FIP & Canine Distemper

Question 1

FIP vs FEC cell preference for replication

Answer 1

FIP- prefers to replicate inside monocytes and macrophages

FEC- replicates inside intestinal epithelial cells

Question 2

FIP vs FEC- organ systems affected

Answer 2

FIP- can go systemically so it can infect various organs

FEC- intestines

Question 3

Signalment of cats at risk for FIP vs FEC

Answer 3

FIP- cats 6mo to 3yrs

FEC- kittens less than 1yr

Question 4

FIP vs FEC clinical signs

Answer 4

FIP- severe clinical signs with a fatal prognosis

FEC- mild diarrhea, good prognosis

Question 5

When does Effusive FIP (wet) occur? (think in relation to the immune system) Why?

Answer 5

completely impaired cell-mediated immune response but function humoral response

Why?? Humoral arm uses antibodies that recognize and attach to the virus and present the virus to the macrophage. PROBLEM b/c the macrophage is where the virus can replicate and get transported all over the body. The antibody-virus complex can also congregate around blood vessels. If there’s no cell mediated arm to combat this, the complex (and the macrophages) can cause gaps to open in the blood vessel, increasing vascular permeability.

Question 6

What happens when the blood vessels become more permeable in the case of effusive FIP?

Answer 6

• effusion of protein rich fluid (into the pleura or peritoneum, pending on where the blood vessel permeability occurs)
• neutrophils will also leak from the vessels
• eventually the neutrophils will release lysozymes that increase inflammation and results in endothelial cell necrosis and more vessel permeability

Question 7

When does Non-effusive FIP (dry) occur? (think in relation to the immune system) Why?

Answer 7

partial cell-mediated immune response is present

small amounts of virus are still replicated and accumulate in complex near blood vessels; vasculitis is present but not as bad as in effusive FIP; neutrophils are still able to get through the vessel wall and reach surrounding tissues

Question 8

What happens when neutrophils get through the vessel wall in non-effusive FIP?

Answer 8

they form small nodules filled with neutrophils (pyogranulomas) to develop on the surface of many abdominal organs

Question 9

Clinical signs associated with effusive FIP

Answer 9

nonspecific
weight loss
anorexia
depression

Question 10

Clinical signs associated with non-effusive FIP

Answer 10

nonspecific

often related to affected organs

Question 11

How does FIP alter a CBC?

Answer 11

neutrophilia as a result of increased neutrophil recruitment across the body

Question 12

How does FIP alter a serum panel?

Answer 12

Hyperglobulinemia and decreased albumin:globulin ratio

Question 13

How to test for FIP

Answer 13

If effusive, collect fluid from a body cavity and evaluate it for protein that leaks out due to the increased permeabilitty

Question 14

Are antibody titer useful for FIP diagnoses?

Answer 14

No because FEC can also induce the body to produce antibodies, and we can’t tell the difference between FIP and FEC antibodies; many kittens have undiagnosed FEC so testing for the antibodies would be pointless

Question 15

Nursing interventions for healthy FIP+ cat

Answer 15

not much can be done

avoid stressful situations

Question 16

Nursing intervention for sick FIP+ cat

Answer 16

therapy is aimed at prolonging a good QoL
concentrate on supportive/palliative care
fluid and nutrition therapy often needed

Question 17

After onset of clinical signs for FIP, how long do cats usually live?

Answer 17

1wk to 6mo

Question 18

FIP prevention

Answer 18

keep positive cats in one cat households

quarantine screen new cats for FIP antibodies

Question 19

Define peritoneum vs pleura

Answer 19

Peritoneum- tissues that line abdominal wall and cover most abdominal organs

Pleura- tissue covering lungs & lines interior wall of chest cavity

Question 20

Describe the Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)

what’s its genome, can it survive outside the body

Answer 20

enveloped RNA virus
only lives about 20min in exudates outside host
destroyed easily by disinfectants, heat, drying

Question 21

Signalment for dogs at risk for acquiring CDV

Answer 21

• unvax/immunocomp. animals
• typically puppies 3-6mo old
• usually have Hx of no vaccine series, poor husbandry/environment, unvaccinated dams, potential exposure to unvax animals

Question 22

How is CDV transmitted?

Answer 22

aerosolization of viral particles and inhalation into upper respiratory tract

Question 23

How is CDV primarily shed?

Answer 23

exudates and feces

Question 24

Where can CDV replicate?

Answer 24

lymphoid, nervous, and epithelial tissues

Question 25

What pathway does CDV take once it is inhaled?

Answer 25

virus phagocytized by the alevolar macrophage –> carried to bronchial LN –> virus disseminates through the body w/ a predisposition to infect respiratory tract, oculonasal, GI tract –> patient mounts antibody response and recovers; if it doesn’t mount an antibody response –> continued viral multiplication –> possibly gets into CNS –. demyelination and necrosis of nerves –> death

Question 26

What organ/body systems can CDV infect?

Answer 26

epithelial cells of conjunctiva, nasal, pharyngeal, and tracheal mucosa
epithelial cells of stomach and SI
CNS
Derm

Question 27

Clinical signs of CDV infection of conjunctiva, nasal, pharyngeal, and tracheal mucosa

Answer 27

ocular and nasal discharge (clear and colorless)
sneezing
occasional cough (nonproductive)
anterior uveitis
optic neuritis
retinochorditis

Question 28

Clinical signs of CDV infection of stomach and SI

Answer 28

anorexia
vomiting
diarrhea
dehydration and depression secondary to fluid loss and lack of nutrients

Question 29

Clinical sings of CDV infection of CNS

Answer 29

CS develop after original CS start to resolve
hyperesthesia
seizures (generalized or partial)
cerebellar signs
vestibular signs
(these CS typically get progressively worse)

Question 30

When are dermal signs of CDV usually seen, and what are they?

Answer 30

• usually occur in pets who survive the infection
• proliferation of cells that leads to hyperkeratosis of nose/footpads
• pustular dermatitis

Question 31

What is “old dog encephalitis”? What are it’s clinical signs?

Answer 31

• Describes CNS signs occurring in patients >6yr old who have survived CDV infection in the puppyhood
• Chronic condition that is often progressive
• Clinical Signs stem from the reaction of the immune system to the original CDV infection (depression circling, head pressing, visual defects)

Question 32

What are some things you can evaluate to possibly point toward a CDV diganosis?

Answer 32

• nonspecific changes in leukogam (lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia)
• development of inclusion bodies in RBC (first 2-9 days of infection)
• buffy coat and bone marrow to ID viral inclusion bodies
• antibodies to CDV in CSF may help support an active infection

Question 33

What is the prognosis for a CDV infection?

Answer 33

grave if CNS signs
favorable if pustular dermatitis
dependent on competency of pet’s immune system

Question 34

What nursing care can be offered to CDV patients?

Answer 34

Supportive;
fluids for GI signs
antiemetics for vomiting
anticonvulsants for seizures
antibiotics for assumed damage to mucosal lining of resp/GI tracts and to help prevent sepsis if normal GI bacteria translocates from mucosa into systemic circulation

Question 35

Prevention of CDV

Answer 35

• vaccinate

- don’t expose immunocomp./unvaccinated animals to unvaccinated animals