2/28/21 – Mileena Update!! Remember Mileena. She is the Bengal cat who was very sick and diagnosed with what the doctor thought was FIP (feline infectious peritonitis).
According to the Pet Health Network, FIP is a progressive and often fatal disease that is caused by a coronavirus. In most cases, the virus causes mild, treatable symptoms in cats but in rare cases the coronavirus may mutate to a more virulent form which is able to weaken the cat’s immune system and spread throughout the body by way of the white blood cells, often resulting in death. Kittens and cats under the age of 3 are at greatest risk for FIP. Not all cats exposed to FIP will develop the disease but it can be spread through a cats feces. Once developed though it can stay active for a long period of time, until surfaces are thoroughly disinfected. There are two forms of FIP. An acute form, often referred to as ‘wet’ and a chronic form known as dry. The ‘wet’ form comes on suddenly and its most common sign is a buildup of fluid in the abdomen and chest cavity causing difficulty in breathing, and, in some cases, a swollen abdomen. With the ‘dry’ form there is no fluid buildup; instead, lesions develop on the organs, often resulting in neurological symptoms such as seizures or paralysis. Liver and kidney problems may also occur. Most often there will be weight loss and depression. A cat showing these symptoms should always be seen by a veterinarian who can examine and perform some tests. At this time there is no known cure for FIP.
Mileena was to start on a trial drug but with antibiotics and home care she started to get better. And, today, I want to report that she is doing great. She has continued to see our veterinarian for blood work and will once again be going in again to have her kidney functions checked. It is absolutely certain that she had the virus but may have been lucky enough that it didn’t mutate to the deadly level.
I received an update on Mileena yesterday who will be adopted by the wonderful family who took her in when she was so very sick. Once Mileena gets the go-ahead to get spayed and vaccinated, she will be all theirs. Here is Mileena with her new BFF, Garpy and how she looked when she first came into our lives. I hope this update makes you smile as much as it made me smile. – diana
