FIP: Diagnosis and Treatment Expert Updates

Presentation Description / Summary: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) continues to be a mysterious disease with a complex diagnostic algorithm and convoluted treatment protocols that are often illegal or illicit in the US and elsewhere. This 3-part session will break down this confusing disease into practical advice for veterinarians on the front lines of FIP: general practitioners and internal medicine specialists.

The sessions will be as follows:
1. Best practices and state-of-the-art updates in FIP diagnosis (20 min): Review of standard diagnostic techniques, as well as novel applications of existing tests (flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, proteomics), recent developments in machine learning algorithms for diagnosis, accessible diagnostic options for resource-limited settings, and the utility (and limitations) of empirical therapy to support diagnosis. [Evans]
2. Treating FIP - Experience in the US and worldwide (30 min): Buzz-worthy but enigmatic and often taboo, this session will dive into FIP therapy, with consideration to current practice in the US (and elsewhere where legal GS-441524 is unavailable) as well as practice in other countries with broad antiviral availability. We will also include discussion of other therapeutic options outside GS-441524, including where and how US veterinarians can prescribe FDA-approved COVID-19 drugs for off-label use in cats. [Lashnits, Coggins]
3. Expert Panel and Case Discussion (40 min): The final section of this session will tie these topics together with illustrative case examples and diagnostic or treatment dilemmas, and provide the audience with the opportunity to bring their own interesting cases and challenging questions to a panel of FIP experts. [Lashnits, Evans, Coggins, Reagan, Cerna]

Learner Outcomes:
1. Effectively and efficiently diagnose FIP in cats
2. Effectively and efficiently treat FIP in cats