Feline Infectious Peritonitis

[jenclute]

I just learned a week ago that our beautiful calico cat named Callie has FIP and it is killing me to watch her go through this horrible disease. I hold her as much as possible and try to keep fluids in her but she continues to get worse. The vet told me last week that she may get better but it will be long recovery. Is this true? Because everything I have researched about FIP tells me that this is a fatal disease. She is now paralyzed in both her hind legs and urinates herself continuously, she also has seizures. I don't know if I can put her to sleep however I do not want her to suffer. Please tell me what you know about this horrible disease that has taken my precious Callie.

[missmyty]

I am so sorry to hear about your Callie. I lost my Tyler December 9, 2007, I cry every night I go to sleep without him. I agree that is the hardest choice you will make, but I saw Tyler losing use of his legs, having accidents, not eating, hiding under everything and just not giving me the hint of happiness and I decided I loved him enough to let him go. Your vet must be just giving you false hope, because it only gets worse, unless it is not really FIP. Because FIP effects the immune system, other viruses can have a fatal effect. The effusive (wet) FIP that Tyler had was filling his abdomen with fluid, which in turn made it difficult to breath. I had his abdomen drained twice, in less than 2 weeks....and I work at as a vet tech, I had resources....but still nothing could save him. The day I was going to euthanize him, he woke me up howling and had wedge himself between a chair and a wall, i picked him up to sooth him. He began to gasp for air, I rushed to get out the door to the emergency vet, but he was gone in under a minute. He was taking that weight off of my shoulders, I thank him for that, but if I would have known he'd struggle as he did, I would have helped him much sooner. I wish you luck in your choice, but whether its 1 month or 1 year, it will still be painful. Get a second opinion, but nothing will cure it, it kills quicker than most cancers..there's no treatment, you are just helpless. I know you want to save her, but I don't want to lie, I wish someone would have told me how truely horrible it is...no one did, just false hope and it broke my heart more. I was obsessed with saving him, but there was no way, honestly, no way. If you need to talk more, let me know. Again, I am so sorry, my prays go out to you.