Interpretation is important to the homeopath. FIP is a mutant form of gut corona FeCoV (Feline enteric Corona Virus), which all cats have, the test being being negative for both FeCoV and FIP was (incorrectly) used to rule out FIP here. The blood work otherwise “screams” that this is FIP in a 3 yr old cat:
* High globulin and especially with high protein as well, is very specific for FIP, either the wet, dry or neurological form.
* Also, albumin is too low for a cat fed a high protein diet. All these signs are typical in FIP.
Putting these with the very low CK and BUN values:
* A very low CK (or CRK) for creatinine kinase occurs when there is no muscle activity to speak of because the muscle is wasted/wasting. In a cat with FIP, the cat has to burn its muscles for energy because the blood protein is all leaked out and no longer available. Whether the protein (blood plasma) is excreted (dry FIP) or accumulated in a body cavity (wet FIP) it is gone. Only muscle is there for protein fuel, the food cannot be utilized. So this is behind the low CK in FIP.
* A low BUN (blood urea nitrogen) compared to normal or low compared to how that cat’s normal looked before, is significant. This, like the low CK, is due to muscle loss. There is no protein in the blood to speak of, to be nitrogenous leftovers (the N in BUN is for nitrogen from protein metabolism) to be handled by kidneys. The blood is low/devoid of needed protein food as it all leaked out of the blood vessels due to FIP. Again this is not normal in young cats and is indicative of FIP. Add in that Newton was emaciated, had no energy, had fever that came and went, and it is hard to justify a negative FIP reading. The “antibody FIP tests” used are useless as they look for corona virus of any kind, not for FIP-sepecific corona virus.
Instead the FIP diagnosis was made 2 months later at the terminal stage, at which point he had these additional diagnostic features:
* FIP-PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction, a DNA test for corona virus) positive test “for FIP”.
* Effusion fluid withdrawn for diagnostics showed the typical FIP-only features of: large volume, yellow, clear, sticky, high-globulin fluid.
* Nasal granuloma was present and visible (though not recognized as such by the vet, who labelled it “some kind of lesion”).
* Muscle marasmus and general emaciation
* Hind end weakness
* Inability to digest food ( Abdominal xrays were taken-not useful).
* Dehydration (signs of which were already there in April in a relatively low potassium reading)
* High fever (FIP has recurrent fever during which the virus replicates in macrophage blood cells).
Missing Diagnostics here, which assist FIP diagnosis include:
* High Neutrophil count (aka Segs)
* Doehle bodies (basophilic granulomatous bodies) inside neutrophils on microscopy.
* Macrocytes that look “spongy”
These neutrophil and macrocyte lab results are especially relevant in FIP as the “toxic neutrophils” are the cause of the granolomatous inflammation as well as the actual granulomas. The FIP virus multiplies itself in macrocytes, making them look spongy, and then commandeers the neutrophils by preventing the controls for neutrophil numbers in the body from working.
This information can hopefully help other homeopaths to see an FIP problem without needing a vet’s diagnosis, so as to get a head start on the body damage caused, reduce the pandemic number of annual deaths (820,000 per year in USA for example) to something a lot less.
Newton’s case:
After the vet advised euthanasia on the above diagnosis, his owner sought a compassionate way to ease death rather than the chemical injection route the vet offered. Instead I suggested Cinchona officianalis (China) 30C be started soon as possible on 28 July, as a first step, this potency being handy locally.
I also advised a vet be found to drain the abdomen of excess fluid, to buy time. That is amazingly hard to do as most vets want nothing to do with cats who have diagnosed (hence terminal to them) FIP and the list of excuses not to help, is very long.
After China 30C, Fibonacci series was used and progression was made to China 34C, then 55C, then 89C, and 144C.
Some first aid measures were also needed to get some aspects under fast control in this late stage case:
* Ferrum phos protocol was used for high fever.
* Combined vomiting and diarrhea was handled with Arsenicum album, and a change of food plus slippery elm syrup, and feline gut health supports (pumpkin, rice bran, bifidus, PABA).
* Foods such as baby food meat with supplements added was hand-fed every 2 hrs.
* Subcutaneous hydration daily was instituted.
* A once only Intravenous drip of Vitamin C was used.
* Moducare, 1 capsule a day supplement was added for enhancement of immune system TH-1 activity (innate immune system enhancement).
The mobile vet in the area finally agreed to the draining procedure, and drained off most of the fluid, 600 ml, but also recommended a supplement (amino-biplex), which was added to the regime. This turned out to be a disaster in the making due to feline toxins in it. Toxins speed FIP disease damage and are all too common in “feline supplements”.
It is my finding that the slightest feline toxin makes FIP so much worse, that it will often lose the case. Newton started vomiting right away and could not stop. He was vomiting at every attempt to feed or drink. The new vet gave Nux-v which made it a lot worse. I advised Bach rescue remedy followed by Phosphorus 30C vomiting protocol (reference below) which took several hours to get the situation under control, after removal of the offending supplement from the routine. I also suggested making a remedy in 30C from the offending supplement as a detox – which was done, but only one dose was used.
The cat was near terminal as a consequence of this error, and terminal management was again discussed, however the F series China saved the day.
By 6 Aug when China 89C was started, Fluid accumulation had stopped, only about 9 days after beginning the remedy. (Compare with 3 weeks in the prior case.) No case previously had overcome fluid buildup in so few days.
China 89C was dosed several times more than needed in one day due to a misunderstanding and a serious aggravation resulted with fever and fast shallow breathing. The too frequent dosing coincided with the cessation of fluid accumulation and also with the change from wet FIP to dry FIP. A sign this was due to happen was the reduction of fluid without regaining muscle first.
Homeopaths need to avoid aggravation with the new F series, especially as they work so much faster, and can very quickly reach the stage needing tapering. They aggravate very sharply if dosed too often – even if it is the same dose rate as was needed the day before. The remedy may need tapering soon after the first 2 or 3 doses. Clients also tend to dose again and again when things are going well, due mainly to the allopathic approach of doing just that – for example allopathy says “dose the antibiotic regularly, do not stop when you see improvement”. It is difficult for an owner under extreme stress to pick up a totally new concept of not dosing when the remedy is working. Yet that needs to be stressed even more with F series than regular C potencies, as they work faster than expected. (Maybe we shall get used to that!)
The aggravation was managed by using Aconitum napellus 200C and China 89C, in one drop aqueous doses, alternating every 3 hrs, My rationale was to undo the aggravation while still not losing momentum in the case. In FIP if one loses momentum one usually loses the case.
I also had not realized till days later that the FIP was changing from wet FIP to dry FIP and the entire symptom picture had changed suddenly, literally overnight. The new symptom picture looked like this :
* No more abdominal fluid
* Nose congestion, discharge and scabs …. lesion was worse (In hindsight this would have been a clue that it was changing if watched more carefully)
* Fur loss around neck (later turned out to be due to a neoprene collar – toxic)
* Fur loss on top of head (later turned out to be from flame retardant under couch – toxic)
* Orange (pale) blood in stool
* Lower limbs give way
* Nauseated all day
* Hiding under the couch
Aur Met was chosen based on:
MIND – HIDING – himself
NOSE – COMPLAINTS of nose – Internal nose
NOSE – CONGESTION
NOSE – DISCHARGE – crusts, scabs, inside
NOSE – DISCHARGE – crusts, scabs, inside – right
NOSE – DISCHARGE – crusts, scabs, inside – yellow
NOSE – INFLAMMATION – Inside
NOSE – INFLAMMATION – Tip
EXTREMITIES – GIVE WAY – Lower limbs
Newton now looked this way, no effusion fluid but skin and bones, very weak:
Aurum was used for a day or so while I re-analyzed the entire rapidly changing, worsening case.
Next day new symptoms added were:
* Vomiting and Diarrhea
* Pale upper palate
* Obvious distress
* Jaundice around eyes
* Yellow gums
* Blocked bladder, unable to urinate
* Crying
I recognized this as fast moving dry FIP, no more wet FIP at this point, and that the nose “lesion” was indeed a granuloma, and there would likely be others internally. This put me in awkward territory for repertorizing (too few appropriate rubrics for granulomas) and I reverted to the method of using a lot of rubrics to see if that would bring up the right remedy, as key issues did not have ideal rubrics.
Here is what I used to come up with Plumbum. I offer this long list to demonstrate a way around the lack of granuloma rubrics, and to give an example of how I arrived at suitable FIP remedies over the past years (so as to develop some FIP related rubrics based on cured cases).
The rubrics containing Plumbum are asterisked in the first set.
- MIND – DESPAIR – recovery, of – convalescence, during
- MIND – HIDING – himself
- *STOMACH – APPETITE – wanting
- STOMACH – APPETITE – wanting – accompanied by – nausea
- STOMACH – APPETITE – wanting – diseases – severe disease; after
- STOMACH – APPETITE – wanting – thirst – without
- STOMACH – IRRITATION – accompanied by – vomiting
- *STOMACH – NAUSEA – anxiety – with
- STOMACH – NAUSEA – jaundice; with
- STOMACH – VOMITING – accompanied by – Face – pale
- STOMACH – VOMITING – accompanied by – Skin; yellow discoloration of
- *STOMACH – VOMITING – afternoon – 14-15 h
- *STOMACH – VOMITING – constant
- *STOMACH – VOMITING – inclination to
- *STOMACH – VOMITING; TYPE OF – bile
- *STOMACH – VOMITING; TYPE OF – food
- *STOMACH – VOMITING; TYPE OF – gray
- *ABDOMEN – DROPSY – ascites
- *ABDOMEN – EMACIATION of muscles of abdomen
- ABDOMEN – LIVER and region of liver; complaints of – accompanied by – anemia
- RECTUM – DIARRHEA – jaundice; during
- *BLADDER – PAIN – Neck of bladder
- *BLADDER – PAIN – Neck of bladder – burning
- BLADDER – PAIN – urination – during – agg.
- *SKIN – DISCOLORATION – yellow
- *GENERALS – ANEMIA – accompanied by – emaciation
- GENERALS – ANEMIA – accompanied by – vomiting
- GENERALS – CONVALESCENCE; ailments during
- *GENERALS – EMACIATION
- GENERALS – FOOD and DRINKS – food – aversion – convalescence; during
- *GENERALS – REACTION – lack of – convalescence, in
I also looked at these separately, as I am a great believer in the notion that mind symptoms must be covered well – and indeed these also pointed to Plumbum:
- MIND – ANXIETY
- MIND – BROODING
- MIND – CONTRARY
- MIND – DELUSIONS – place – different places at a time; of being in
- MIND – EGOTISM
- MIND – FEAR – approaching; of – others; of
- MIND – FEAR – strangers, of
- MIND – OBSTINATE
- MIND – QUARRELSOME
- MIND – SENSITIVE
- MIND – SENSITIVE – touch, to
- MIND – SENTIMENTAL
- MIND – TOUCHED – aversion to be
- STOMACH – VOMITING; TYPE OF – gray
- GENERALS – LASSITUDE
Then next day I did it all from scratch and used these:
- MIND – ANGUISH
- MIND – COMPANY – aversion to – alone amel.; when
- MIND – COMPANY – desire for – evening
- MIND – COMPANY – desire for – friend, of a
- MIND – DEATH – desires
- MIND – LAMENTING
- MIND – LOOKED AT; to be – evading the look of other persons – spoken to; when
- MIND – MOOD – changeable
- MIND – MORNING
- MIND – MOROSE – morning
- MIND – OBSTINATE
- MIND – SENSITIVE – touch, to
- MIND – SHRIEKING
- MIND – SHRIEKING – rage; during
- EYE – OPEN lids – wide open
- EYE – WILD look
- RESPIRATION – ANXIOUS
- RESPIRATION – DIFFICULT – drinking – agg.
- RESPIRATION – DIFFICULT – periodical
- SKIN – TOUCH – agg.
- GENERALS – ALONE; being – amel.
- GENERALS – ANEMIA – accompanied by – emaciation
- GENERALS – ANEMIA – corpuscles; from reduced red
- GENERALS – ATROPHY – Muscles; of – progressive
- GENERALS – CHANGE – symptoms; change of
- GENERALS – CHANGE – symptoms; change of – rapid
- GENERALS – DYSTROPHY – Muscles; of
- GENERALS – EATING – after – agg.
- GENERALS – EMACIATION – progressive
- GENERALS – EMACIATION – rapid
- GENERALS – FOOD and DRINKS – food – aversion
- GENERALS – LOSS – fluids, of
- GENERALS – NIGHT
- GENERALS – PERIODICITY
- GENERALS – QUIVERING
- GENERALS – RUBBING – gently – amel.
- GENERALS – SENSITIVENESS – Body oversensitive; whole
- GENERALS – VOMITING – agg.
- GENERALS – WEAKNESS – excess, after any
I still came up Plb each time.
- MIND – ANGUISH
- MIND – COMPANY – aversion to – alone amel.; when
- MIND – COMPANY – desire for – evening
- MIND – COMPANY – desire for – friend, of a
- MIND – DEATH – desires
- MIND – LAMENTING
- MIND – LOOKED AT; to be – evading the look of other persons – spoken to; when
- MIND – MOOD – changeable
- MIND – MORNING
- MIND – MOROSE – morning
- MIND – OBSTINATE
- MIND – SENSITIVE – touch, to
- MIND – SHRIEKING
- MIND – SHRIEKING – rage; during
- EYE – OPEN lids – wide open
- EYE – WILD look
- RESPIRATION – ANXIOUS
- RESPIRATION – DIFFICULT – drinking – agg.
- RESPIRATION – DIFFICULT – periodical
- SKIN – TOUCH – agg.
- GENERALS – ALONE; being – amel.
- GENERALS – ANEMIA – accompanied by – emaciation
- GENERALS – ANEMIA – corpuscles; from reduced red
- GENERALS – ATROPHY – Muscles; of – progressive
- GENERALS – CHANGE – symptoms; change of
- GENERALS – CHANGE – symptoms; change of – rapid
- GENERALS – DYSTROPHY – Muscles; of
- GENERALS – EATING – after – agg.
- GENERALS – EMACIATION – progressive
- GENERALS – EMACIATION – rapid
- GENERALS – FOOD and DRINKS – food – aversion
- GENERALS – LOSS – fluids, of
- GENERALS – NIGHT
- GENERALS – PERIODICITY
- GENERALS – QUIVERING
- GENERALS – RUBBING – gently – amel.
- GENERALS – SENSITIVENESS – Body oversensitive; whole
- GENERALS – VOMITING – agg.
- GENERALS – WEAKNESS – excess, after any
I stressed the remedy was only to be given if Newton wanted it, as I wished to avoid further aggravations. I have no clue how cats know this, but somehow cats do know what a remedy is about, and refuse remedies that will aggravate or which are not right for them. It is very important to use this feature of feline dosing, and not to force a remedy on a cat.
17 Aug: This time we used Plumbum 6C to make 8C, and used the Fibonacci series from 8C.
[Please see the papers by Dr Rozencwaj referenced above for details on the use of this potency series.]
Other emergency procedures were used:
* Cantharis 30C to overcome urinary blockage from struvite crystals, every 15 min. as needed – which was for an hour, then a break, then again for several doses.
* A blue light was used to help with the bilirubin build-up from jaundice. I had no idea if this would work on a black cat even though his skin is white. The cat liked it and moved to get the light where he wanted it. He used it for a couple of days then refused it when he was much improved. Typically it caused some short-term diarrhea as the bilirubin was eliminated.
* Pet-tinic supplement for anemia finally arrived and was added.
* Lycopodium clavatum 30C was used intercurrently as a back-up to the Plumbum initially, until we saw the Plumbum was really working well as the main remedy.
* High volume Subcutaneous hydration was used to help flush the bilirubin.
* Assisted feeding (with a child’s medicine dropper) was slowed to the very small amount – even drops – that the cat could manage while so jaundiced. However it was brought under control before further complications such as seizures could start. (Seizures are relatively common in FIP cases.)
Only Two days later (Aug 19) the owner wrote:
“For the first time in days, Newton ate quarter-size bits of fresh deli turkey with gusto! I was so happy I was dancing around the living room! He also took a few licks of chicken baby food.
First normal stool in pm.
Lying in sun for fun”
……….
It is with sheer delight that I give you more good news: guess who has been eating fresh turkey all day like he is trying to make up for lost time? And, guess who tried to sneak out of the house this afternoon? (I am not letting him outside quite yet.)
Oh, I am elated!
Two more days and the yellow eyes were much less yellow.
By 26 Aug, he was using Plumbum 21C, only needing 1/2 ml a day, and doing well.
All seemed fine till the California brush fires started next day and smoke inhalation from toxins in burning houses created a new complication. It was managed with Smoke 8C made from a jar of captured smoke, plus Aconitum napellus 200C.
The next complication was the discovery that the neoprene collar is toxic, and could explain the hair loss around the collar area. Chloroprene (in neoprene) is an irritant to the respiratory tract and is a nervous system depressant. Workers exposed to it experience liver and kidney damage and hair loss. [All credit to the cat's owner for the detective work here.] She also found that there was flame retardant under the couch where Newton liked to hide. It is very toxic to cats as well, and also could explain the hair loss Newton now had on his head. By California law, furniture, bedding and other manufacturers use a flammable retardant product called PBDE, Polybrominated diphenylethers. Details can be seen at these two links:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/killer-couches-furniture-toxicity-report.php
Adding these toxic components was yet a second set of fires with toxic smoke and the three toxic aspects combined were preventing healing and needed a new remedy.
Aug 30, Sepia was started using F series, for the toxicity issues.
- MIND – AILMENTS FROM – grief
- MIND – EATING – refuses to eat
- MIND – SENSITIVE – drugs; from
- HEAD – HAIR – baldness – patches
- NOSE – COMPLAINTS of nose
- NOSE – ODORS; imaginary and real
- NOSE – SMELL – complaints of
- MOUTH – PAIN – burnt; as if
- MOUTH – SWALLOWING – food – agg.
- THROAT – CHOKING – smoking agg.
- THROAT – INFLAMMATION
- THROAT – PAIN – burning
- STOMACH – APPETITE – wanting – smoking agg.
- GENERALS – ALLERGIC constitution – petrochemical fumes; to
- GENERALS – SMOKE – inspiration of – agg.
By 3 Sept Newton was playing, eating and definitely on the mend, toxins overcome, and fur growing back where he had been bald.
Main remedy Plumbum 34C was tapered off. He had a 1 drop dose on 8 Sep and another (last) drop on 13 Sep. His muscle has all returned, his granulomas are gone, fluid effusion is gone, and he is well. Here’s a photo of Newton back to health:
New rubrics:
This article presents only a few examples of how I approach remedy selection in FIP. I presented cases which required the most frequently used remedies – China for wet FIP and Plumbum for dry FIP. However this is not a suggestion to use these two remedies for all cases. Just the contrary. FIP cases are extremely varied and individual and need very well matched remedies. The existing granuloma rubric/s (eg in Reference Works or Radar) have remedies which have not been useful. For example even though Silica looks good on paper, it has not done anything for any FIP cat yet.
I have been doing this – working with FIP – for 7 years with some 50% success over 500 cases, and as a result of these I’d like to suggest some new rubrics that may be useful in FIP.
SUGGESTED FIP RUBRICS:
GENERALS, FIP:
Agar, Aur, Bar-c, Beryl, Bry, Chin, Cic, Con, Gels, Kali-bi, Kali-c, Lyc, Plb, Sel, Stram, Sulph
….* Effusive FIP: Bar-c, Chin, Lyc, Sel, Sulph
….* Dry FP (including neutrophilic granuloma):
Aur, Beryl, Bry, Con, Gels, Kali-bi, Kali-c, Plb
* Lung granuloma – Beryl
* Intestinal granuloma – Plb
* Nasal granuloma -Plb
* Uveitis in FIP – Aur, Bry, Gels, Kali-bi
* Non-regenerative anemia in FIP – Plb
*Neurological FP – Agar, Cic, Con, Stram
* Terminal stage FIP – Ars, Lach – (1M or 10M potency) to ease suffering.
Important: These rubrics should not be considered to contain the only remedies to use for FIP. There may be many more added over time. This is a starter set based on remedies known to have helped cases of FIP to recover full health. It is intended as a guide towards finding a matched remedy that meets all the classical signs and symptoms of an individual case.
Ferrum phosphoricum protocol:
This is invaluable in FIP when the virus fever is perhaps 105F degrees, to make more virus. It is also very helpful in breathing emergencies in FIP. In either case it helps the body get oxygen.
Ferr Phos 200C is made aqueous and dosed 0.5 ml every 5 minutes for up to ten doses, stopping the dosing as soon as the cat begins to respond (fever starting to abate or breathing starting to ease).
Phosphorus vomiting protocol
This and other useful information and protocols in connection with FIP can be found at the FIP support group site called FIP-to-HEALTH (Membership is free). It is the name of the FIP support group I started to help spread correct information about this illness, and to directly support people whose cats have FIP:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FIP-to-HEALTH/
I would like to invite other homeopaths to join the group and help some of the cats so desperately in need of homeopathic help (by email). I hope they will also be able to help some cats locally using this article as a guide.
Summary
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a little understood immune compromise disease in cats, generally diagnosed late and considered universally fatal. Presented summarized here is a way to manage FIP cases. It is based on my work with 500 cases to date. Pitfalls for homeopaths are presented and overcome, showing detailed case examples using appropriate homeopathy practice and supporting nursing care. Three successful cases are presented, illustrating the difficulties faced by homeopaths working with this variable and fast moving illness. Methods are offered to overcome those difficulties, including the suggestions for early diagnostics, new techniques, new protocols and new rubrics.
Conclusion
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) need not be a universally fatal disease for a million cats per year. Progress is possible in helping cases back to health, using new techniques and rubrics. More homeopaths are invited to use the FIP case management system presented.
