17 Jan 2025
Advances in antiviral therapy are showing that effective treatment for FIP is finally now a reality.
Since 2018, publications emerged showing FIP remission states were being achieved with new antiviral compounds. Registered, commercial options remain unavailable; however, vets are now gaining legal access to the nucleoside analogue remdesivir via Bova compounding pharmacy.
Preliminary results are showing remission rates to be high (80%). The human registered antimalarial drug mefloquine may also hold promise for FIP treatment. These drugs are currently the focus of prospective treatment trials being conducted by Sally Coggins through The University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science.
During this webinar, Dr Coggins updates knowledge surrounding the use of these drugs in private practice, describes the current treatment protocols commonly employed, highlights side-effects to look out for, and discusses approaches to treatment failure.
Sally Coggins graduated with first-class honours from The University of Sydney in 2007. After two years in small animal practice in Canberra, she commenced work in feline-only practice at The Cat Clinic in Prahran (Melbourne) in 2010, where she remained for 10 years, become a partner and director in this busy practice and seeing a high volume of both first opinion and referral cases. She attained her membership qualification in feline medicine with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in 2012, and went on to become an examiner in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Dr Coggins has now turned her attention to research, commencing a full-time master’s at The University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science in 2020 investigating novel antiviral therapeutics for FIP. She continues to practise two days per week as a feline-only clinician at Gordon Veterinary Hospital, as well as being a feline medicine distance education course tutor for the Centre for Veterinary Education and an undergraduate tutor for DVM students.
