Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), once considered universally fatal, has been transformed by the discovery of effective antiviral drugs that cure most cats with this previously untreatable disease.
The discovery of effective FIP treatment represents one of the most significant welfare revolutions in companion animal medicine in decades. Previously, a diagnosis of FIP meant a welfare-centred death sentence within weeks. Affected cats — often young adults at peak vitality — experienced progressive respiratory failure (wet FIP) or neurological decline (dry FIP) without any effective treatment. GS-441524 therapy transforms the prognosis: most cats treated promptly recover to full health. The welfare tragedy now is unequal access — the drugs are expensive, access is inconsistent, and in some countries only available through grey market channels. Equitable access to FIP treatment is the outstanding welfare challenge.