Not every cat owner may imagine their cat being diagnosed with cat FIP. This deadly infectious disease can make your cat suffer through hell. The worst part about cat FIP is that it is incurable. A cat suffering from cat FIP is a nightmare. You have loved your pet all your life investing your emotions in this cute creature and now you have to see it suffer. The process can be heartbreaking. A common question that erupts in the cat owners’ minds is for cats with FIP when to euthanize?
The question is as complex as the disease itself. Euthanization can be a physically and emotionally draining process. For both, you and your cat. Infected cats have to go through a lot of medications and FIP treatment can be exhaustive. There can come a situation where the cat owner must decide when to euthanize a cat with FIP. For that to happen, let us understand what Cat FIP is?
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What Is Cat FIP?
Feline FIP is nothing but a response by your immune system to the Coronavirus. The major cause of Cat FIP is a kind of coronavirus. The disease finds its roots in the feline coronavirus and hence affects the respiratory tract. The horror of the disease is that it mostly affects young cats. If your cat is under the age of 5, it can be infected. Do not be under the impression that the disease only affects the bred cats. The disease shows no mercy on the pure breeds as well.
The disease is of two forms, dry or wet. If your cat is suffering from wet FIP, it will cause swelling of the abdomen or may run fluids into the lungs. Wet FIP affects the blood vessels. This also shows that the cat will die in no time. in the case of dry FIP, it will make your cat suffer for months or years to come. Dry FIP affects certain organs and can result in vomiting, laziness, jaundice, etc. Most of the time, the disease is mild and does not affect much, but it can be uncurable in the later stages.
Is Feline FIP Treatable?
The most depressing part of the article is that the traditional cures do not work in this lethal disease. The vaccine cannot help your cat. This is because of the simple rule that a cat with FIP is infected and hence the vaccines do not work on it. According to Dr. Pedersen, there are new drugs that can be effective in the case of this disease. He points out that protease inhibitors and NUCs are the new age medicines for cat FIP. However, these two do not promise in curing your cat. Research is still on to find a cure for Feline FIP. The treatments, however, do not promise anything. This is the reason that mostly cat with FIP when to euthanize is a major concern to pet owners.
When Is The Right Time To Euthanize A Cat With FIP?
Euthanizing a cat is a heartbreaking question with no definitive answer. A pet can fight if you allow it to. We know that the disease is lethal but it can be cured as we believe in miracles! You need to give a chance to your cat. If the cat is in earlier stages there are chances that it may fight the disease back! This can happen only with proper medications, vet supervision, and your love and care.
There is only one thing that can determine the answer to a cat with FIP when to euthanize. The answer is simple and complex at the same time. what is life for? Living right? Is your cat living its life? What is the quality of the life of your cat? Do you sense that it wants to live or not? Only the quality of life that your pet is going through can determine the question of euthanizing a cat. If your cat has no zeal or power to live anymore, you only respect its wishes on agreeing to euthanization.
If you cannot afford the treatments and that has to lead you to the question of euthanization, let us help you here. There are a lot of animal welfare societies that may be able to help you. They can get you investments to save your poor little cat. You can also contact your vet. Every veterinary has a donation route. if you are lucky, you may get funding there as well.
Conclusion
To decide on a cat with FIP when to euthanize always keep in mind that “quality of life” should play the central role. If given a chance, your cat may survive. There are a lot of examples out there where a cat has fought the disease and has come back stronger!