My puppy has just eaten my cat’s poo and my cat has FIP

My puppy has just eaten my cat’s poo and my cat has FIP

by Jane
(Manchester)

This story begins with a question. Not a rhetorical want. I would love some answers anytime soon.

My puppy has just eaten my cats poo. The problem is, my cat is dying from FIP.

I don't know what do, can you help me? Can my dog catch this?

Thanks.

Jane

Hi Jane... thanks for visiting and asking. I am not a veterinarian.

It seems to me that we need to find the answer to two questions - these are not asked in the correct order but both are asked for completeness:

1. Can this disease cross from cat to dog?

2. If it can, can it be transmitted through cat faeces?

FIP transmission through cat feces

The Coronavirus (FCoV) causes FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). FCoV is shed in the feces and to a lesser degree in the saliva of infected cats¹.

Apparently the most common route for transmission between cats of the virus is through feces. The virus enters the cat through the nose and mouth²

FIP transmission from cat to dog

The virus cannot cross species so it cannot infect your dog. A dog sharing a house with an infected cat cannot catch FIP.

The disease is not zoonotic either. This means that we cannot be infected by the virus³.

Sources:
1.1. Addie DD, Jarrett, O: Use of a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for monitoring the shedding of feline coronavirus by healthy cats. Vet Rec 148: 649-653, 2001.

2. http://cat-chitchat.pictures-of-cats.org/2008/09/feline-fip.html

3. DR ADDIE - http://www.moggies.co.uk/articles/fight_fip.html

Links:

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

To original Flickr photo

FIP

My puppy has just eaten my cat's poo and my cat has FIP to Cat Health Problems