I need help please!

[shadowboxer881]

When i first got my baby she had a "Severe upper respiratory infection" which the Veterinarian said could compromise her immune system and make her susceptable to them later on in life. Since thanksgiving she has had 2 fevers of 104 that were barely detectable. I took her to the Veterinarian because she would cough a little bit, and i got nervous. The Veterinarian took her temp and twice now shes had a fever, and still acted fine. Today she has been throwing up, which isn't a usual occurence. The Veterinarian put the bug in my ear about FIP, and now i cant stop worrying. Is it possible that she is a carrier?, or that it is some other strain of the coronavirus showing itself as a fever, and mild infections? If she did have FIP wouldnt she have already passed on, since the last time she showed these symptoms was on thanksgiving? I really need help with this. Anyone who has experienced something like this i would appreciate your insight. Even if all the different FIP tests come back positive there is no way of knowing whether she is just a carrier, or if it is active, or if it is some other coronavirus strain.
-Kat

[Tucker'sMom]

I wish I could help you...hopefully someone here can.

[latergatorj]

ShadowBoxer- I'm not a Veterinarian, but here's my own knowledge and experiences.

A Veterinarian wrote this for me when I asked about FIP a few months ago. I had 2 of my kitties die from FIP a long time ago and i wanted to know more about the disease and what they understand about it now.

"The FIP test will only show if there was exposure to corona virus. Corona virus is a virus oin cats that causes mild bouts of GI problems in cats but is rarely fatal. FIP, however, is a mutated version of corona virus, creating cross reactivity on serological testing. And, it is estimated that greater than 75% of cats have been exposed to corona virus.

However, the FIP test is not useless. If negative, then it is conclusive evidence that there is no FIP. If positive, then other evidence in the routine bloodwork (elevated immunglobulins, elevated total protein), as well a clinical signs of FIP (straw colored free fluid in the abdomen, small lesions called granulomas forming on the liver, kidneys, and retinas, and lungs and severely high fever), can ofetn offer us resaonably certain diagnosis of FIP.

Now, is it contagious to other cats? THere is alot of controversy about this. Some believe that the corona mutation occurs outside tha feline host, which would make the virus contagious. However, a greater majority (myself included) believe that the mutation occurs within the feline host. And the factor that leads to the mutation is chronic repeated exposure to corona virus from an unclean environment. This theory postulates that hyperexposure to corona virus leads to an eventual hyper-immune response that causes mutation into FIP, a virulent, imminently fatal disease. This theory, backed up by strong scientific evidence, explains why there is higher rate of FIP among pure breed catteries, than well maintained shelters."

The Veterinarian also has a website where he wrote additional information he knows about FIP http://www.maybeckvet.com/fip.html

Also, I wished to mention, that the cold that your Veterinarian was talking about- that will result in your kitty being more susceptable to them reoccuring... probably means that your kitty has the feline version of herpes.
Please visit this website for more information on feline herpes.
http://www.maybeckvet.com/herpes.html

i hope this information helps. :-)