OVC 2024 – An Update of FIP and its Treatment

There have been 2 stunning paradigm shifts in our understanding of FIP in the last 4 years: “FIP is invariably fatal” – this is now not true The world of FIP has changed completely since drugs to treat it became progressively more available over the last 2 to 3 years. Some countries are lucky enough to have >3 licenced drugs, while others have to work with unlicenced ones of unknown content. We are all still learning how best to use these drugs most effectively; that said, most studies show >85% success rates. Thankfully, shorter courses have now been shown to be as effective as long courses (6 v 12 weeks). Therapeutic drug monitoring, where we monitor the exact concentration of the drug (e.g., GS-441524) in the serum can help us to taylor the exact dose for individual cats. While the rate of improved understanding is impressive, the global picture is not at all consistent, so everywhere has to adapt their treatment protocols to the drugs and tests they have available in their country. “FIP is not directly transmissible” – sadly, this is also not true The massive outbreak of apparently directly transmissible FIP that has devastated the cats in Cyprus for ~18 months is caused by a new recombination – a type 1 FCoV spike plus the Spike gene from pantropic canine coronavirus. It has killed thousands of cats, and is causing twice as many neurological cases compared to ‘traditional’ FIP. What other legacies it is leaving are still to be determined. It does appear to be harder to treat than ‘traditional’ FIP. This lecture will cover both of these paradigm shifts in detail, presenting the most up to date information and how best to use it, including practical tips for successfully treating cats with FIP.