The journey from Ebola to social media to the treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) represents a groundbreaking shift in veterinary medicine. In this issue, Drs. Černá and Coggins detail the current science behind available medications for cats with FIP. Long considered a fatal diagnosis, FIP has seen a paradigm shift in treatment over the past decade. The breakthrough came with the discovery that nucleoside analogs, originally developed for Ebola, could effectively combat FIP. Research demonstrated remarkable recovery rates, yet regulatory barriers left these treatments inaccessible through official veterinary channels. This gap led to an unprecedented grassroots movement, with desperate pet owners sourcing unapproved medications. While many cats achieved complete remission, this gray market raised serious concerns. Social media played a dual role, facilitating access to life-saving treatments while bypassing traditional safeguards. The FIP story underscores the need for collaborative efforts between researchers, veterinarians, and regulators to ensure safe, effective, and accessible treatments.
What We’re Reading
In each issue, a member of our Editorial Advisory Board will share a recent open access publication of interest.
Pica as a Clinical Sign of a Chronic Enteropathy in Dogs and Cats
Perez J, Ford S, Lynch H. JAVMA.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.02.0079
WHAT WAS INVESTIGATED? This retrospective study examined the association between pica, which is the repeated pathologic eating of a substance not commonly regarded as food, and chronic enteropathy in dogs and cats.
WHAT WAS FOUND? Over a 6-year period, the study examined the records of 133 client-owned dogs and cats that presented to the specialty hospital for endoscopic gastric foreign body removal. Only 41 of the 133 patients received gastrointestinal (GI) biopsies, 100% of which had histologic chronic enteritis. In addition, 80% (33/41) had histologic chronic gastritis. The presence of Helicobacter species was found in 49% (20/41) of the patients, which was positively associated with the level of gastric inflammation.
TAKE-HOME POINTS
- Pica is frequently considered to be a behavioral disorder or related to underlying medical conditions, such as anemia.
- Pica can be a result of normal exploratory behavior in young cats and dogs.
- Patients presenting with pica should receive GI diagnostic testing in addition to the minimum database.
- Patients should be considered for chronic enteropathies if they fulfill the following criteria: have persistent (> 3 weeks) recurring GI signs (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, appetite loss, weight loss), are an adult, and have had multiple episodes of pica.
— Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB
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