On Toxoplasmosis

One of the big topics for pregnant women is Toxoplasmosis. We are warned to avoid our cats, or at the very least, their litter boxes. After years of working in pet hospitals and doing research on the topic for our expectant mother clients, I want to set the record straight.

This topic has utterly annoyed me since my first pregnancy, but now that I'm expecting my second child, I've come in contact with continued frustrations. Two stand out in my mind. The first, when I went into the doctor's office to have an early pregnancy consult with one of their nurses. I was already annoyed at the requirement for this meeting since I felt nothing of value was gained (I merely discussed my family's medical background and got an appointment for the doctor). In discussing my medical background, I was asked if I had pets, which I do - a cat and a dog. The nurse went on to ask if I knew about the litter box. Yes, of course I did, this wasn't my first rodeo. At least, that seemed to be the end of the discussion. A second incidence was with my mother-in-law who came to visit and insisted that she clean out the litter boxes while she was there since my husband was out of town.

Ok, so, why am I annoyed? Those don't sound bad, really. And all things considered, they aren't. I mean, c'mon, I got out of litter box duty. But in my mind, it's the same thing as using my pregnancy as an excuse to avoid housework, work, or activity in general, which is actually more harmful to me as a pregnant woman than doing those things in the first place, but I digress.

The thing is, our poor cats are being accused of transferring Toxoplama gondii (the protozoan that causes Toxoplasmosis) when there is a very high likelihood that they aren't. They are automatically cast as the villains in our pregnancies.

While most of us know that Toxoplasmosis is extremely bad in pregnancy - it can lead to birth defects or loss of the pregnancy - most of us don't know the whole story. We look up what could happen to us if we are infected and hear that we can get it from cleaning out the litter box and that is enough for us to steer clear of our feline friends. This is in error, however, and our cats should not be feared by us while we are pregnant. Let me explain. The information that is most often skipped over is how Toxoplamosis works in cats. That will give us an idea of what our risk really looks like.

Toxoplasmosis occurs in almost all warm blooded animals. The thing that makes cats different is that when they contract it, they can pass it in their feces - no other mammal does this. And this is why cats are called the definitive host for Toxoplasmosis and the reason we fear their litter boxes. There is more to the story though.

Cats typically get Toxoplama gondii by ingesting raw meat - like when they hunt rodents and birds or by coming in contact with contaminated soil or water. About a week after exposure, they begin passing the infective oocysts (kinda like eggs) in their stool - which, I'll be honest, can occur in large numbers. They pass the infective oocysts for up to two weeks. That's it. After that, the develop an immunity. They don't contract it again, they don't spread it. Here's another piece of the puzzle - the oocyst has to be outside the body for at least 24 hours before it truly becomes infective - a litter box that is cleaned out daily poses little to no risk.

So, what does that mean? Our villainous cats are not the big culprits. If your cat has been a happy indoor cat for years, your risk is virtually nil. An outdoor cat is more likely to be suspect, but again, if they are an older cat, most likely, they had it when they were very young and most likely no longer pose a risk.

Here's something else that they don't tell you - the most common way humans contract Toxoplasmosis is from eating raw meat or drinking raw unpasteurized milk. Not from cats. It is more likely to be found in sheep, goat, and pig as opposed to beef or poultry, but it is still possible. Just one more reason to ensure all meats are cooked thoroughly and your milk has been pasteurized. Also, fruits and vegetables should be cleaned thoroughly as contaminated soil on these foods can pose a risk - don't assume if you grew it yourself you are safe since neighborhood strays like to use gardens as litter boxes.

Where your cat is concerned, you can protect him or her by keeping your cat inside and not allowing your cat to hunt. Also, don't feed your cat raw meats or milk. Doing this will protect you as well. If you do have a cat that goes outside, that is a good reason to avoid the litter box or wear gloves when cleaning it out. Even better, if you have an outdoor cat, blood work can be run to check your cat's exposure. Any strays or new adoptions should be regarded cautiously since you don't know their history and exposure possibilities.

Above all, don't forget basic hygiene. A good hand washing is always recommended after handling raw foods or cleaning the litter box.

So, go on. Don't be afraid to give your cat a hug.

For more information check out: American Veterinary Medical Association and Cornell Feline Health Center

On Pets and Kids

Prior to having a baby, I worked for about 11 years in pet hospitals. I worked pretty much every position other than veterinarian and over the years I became obsessed with continuing education. I love to learn and the idea of getting free education and a meal was too good to pass up! What can I say, college does that to a person. When I graduated college, my desire to learn didn't go away and I not only attended continuing education seminars, but I sought out online opportunities and even attended a conference. While I focus a lot of my training on nutrition and behavior (as those are my main interests), I have also spent many, many hours learning about parasites in pets. The reason for this subject is because it is such a main focus in pet care that affects pretty much every pet and pet owner and there is a great need to understand the risks when working with and educating clients at the pet hospital.

People seem to take different approaches when it comes to pets and kids and especially pets and babies. Some people want the pets to stay away from the baby and have the kids wash their hands after touching or petting the dog or cat. Others, have the kids playing right on the floor with the animals and never think a thing of it. I'm of the second variety. I am the type to not get to stressed if I find the baby chewing on the dog toy, but that is because I know that there isn't anything on that dog toy that the baby couldn't get somewhere else and unless he's eating it, it isn't going to harm him.

There are, however, areas where there is valid concern with pets and the safety of children. Of course there are the pets that have behavior issues or those that are clumsy (like my lanky Labrador that has knocked over my baby more times than I can count); but it is the unseen problems that people don't always think about. For the most part, bacteria and viruses like particular species, so getting a cough or cold from the dog or cat is highly unlikely. Some skin infections can pass between people and pets like ringworm (caused by a fungus) or scabies (also known as sarcoptic mange caused by mange mites). If lesions show up on your pet and kids, take the pet to the vet and the kid to the pediatrician. Both the pet and the child will need to be treated simultaneously to clear the infection and prevent them from passing it back and forth.

Even more of a cause for concern than fungal or parasitic skin infection is that of intestinal parasite infection. The reason is that there is still a high prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in pets; and people, especially the young (babies and children), old, and immune compromised are at risk as well. While people don't usually get intestinal parasites, they are affected quite negatively by the larva of roundworms and hookworms. Most commonly seen are what are referred to as larval migrans. Eggs are passed in the feces of infected dogs and cats. Once the eggs hatch, the larva burrow into exposed skin and moves around the body. In dogs and cats, they work their way through the body and end up in the intestinal tract (sometimes after years of dormancy within muscles). In people these larva don't take the same path. They can stay just under the skin causing a severe itchy reactive area in the skin or they can work their way to the eye and cause blindness.

Many pets throughout the country are not on a parasite prevention all year long. It is very common in many areas to use heartworm or flea control just during the summer months, but this type of thinking is flawed. In areas where humans live, temperatures remain ambient enough for parasites to continue their life cycles. If it gets a little cold, they can go dormant and when it warms up, they can hatch and continue developing. Because of this, it is important to keep your pet on preventative all year long, every month. Most heartworm preventatives also protect against intestinal parasites (like hookworms and roundworms) so this is the best way to protect your kids from being exposed to them as well.

The main parasite that people think about when it comes to pets and people is Toxoplasmosis in the case of pregnancy and cat ownership. Unfortunately, there are a lot of rumors that get spread about this infection. Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan that cats can get from killing and eating wild rodents.When a cat contracts Toxoplasmosis, they typically will spread it for about three weeks and then they recover (they often never show symptoms). A cat that has had Toxoplasmosis becomes immune to it and will never contract or pass it again. Humans get it fecal/orally so if good hygiene isn't practiced when scooping the box, it can put them at risk. Pregnant women should especially be careful as a Toxoplasmosis infection can lead to major problems for the developing baby. Cats that have been indoor all of their lives are very unlikely to have ever been exposed. Cats that have been outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) all of their lives are very likely to have been exposed. If the cat's history is unknown, extra care should always be used especially since all cats do not show symptoms when they are passing the protozoan. Pregnant women are, however, more likely to get Toxoplasmosis from uncooked chicken so safe handling and cooking practices are just as important as when cleaning up after the cat.

Even if you don't have pets, they can still cause concern for your kids, especially when it comes to areas your kids may be outdoors. If possible, avoid the use of public sandboxes (stray cats love to use these as litter boxes and likely aren't kept on preventative) and other similar play areas that are not blocked or guarded from stray animals. If you have a sandbox at home, make sure to keep it covered when not in use (again, stray cats can jump the fence and leave little gifts).

For more information check out the following page for the Companion Animal Parasite Council