Research overview: treatment duration and relapse in FIP antiviral therapy

Curative antiviral treatment of FIP typically requires an extended course, commonly around twelve weeks, followed by an observation period to confirm sustained remission. Cats that stop too early or receive inadequate doses, particularly with central nervous system involvement, may relapse and require retreatment or dose escalation. Monitoring clinical signs and bloodwork guides therapy and helps determine when treatment can safely end. This overview synthesizes treatment-protocol experience rather than one citation, describing why prolonged dosing is needed to clear virus from tissues and immune-privileged sites, how relapse is recognized and managed, and why establishing optimal duration and dosing remains an active area of clinical refinement as the antiviral era of FIP care continues to mature.