The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and EveryCat Health Foundation have released the 2022 AAFP/ EveryCat Feline Infectious Peritonitis Diagnosis Guidelines. These guidelines, published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, will give the necessary information to help veterinarians diagnose feline patients with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP).
“First recognized over 50 years ago, feline infectious peritonitis has been one of the most important infectious diseases and causes of death in cats, especially affecting young cats less than two years old,” Vicki Thayer, DVM, DABVP (Feline), task force co-chair, explained in an organizational release.1
“Further, FIP can be challenging to diagnose in some cases and is often considered an enigma by the veterinary profession. Today, diagnosis relies upon evidence from signalment, history, physical examination findings, and diagnostic testing. The 2022 AAFP/EveryCat Feline Infectious Peritonitis Diagnosis Guidelines serve as a critical resource for veterinary practitioners diagnosing FIP in their cat patients,” she continued.
FIP is a viral disease caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV) that affects any organ in the body and can be fatal when untreated. Because FIP can be a matter of life or death for patients, small animal practitioners must obtain a correct diagnosis. According to the guidelines, a FIP diagnosis can be straightforward if the patient presents with effusion, but it can get trickier if no effusion is present. The clinical signs of FIP can be systemic signs or signs that are specifically related to the organ believed to be involved, with or without fever.2
Tips for preparing diagnostic cytology slides from effusion
According to the new guide, here are some helpful tips to prepare cytology slides2:
- Be sure to place an adequate amount of sample in an ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) tube.
- Be sure to always use new, clean microscope slides
- Be sure to change each stain set up at regular intervals and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions
- Be sure to not heat-fix the slide. Instead, allow the sample to air dry completely before staining.
The new guidelines were created by a Task Force made up of Vicki Thayer DVM, DABVP (Feline) Co-Chair, Susan Gogolski DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), Sandra Felten DVM, DECVIM-CA, Katrin Hartmann DVM, DECVIM-CA, Melissa Kennedy DVM, PhD, DACVIM, Glenn A Olah DVM, PhD, DABVP (Feline). The Task Force has put together tips, images, tables, and algorithms. The guidelines also offer other supplemental resources such as videos, figures, instructions, figures, and more.
“These Guidelines were written with the intent of providing the most current knowledge available in one comprehensive format combined with extensive supplemental resources all in one location,” added Susan Gogolski, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), Task Force Co-chair. “The Guidelines will be an invaluable resource to veterinary teams around the world as a clinician builds the index of suspicion of FIP brick by brick.”
These guidelines have been released with the support of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.
References
- The American Association of Feline Practitioners and EveryCat Health Foundation Announce Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) Diagnosis Guidelines. News release. EveryCat Health Foundation. September 1, 2022. Accessed September 6, 2022, [email].
- Thayer V, Gogolski S, Felten S, Hartmann K, Kennedy M, Olah GA. 2022 AAFP/EveryCat Feline Infectious Peritonitis Diagnosis Guidelines. J Feline Med Surg. 2022;24(9):905-933. doi:10.1177/1098612X221118761
