Our Sam was diagnosed with feline infectious peritonitis (PIF) which is caused by a feline coronavirus (FCoV). The treatment that gives an 87% chance of cure includes 84 injections but unfortunately has a very high cost.
Sam is our 3 year old cat who was adopted when he was just 2 months old.
In November last year he started to behave differently from the usual, since he lay for a long time, drink a lot of water and the hair started to become full of dandruff. The vet came over to the house and said he had a throat infection. He was medicated for the effect and improved for just a few days.
Again, getting worse, we decided to take Sam to another vet that we had a lot of confidence in. Sam already had spikes of fever, had lost weight and was apathetic. Screenings were carried out on the main diseases. Everything negative.
However, blood tests and fever suggested an infection but of unknown origin, which was not detectable by the veterinarian.
Exams and more tests, analyzes every 15 days, medication, suffering for both parties.
He was hospitalized several times, took several antibiotics to see which he reacted (trial and error) and corticosteroids to improve his symptoms and lower his fever. We made Sam suffer for 2 months, no diagnosis and in the end almost 500 € spent.
In March I thought to ask for another opinion. It was then that the vet told me that he had all the symptoms of PIF (feline infectious peritonitis) and that test he had done at the other doctor was certainly a false negative. We repeated blood tests and a proteinogram was performed. He did an ultrasound to see the condition of the kidneys and a cytology just to rule out possible lymphomas.
We were disgusted, sad, anguished. It is not fair we think! And now?
The veterinarian told us about a treatment with an 87% chance of cure from abroad where the medicine (injectable) is given daily for 84 days and after that there are 84 days of observation to see if the virus does not return to the body.
An alternative would be to give corticosteroids daily to improve the quality of life and know that a few more months and we would have to say goodbye to our beloved Sam. We decided to go ahead with the treatment but we knew that we were going to have a great deal of emotional and financial stress.
Our Sam started this treatment on the 13th of March and so far we have already spent around € 2000 on the medicine, adequate food, tests and tests for control, medication to relieve symptoms, etc.
The dose of the medicine is adjusted depending on the weight and type of FIP. Now, as our Sam weighs 3,400 kg and has the type of FIP in the dry and neurological form, the dose would still have to be higher (2.3 ml). Each bottle has 5.2 ml and costs 69 €.
At 4 weeks of treatment Sam did blood tests and the results were not the best. He resisted the medication, which we already knew could happen. Since then he has had a dose of 4.6 ml.
At the same time every day since March 13, my husband takes Sam to the clinic for an injection. It is not easy either for us or for Sam's sweetheart but we are all fighting for his life!
He's already put on weight but he's lost weight again and the reason for that is that Sam has a multi-resistant kidney bacteria, discovered through a urine culture a week ago. You don't have a big appetite. He has been taking antibiotics, the only one that can save him, because he already has resistance to others.
He also has inflamed back legs, barely walks, lies down right away and is taking anti-inflammatory drugs. Otitis and congested nose also persist because the defenses are down.
A series of complications appear to interfere with the treatment of FIP. But we think he will recover, the vet also thinks that we should not give up!
It is difficult to estimate the expenses that we will still have because it depends on the clinical evolution of our Sam. So in a very general way we think it will be in total for 4000 €, if it goes well from now on.
I was not able to put all the expenses invoices that I have from Sam because they are really many but I have attached as many as the platform leaves me. There is still a long way to go but it really has been very difficult and if it weren't for our friends we wouldn't have made it this far! Now we also can't give up in the middle and let the disease beat our Sam!
I come to appeal if you can help us in this fight! We need Sam and he needs us!
Please help us save Sam.
