FIP Treatment Dosing Simplified

• Diagnosing FIP
• Using GS diagnostically

Because FIP can be a very fast killer, one quick way to move toward a confirmed FIP diagnosis or to eliminate FIP as a potential cause of the observed symptoms, is to immediately administer GS diagnostically.  Because GS only works on FIP, if FIP is present, you may see improvement in 24 to 48 hours.  If FIP is not the cause of the symptoms, then no harm is caused by administering it.

• Injections or Pills?
• Too often, vets unfamiliar with FIP Treatment recommend euthanization. Don't do it.

• Convert your cat's weight in pounds to kilograms. 
  • Examples:
  • 4 pounds = 1.81 kgs
  • 6.5 pounds = 2.948 kgs  (rounded to 2.9 kg)
    
  • 9 pounds = 4.0 kgs
• Recommend weighing frequently and adjusting dose as cat gains weight.
  • Do NOT decrease dose if cat loses weight

To minimize confusion, the example weight of 6.5 pounds = 2.9 kg will be used in the examples below.

When calculating for your cat, be sure to start with your cat's weight in pounds converted to kg.

• Signs of FIP – Dr Pederson
• FIP Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

When your cat has ANY symptoms that defy a conclusive diagnosis, FIP may warrant suspicion.

While time passes waiting for test results after test results, your cat may decline rapidly and suffer needlessly.

This poor kitten lost both eyes due to multiple inconclusive diagnoses of the cause of its symptoms (FIP).  Look how rapidly and how well the other cat's ocular FIP responded to GS treatment.

FIP would probably have been confirmed in the undiagnosed kitten within days of using GS diagnostically.

If your cat has symptoms that defy conclusive diagnosis, you might consider using GS diagnostically to rule out or confirm FIP.

• Typical doses for FIP symptoms
  • Wet or dry with no neurological signs
    • 4-6 mg/kg daily for 12 weeks
      • younger & wet lower dose
      • dry higher dose
  • Ocular lesions and no neurological signs
    • 8 mg/kg daily for 12 weeks
  • Neurological signs
    • 10 mg/kg daily for 12 weeks

• • Examples:
  • If your cat's symptoms require the 4 mg/kg daily dose, then 
    • 2.9 kgs  times the required dose of  4 mg/kg = 11.6 mg daily
  • If your cat's symptoms require the 6 mg/kg daily dose, then 
    • 2.9 kgs  times the required dose of  6 mg/kg = 17.4 mg daily
  • If your cat's symptoms require the 8 mg/kg daily dose, then 
    • 2.9 kgs  times the required dose of 8 mg/kg = 23.2 mg daily
  • If your cat's symptoms require the 10 mg/kg daily dose, then 
    • 2.9 kgs  times the required dose of 10 mg/kg = 29 mg daily

Evaluate the concentration of GS in the medication you are considering (XXmg/kg) and how much of that particular medication is required to achieve the daily total mg/kg dose needed based on your cat's weight and symptoms as discussed above.

There are an ever-increasing number of FIP medication brands becoming available, but TXCAT.ORG recommends using those with established reputations of efficacy and consistent GS concentration.

• Capella
• Lucky
• Valor
• Aura
• Karma

Injections
(This section to be expanded)

Injectable medication is available in several concentrations which may vary by brand. Most injectables commonly come in vials containing 5.2 ml or 10.5 ml of solution.

• Lucky 15mg/ml  
  • 1ml provides 15mg of GS
  • 2ml  provides 30mg of GS
• Lucky 20mg/ml
  • 1ml provides 20mg of GS
  • 2ml  provides 40mg of GS
• Aura 17mg/ml
  • 1ml provides 17mg of GS
  • 2ml  provides 34mg of GS
    
• more forthcoming

Pills
(This section to be expanded)

The pill labeling can be confusing when calculating the dose and qty of pills to administer to your cat.

To minimize that confusion, just consider the total amount of GS that is contained in the pills and the total amount your cat needs to receive daily. 

After you determine the qty of pills required to achieve the daily dose of GS that your cat needs, then you can decide if you will administer half the pills every 12 hrs or all the pills once every 24 hrs. 

• Aura 12-hr 1kg pills each contain 3 mg of GS
  • That is 3 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 3 mg of GS times 1kg pill rating = 3 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Aura 12-hr 1kg pills contain a total of 6 mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 12-hr 1kg pills contain 13.5 mgs of GS
  • Three Aura 12-hr 1kg pills contain 9 mgs of GS
  • administer three 12-hr 1kg pills ONCE DAILY to achieve a daily dosage of 9 mg
  • administer three 24-hr 1kg pills TWICE DAILY to achieve a daily dosage of 18mg
• Aura 12-hr 3kg pills each contain 9 mg of GS
  • That is 3 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 3 mg of GS times 3kg pill rating = 9 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Aura 12-hr 3kg pills contain 18 mg of GS 
  • Two and one-half 12-hr 3kg pills contain 22.5 mgs of GS
  • Three 12-hr 3kg pills contain 27 mgs of GS
  • Three 12-hr 3kg pills PLUS one 12-hr 1kg pill contain 30 mgs of GS
  • administer once daily to achieve a daily dosage of 30 mg
    
• Lucky 24-hr 2kg pills each contain 12 mg of GS
  • That is 6 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 6 mg of GS times 2kg pill rating = 12 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Lucky 24-hr 2kg pills contain 24 mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 24-hour pills administered once daily contain a total of 30mg of GS
    
• Aura 24-hr 2kg pills each contain 12 mg of GS
  • That is 6 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 6 mg of GS times 2kg pill rating = 12 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Aura 24-hr 2kg pills contain 24mg of GS
    
  • Two and one-half 24-hour pills administered once daily contain a total of 30mg of GS
• Lucky 24-hr 3kg pills each contain 18 mg of GS
  • That is 6 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 6 mg of GS times 3kg pill rating = 18 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Lucky 24-hr 3kg pills contain 36 mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 24-hour 3kg pills administered once daily contain a total of 45 mg of GS

The most important factor is for your cat to receive the required daily dose of GS within each 24-hr period.

Some may prefer to divide the total daily dose and administer half every 12-hrs while others may prefer to administer the full daily dose once every 24-hrs.

In a scenario where your cat's dose might be five (5) pills daily, then dosing every 12-hours might be accomplished by administering three (3)  pills for the 1st dose and two (2) pills for the 2nd dose. 

Or one pill might be split in half and then two and one-half (2.5) pills could be administered every 12-hrs.

However, the pills are so small and may crumble, that splitting them may or may not be practical.  If not, the 3 pills one time and 2 pills the 2nd time will be ok.

EXAMPLES: 

After you determine the amount of GS your cat needs for its symptoms and determine the qty of pills required to achieve the daily dose of GS that your cat needs, then you can decide if you will administer half the pills every 12 hrs or all the pills once every 24 hrs. 

• Aura 12-hr 1kg pills each contain 3 mg of GS
  • That is 3 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 3 mg of GS times 1kg pill rating = 3 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Aura 12-hr 1kg pills contain a total of 6 mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 12-hr 1kg pills contain 13.5 mgs of GS
  • Three Aura 12-hr 1kg pills contain 9 mgs of GS
  • administer three 12-hr 1kg pills ONCE DAILY to achieve a daily dosage of 9 mg
  • administer three 24-hr 1kg pills TWICE DAILY to achieve a daily dosage of 18mg
• Aura 12-hr 3kg pills each contain 9 mg of GS
  • That is 3 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 3 mg of GS times 3kg pill rating = 9 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Aura 12-hr 3kg pills contain 18 mg of GS 
  • Two and one-half 12-hr 3kg pills contain 22.5 mgs of GS
  • Three 12-hr 3kg pills contain 27 mgs of GS
  • Three 12-hr 3kg pills PLUS one 12-hr 1kg pill contain 30 mgs of GS
  • administer once daily to achieve a daily dosage of 30 mg
• Lucky 24-hr 2kg pills each contain 12 mg of GS
  • That is 6 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 6 mg of GS times 2kg pill rating = 12 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Lucky 24-hr 2kg pills contain 24 mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 24-hour pills administered once daily contain a total of 30mg of GS
• Aura 24-hr 2kg pills each contain 12 mg of GS
  • That is 6 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 6 mg of GS times 2kg pill rating = 12 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Aura 24-hr 2kg pills contain 24mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 24-hour pills administered once daily contain a total of 30mg of GS
• Lucky 24-hr 3kg pills each contain 18 mg of GS
  • That is 6 mg of GS per kg of pill rating
  • 6 mg of GS times 3kg pill rating = 18 mg of GS per pill
  • Two Lucky 24-hr 3kg pills contain 36 mg of GS
  • Two and one-half 24-hour 3kg pills administered once daily contain a total of 45 mg of GS

• Dosing at 12 hours and 24 hours is typical
  • One school of thought about dosing every 12 hours is that doing so maintains a more consistent level of GS in the blood because it is being replenished sooner whereas a single dose every 24 hours may result in blood levels of GS declining lower before the next 24-hr dose than with 12-hour dosing.
    • if you are administering injections, then dosing every 12 hours can be much more challenging and stressful than once every 24 hours
    • However, if you are administering pills, then dosing every 12 hours is likely to be low-stress both times.

You will need enough injectable or pill medication that contains the daily amount of GS required for your cat's symptoms so that you can treat them for 84 days.