Just how likely is the risk of Toxoplasmosis.

[klubear]

Hey there... funny, .. or not funny, how you really don't consider all the risks around you until after such an effort, you discover you are pregnant and want to protect it from everything!!!

Well.. that's how it's going for me.. 5 weeks pregnant, and excited but very very scared of what may happen in the mean time!

I have 4 cats, who have been my babies and loves of my life for the past 8 years... they sleep in my bed, travel in my car with me, follow me around.. I even take them to the outdoor cinema! (eeeek crazy cat lady!!)

I also have 2 strays I'm trying to rehome that live in my spare room. (double crazy cat lady)

I've read in a couple of places, that if you've been exposed to toxoplasmosis before, you build an immunity to it.... do you guys know if this is true??
As much as I'm being careful, getting the other half to change the litter boxes- of course I'm panicky!
But if the immunity thing is a fact... you'd think after all this time around many cats, if I was going to be exposed to it, I would have been in the past..

????????

[Miss.September]

One of your blood tests will tell you if you're immune to it or not. Turns out I am, even though I've never owned a cat! The only time I've been around cats was a one week work experience at a kennels/cattery!

Speak to your ob/gp about your concerns and get them to order the blood test. Good luck!

[klubear]

THANKYOU!!!
Eases my mind considerably! ....of course I'll still be careful and get the tests, but I'm guessing it's pretty likely I'll be immune to it.

Now only another 101 things to worry about!!

[Mrs P]

For me, when it came to convincing DH that HE had to do the litter box the ENTIRE TIME I was pg (since I do it at all other times) - I said "Oh DH, you don't want me to take an unnecessarily risk do you?" - heh heh heh. Oh that was a nice 9 months of no litter box cleaning!!

In reality, I think the risk is small as long as you are sensible about it - wash hands etc. And of course the blood test will help

[~ Mylitta ~]

Like PacRakMG mentioned, you can have your immunity tested for it. Many people with cats or that are around cats a lot have contracted it at some stage (most without knowing) and are now actually immune to it.

Funny enough, before having kids I was a surgical vet nurse for many many years, so I was with multiple cats every day. Would you believe that my immunity came back negative? Lol. After all those years of exposure to cats I still hadn't contracted it. Once I was pregnant I was just really careful. It's really not terribly much of a risk if you are vigilant with cleaning. The disease requires 1-5 days incubation before it's infective, so as long as you clean litter trays at least daily the risk is minimised. Also, cats generally get it from eating raw meat and rodents, so outdoor cats or cats that are fed raw meat by their owners are most at risk. If you have indoor cats and don't feed them raw meat the risk again is even less. Once a cat has had toxo it also builds immunity, so it's not common for a cat to get it more than once. So basically, as long as you take precautions, it's extremely unlikely that you would catch toxo from your own cats.

Did you know that you are more likely to get toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat than from a cat during pregnancy?

[~ Mylitta ~]

Oops, double post. Silly computer!

[klubear]

LOL!! Got hubby on litter duty too!! ... though he has to be reminded..

Mylitta, it is surprising after a job like that, but I guess cos you had to do the REAL dirty blood and guts stuff, you had some one to clean up the poops!?

I have read about the meat thing...I also read that sheep are the other animals that have miscarriages because of toxoplasmosis.. so I"d say lucky I'm a vegetarian, but so are sheep!!!

I've relaxed about it.. but being careful, and having bought 10 kgs of raw meat for the fur babies yesterday, think I'll freeze it until I get a test.

Thanks again for the feedback

[~ Mylitta ~]

Mylitta, it is surprising after a job like that, but I guess cos you had to do the REAL dirty blood and guts stuff, you had some one to clean up the poops!?

I have read about the meat thing...I also read that sheep are the other animals that have miscarriages because of toxoplasmosis.. so I"d say lucky I'm a vegetarian, but so are sheep!!!

Lol, trust me, I got my fair share of the poop in my job too, haha. I guess it just goes to show that we ran an nice clean clinic. As for the sheep, they would have picked it up from the soil on the grass they ate. Probably best for you not to nibble on the grass in your backyard Hehehe

[AngelPants]

I haven't read the previous posts so sorry if i repeat. It is only dangerous if contracted during pg. Your regular pg blood screening will show if you already have been in contact with it, most people are as far as i know. If your not try not to stress and just be really careful with hand washing etc when handling food bowls, litter trays etc.
Hth
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