The treatment cycle for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is quite long. Have you been taking your cat for regular check-ups?
Typically, cats with FIP show significant improvement within a week of starting 441 treatment, and after about two weeks, their spirit, appetite, and overall condition should return to normal. Although it may seem like the cat is back to normal after two weeks, their body’s indicators may not have fully recovered yet. This is not visible on the surface and requires examination to detect.
So, when should cats with FIP be rechecked and what should we pay attention to?
If the treatment is showing significant effects (improvement in spirit and appetite), it is generally recommended that the first recheck be done a month after treatment. Some vets may ask pet parents to come back for a recheck after a week or two of treatment, but this is not very meaningful. It’s impossible for the cat’s indicators to improve significantly in just two weeks, and some may even decrease. As long as the cat’s spirit, appetite, and condition have improved significantly, it’s normal for the indicators to fluctuate or even decrease within the first month of treatment. This means that the cat is gradually recovering. After a month of treatment, the albumin-globulin ratio and other data will reach a small peak. After that, continue the medication and the indicators will slowly improve. It is recommended to recheck once a month, with the last recheck being a week before stopping the injections.
The first recheck should include a complete blood count, biochemistry (half set of biochemistry can be considered due to economic factors), and SAA. If finances allow, you can also check for ultrasound or X-rays (wet type to observe whether the effusion has decreased or disappeared; dry type to observe whether the lymph nodes have shrunk and whether the organ lesions have improved).
The second recheck can be adjusted according to the situation. If a certain item in the first recheck is qualified, it is not necessary to do this item in the subsequent rechecks.
Also, it’s generally recommended not to change hospitals for rechecks. After all, different hospitals may have different machines, and the data may vary (especially the results of ultrasound), which can affect subsequent medication guidance.
Additionally, let’s talk about the recheck before stopping the injections.
The standard treatment period for FIP is 12 weeks. Some pet parents reported that after the full 12 weeks, the recheck before stopping the injections showed that the albumin-globulin ratio was still not up to 0.8, or even only about 0.6. They felt that stopping the injections was not safe and were afraid of relapse, so they dared not stop the injections.
In fact, some cats naturally have a low albumin-globulin ratio. As long as the recheck shows that the albumin-globulin ratio is within the normal range, there is no need to be too obsessed with it being above 0.8. At this time, pet parents are advised to recall whether they have been giving the cat injections and medication on time and in the right amount every day. If they have been strictly following the treatment requirements, they can rest assured to stop the injections. However, if there are other situations (such as under-dosing, often more than 24 hours between injections), pet parents need to decide whether to extend the treatment period based on the situation.
If there are no problems during the treatment period, and the cat is continuously supplemented with nutrition to increase protein, but the indicators still do not rise, you can consult the doctor. After all, other diseases in the cat may also cause high globulin.
In conclusion, rechecking is essential during the treatment of feline infectious peritonitis. Only when the cat’s external state and internal indicators are both normal can we judge whether the cat is healthy or not. If you have any questions about FIP, you can communicate with the customer service doctor, who will answer your questions as soon as possible!