My cat with FIV died from pleural effusion. Could I have saved him?

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am so very sorry for your loss. It sounds like your cat was very ill and really took a turn for the worse suddenly. It is really quite hard to say whether or not it was too late on this one. Cats are very stoic creatures and sometimes it is not easy to pick up on signs of illness or these signs may not be easily noticed. If it was FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), cats with this disease can become sick very quickly and typically will not make it past a week after diagnosis. The presence of a tumor can have vague signs but can end rapidly depending on what time of tumor so it can be hard to say for sure. It sounds like you did everything you could for him at the time. Sometimes things do worsen and progress rapidly despite all efforts. You certainly did the right thing to bring him into a veterinarian. Again, I am so sorry for your loss.

I am sorry to hear about your cat. I’m not sure that the mouth being full of dirt is related to FIV. FIV can cause immune suppression and make cats more susceptible to opportunistic infections. It is also notorious for allowing certain types of cancer to form. You do have an option to have an autopsy done on your cat if you wish to learn the exact cause of death. I hope this helps and that you find comfort in the memories of your beloved pet. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm very sorry for your loss Debbie, he looked like a very lovely cat. FIV could have been the cause although usually you would see gradual deterioration rather than an acute picture such as what he experienced, i cannot know what has caused it for sure but because of the very sudden symptoms i would say poisoning is a very probable cause.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach. It sounds as though Nova may have been dealing with some infection or systemic disease. It is difficult to say for sure but if it was progressed too far, there probably was not much you could have done. If caught early on, then maybe something could have been done. Viral infections such as feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus can cause chronic infections and can lead to death in some cats. She could have any one of these infectious diseases and there is no treatment for either disease. I am sorry for your loss but try not to blame yourself. If she had something untreatable, there is not much you could have done. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Radiographs of your cat's chest and abdomen will reveal any abnormalities with his heart, lungs, will show if there is fluid accumulated, any tumors or anatomical changes that signal heart or pulmonary disorders or other conditions that could be adversely affecting him. You can try to stimulate his appetite by adding some water or low sodium chicken broth to dry food, mixing in a little wet food and'or warming his food. Warming makes it more aromatic and therefore more appealing to a cat with a depressed appetite. It is vital that he continues to eat, as cats can experience liver damage after only a couple of days if not eating. Work closely with your vet, call and ask questions, get him in for rechecks, this helps them keep on top of Bunlot's condition.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mi! When kittens are diagnosed with FIV we tell the owners that they can live well in to their geriatric years. FIV is like HIV in people. The pet will do fine until the immune system is compromised then the pet gets sick with secondary infections or cancer. If Mi is otherwise healthy I would recommend full mouth extractions for the stomatitis. He could have nasal discharge due to dental disease. While he is under anesthesia the vet can get skull X-rays to look at his nasal cavity. But the nasal discharge can also be due to lymphoma (cancer), bacteria, viral or fungal infections. If the stomatitis can not be managed and he is too painful to eat then I wouldn't expect him to live comfortably very long. If your Vet can control the pain and inflammation then I don't see why he couldn't have more time. I don't think I can give you an exact time frame with out examining him or knowing more about how he is feeling currently. I hope this helps and I wish Mi the best!

Aspects of these disease can be painful, such as stomatitis (severe, painful inflammation of a cat's mouth and gums) that is caused by FIV, but Bones's symptoms can be managed symptomatically by his vet. With these cases, it's very important to have him seen by his vet whenever there is an issue.