Clinical Abnormalities Suggestive of Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Signalment and history Cats < 3 years of age or > 10 years of age Purebred cat Purchase from a crowded cat environment Previous history of gastrointestinal or upper respiratory disease Serologic evidence of infection by feline leukemia virus Nonspecific signs of anorexia, weight loss, or depression Seizures, nystagmus, or ataxia Acute, fulminant course in cats with effusive disease Chronic, intermittent course in cats with noneffusive disease Physical examination Fever Weight loss Pale mucous membranes with or without petechiae Dyspnea with a restrictive breathing pattern Muffled heart or lung sounds Abdominal distention with a fluid wave with or without scrotal swelling Icterus with or without hepatomegaly Chorioretinitis or iridocyclitis Multifocal neurologic abnormalities Irregularly marginated kidneys with or without renomegaly Mesenteric lymphadenopathy Splenomegaly Clinicopathologic abnormalities Nonregenerative anemia Neutrophilic leukocytosis with or without a left shift Lymphopenia Hyperglobulinemia characterized as a polyclonal gammopathy with increases in alpha2 and gammaglobulins; rare monoclonal gammopathies Nonseptic, pyogranulomatous exudate in pleural space, peritoneal cavity, or pericardial space Increased protein concentrations and neutrophilic pleocytosis in cerebrospinal fluid Positive coronavirus antibody titer Pyogranulomatous or granulomatous inflammation in perivascular location on histologic examination of tissues Positive results of immunofluorescence or polymerase chain reaction performed on pleural or peritoneal exudate