:

> <snip> > The first effective FIP vaccine – PRIMUCELL FIP – became available more than > 25 years after the discovery of the disease.  Developed by SmithKline Beecham > Animal Health after more than a decade research, PRIMUCELL FIP is a > breakthrough in feline medicine. > PRIMUCELL FIP has been proven safe and effective in helping protect healthy > cats again the FIP virus, and is recommended for use in cat’s 16 weeks of age > or older. > <snip>

This is the vaccine that my vet feels is not sufficiently reliable to recommend.  Here’s what the Cornell Feline Health Center’s site says: "In multiple cat environments, keeping cats as healthy as possible and minimizing exposure to infectious agents lessens the likelihood of cats’ developing FIP. Preventing overcrowding, keeping cats current on vacci- nations, providing proper nutrition and adequate sanitation, and eli- minating feline leukemia virus infections can be helpful in reducing the incidence of FIP groups of cats. "The first FIP vaccine (Primucell FIP by Pfizer Animal Health) was introduced in 1991. It is a temperature- sensitive, modified-live vaccine. The vaccine is licensed for intranasal vaccination of cats at 16 weeks of age, with boosters in 3 to 4 weeks, and then yearly. Once a cat is vaccinated, its serum may have a positive coronavirus antibody titer. This could be a problem for cattery owners who use serologic testing to maintain a coronavirus-free population. "The vaccine appears to be safe, but various studies have yielded different estimates of vaccine efficacy. The role that Primucell FIP will ultimately play in protecting cats from FIP is not yet known; for the time being, discussions with your veterinarian should help you decide if your cat should be vaccinated." The Cornell site is at:     http://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/fhc/felinehealth.html Stacy Scott

Response:

> > I was wondering: Do people have the actual titer numbers from their > cats’ FIP test?  My cat tested "positive" for FIP and the vet said his > titer was 1:400. (The vet said this was high) Just curious to see what > other cats are running if they are diagnosed. > Gretchen >  Right before we put Tsimmes "to sleep", his titre was 1:1400 (now that’s high).  He had all the symptoms of "wet" FIP and was going downhill fast.  My understanding is that 1:400 is just one step above "absolutely negative" and should not be taken as any sort of proof of the presence of FIP.

Susan

Response:

> > > I was wondering: Do people have the actual titer numbers from their > > cats’ FIP test?  My cat tested "positive" for FIP and the vet said his > > titer was 1:400. (The vet said this was high) Just curious to see what > > other cats are running if they are diagnosed. > > Gretchen >  Right before we put Tsimmes "to sleep", his titre was 1:1400 (now that’s high).  He had all the symptoms of "wet" FIP and was going downhill fast.  My understanding is that 1:400 is just one step above "absolutely negative" and should not be takea >  any sort of proof of the presence of FIP. > Susan

Our vet gave us a brochure about FIP (only because we asked; both our cats tested negative but I don’t know what the titers were) and it says titers can be higher in a multi cat household, yet still be considered negative, than it would likely be in a single cat household. Something to do with the all the other viruses cats get exposed to. The point was that titre counts (unless extremely high like your Tsimmes) are open to the vet’s interpretation, and a slightly high count does NOT necessarily mean the cat will develop FIP. -yngver

Response:

> Our vet just said it means it’s very unlikely that they were ever > exposed to it, but it’s not absolute. > -yngver

That’s my understanding also.  We just watching carefully, testing, and crossing our fingers. Susan

Response:

I’ve had my share of FIP in our household, and what botheres me about the FIP is that a lot of the shelter still don’t test new cats for FIP. They usually test for FIV and FeLV.  They could have easily found out that my kitten had a very high titer level before she was adopted out.  Also, as soon as they found out her sibling had FIP, they should’ve contacted us rather than waiting for us to find out that she was dying, too. I’ve asked the shelter where my cat came from.  They said it’s too costly to test for FIP.  If they are testing for FIV and FeLV, does it cost that much more to test for FIP?  Does it matter that this disease could wipe out their whole shelter? I’ve brought all the literature I could find to this shelter to try to educate them.  I don’t know if it worked, but  I’ll keep trying to get the word out. -madoka

Response:

    I appreciate your concern.     Unfortunately, a negative titer does not rule out FIP infection. My Cleo died of FIP Jan. 3, yet always showed a negative (< 200) titer. It’s called a "false negative."     I downloadedt the following info from the Veterinary Information Network: "False negative results can occur because of the insensitivity of some test systems to low antibody levels, fulminating peracute infection with little opportunity for antibody generation, exhaustion of antibody production in the terminal stages of disease, or as a result of antigen-antibody complexing that leaves little antibody free to react in the test system," said Alice M. Wolf, D.V.M.     Yes, FIP is very frustrating, for cat owners and vets alike.

Response:

A titer of 200 is considered normal. The next "level" is 400, then 800, 1600 and, finally, 3200, which is the highest.

Response:

I empathize with you. I talked to the folks at my local shelter, too, and they said the same…it’s too costly. My vet charges $34. for the test, and I think it’s worth it. Shelters, for all the good they do, still operate on the bottom line, money. Since FIP is so rare, they figure it’s worth the gamble. Tell that to us who have recently lost cats to FIP. Small consolation.

Response:

Quite suddenly, on the Friday before Christmas, 1997, Cleo got sick. I noticed she was a bit lethargic and tired-looking. She was still eating and acting normal in every other way, so I was not yet moved to take her to the vet. By Tuesday, though, things took a turn for the worse. She was weak and had diarrhea, so it was off to the vet. She was running a fever, so the vet sent her home with a bottle of Clavamox antibiotic. She hadn

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