Feline infectious peritonitis : Typical findings and a new PCR test

375 A 1-year-old castrated male domestic shorthaired cat was presented for evaluation of a 10-day history of lethargy, anorexia, decreased water consumption, and apparent discomfort. A complete blood count and serum chemistry profile revealed hypoalbuminemia, leukocytosis, and neutrophilia. The results of a combined ELISA test for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus were negative. On presentation, the cat was quiet, alert, and responsive, and it had pale mucous membranes. It also had a distended abdomen and a fluid wave. Abdominocentesis yielded a yellow viscous fluid with a total protein concentration of 4.6 g/dl and a nucleated cell count of 2,500/μl with 90% segmented neutrophils. Given the effusion’s characteristically high protein concentration and relatively mild inflammatory reaction, we tentatively diagnosed feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and informed the owners of the poor prognosis. The owners elected euthanasia and gave their consent for a postmortem examination.