Wellington cat saved from fatal virus by a pricey human drug

When Stephen Press took his lethargic and bloated five-month old Tonkinese cat, Tiff, to the vet, he was told she would need to be put down.

Tiff had been diagnosed with wet feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) – a feline coronavirus that causes fluid to develop under the animal’s skin. The disease is common in purebred cats such as Tiff, and, with much still unknown about the virus, was for many years seen as fatal by vets.

“He said there are lots of kittens in the world that need your love, that sort of thing.”

However, the family found an online community dedicated to treating FIP with the human drug remdesivir. After three months of treatment with the drug, Tiff has made a full recovery.

READ MORE:
* Australian student spends more than $10k to save pet with ‘cat coronavirus’
* Merlin the cat can’t magic virus away
* The Block NZ: Niki and Tiff’s artwork dropped off at Hospice Shop

New Zealand Vetinary Association head of vet services for companion animals Sally Cory said FIP was common in purebred cats such as Tiff, as well as cats that had been in breeding facilities, boarding houses, and shelters.

This was presumably due to the increased contact and stress on their immune systems caused by these areas.

While the disease was a coronavirus, it was in no way related to Covid-19. Most cats were exposed to it while they were less than two years of age, with the majority’s immune system saving them.

However, in some cats the disease mutated, leading to FIP. The disease could either be “wet” or “dry”, with the dry variant being neurological.

Cory said the disease affected every organ in the cat’s body, making them extremely unwell. Up until recent years, there hadn’t been any access to medication that could make a difference – until remdesivir entered the scene.

Remdesivir was a medication originally developed to combat Ebola virus in humans. While the drug was not affective against Ebola, it was effective against other viral infections – with FIP being one of them.

So far, the results had been extremely promising, and while the study was too new for it to be called a “cure,” remdesivir had put a “significant” number of cats in remission, Cory said.

“Seemingly, yes, these cats are cured, but we’ve only had access to the medication for the last couple of years, so it’s hard to say cure. But certainly, remission.”

However, there were significant costs associated with the medication and with the follow-up and monitoring that was needed during the treatment, which lasted three months.

Cody said she hoped the medication would become more widespread and affordable as time went on. As part of a vet’s duty of care, if a pet owner came to them with a cat which had FIP, they would now be told about remdesivir as an option to treat the disease.

“Up until fairly recently, FIP was a death sentence. And as clinicians, you know, our hearts would sink when we would see these cats … So it’s, at least regardless of cost, it’s nice to actually be able to discuss other options.”

Press said he managed to get his supply of remdesivir wholesale from a clinic, so only spent $2000 on his supply, but said he knew people who had spent $5000 to $15,000.

Tiff was injected once a day for three months. Because the disease was caught early, and the cat was young, she made a full recovery, Press said. During the treatment Tiff was transformed from being slow and tired to her usual playful self.

Press said he had no regrets about paying for Tiff’s treatment as, after five months of owning her, the cat had become a beloved member of his family.

He only wished more people knew about remdesivir as an option to treat the disease. If his daughter hadn’t researched the treatment online, Tiff would have had to have been put down, he said.