Pets and pregnancy. Is there a danger for a pregnant woman if a cat lives in the house?

10.08.2019

The cat in the house, this little fluffy purring friend, gives its owners a lot of joy and pleasure. But, sometimes the animal can bring troubles and problems. In some cases, the pet even has to be given into "good hands". Often pregnant women do this after listening to horror stories, advice from grandmothers or girlfriends. What harm can a cat do to its pregnant owner? This is where opinions differ. Doctors say that a cat and pregnancy are incompatible, since the animal can cause toxoplasmosis. But on the forums where this topic is discussed, they most often deny the harm of cats for women in position. Yes, and most likely hear from girlfriends: "Here I have a cat in my house, and I got out of both pregnancies without any problems." So who should you believe? It turns out that both sides are right. So you will have to make a decision about the fluff yourself. To make the right choice, we recommend that you arm yourself with the necessary knowledge on this issue.

Why is a cat dangerous for a pregnant woman?

The main reason why a cat has to move to another house during pregnancy is toxoplasmosis. The disease poses a threat to the health of the baby in the mother's stomach. In most cases, a fluffy meowing creature is the carrier of this sore. Alas, it is impossible to notice the first symptoms of toxoplasmosis in time. Everything can be easily attributed to a lack of vitamins, poor food and pet fatigue. As a result, all family members are at risk. Pregnant women should be wary of this disease, as it negatively affects the fetus: there are cases of damage to the brain, nervous system, and the baby's vision.

Naturally, after reading this, you will immediately start looking for where to attach your Marquis. But don't jump to conclusions.

In humans, this infectious disease is expressed through the following symptoms:

slight increase in temperature;
headache;
enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes;
fatigue.

In severe cases, fever, muscle and joint pain, and a spotty rash are observed. As you can see, toxoplasmosis can be easily confused with the common cold. Therefore, a person can get sick with toxoplasmosis without even knowing it.

There is also good news: if a woman had had toxoplasmosis before pregnancy, then she is no longer afraid of it, because the body has managed to develop antibodies.

But, it's too early to relax and you shouldn't count on the fact that you already have immunity. For safety reasons, we recommend that you undergo an examination with your furry pet.

We hand over analyzes

What tests do you need to get to make sure both you and your cat are healthy? The first test is blood PCR. With his help, the doctor will determine if you are infected with toxoplasmosis. If suddenly the disease is detected in the blood, then you will be referred for an ELISA blood test to determine when the infection occurred.

You need to start worrying if there is a high concentration of LgM in the blood and the absence of LgG. This means that you have recently become infected. If the tests showed that there is only LgG in the blood, then you can calm down - nothing threatens you, because you have already had toxoplasmosis.

If these components are not in the blood, then you should be careful, as you can get infected at any time. In this case, you should think about where to attach your pet before the baby is born. It is also necessary to pass the cat's feces for analysis in order to identify whether the animal is infected or not.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in an animal

What does a cat with toxoplasmosis look like? In an infected pet, discharge flows from the eyes and nose, the whites of the eyes are red, the lymph nodes are enlarged, and all these symptoms are also accompanied by diarrhea. Often the animal has no appetite. If you find at least one of the listed symptoms, visit a veterinarian with a fluffy.

How to avoid infection. Precautionary measures

As the saying goes: "Disease is easier to prevent than to cure." Therefore, it is so important to know how to avoid toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Here are some important tips for doing this:

meat must be heat treated. Meat dishes must be thoroughly fried, stewed, cooked, both for yourself and for your pet;
wash vegetables, fruits and hands thoroughly;
do not "kiss" the cat, wash your hands after stroking the purr, do not let it sit on the table;
wash dishes from which there is a cat, only with gloves;
carefully monitor your pet's health, as soon as you notice something unusual, be sure to contact your veterinarian;
Have a family member clean up the toilet because animal faeces are the main pathway for toxoplasmosis. If you suddenly have to clean yourself, then do it with rubber gloves;
do not allow your cat to come into your bedroom and climb onto your bed.

These simple steps will help you avoid infection. Take care of your health and the health of your baby. Do not forget that we are responsible for those we have tamed.

Benefit from a cat

Whether or not to remove the cat from the house during pregnancy is up to everyone to decide for himself. I would also like to tell you about the benefits that these fluffy creatures bring us. The possible risk of contracting toxoplasmosis is balanced by the positive that pets give.

The cat soothes

Cat heals

It is a fact that cats are wonderful healers. If something hurts a person, then the animal will surely lie down on the sore spot. After a few minutes, the pain begins to slowly disappear.

Now you know what the risks of a cat staying in a house in which a baby is expected to be born. You also know about the benefits that these amazing animals bring. Once again, weigh the pros and cons and only then decide whether to be a cat in the house or not. If you still have any doubts, be sure to consult your doctor and veterinarian.

Happy pregnancy without toxoplasmosis!

During the period of gestation, a woman carefully monitors her health, does not allow deviations and reacts to absolutely everything. It would seem what harm a fluffy pet can bring in the house, because he lived here before conception. However, experts think differently and give valid reasons. In order not to harm the fetus in the womb, a woman must weigh absolutely everything and take appropriate measures if necessary. Let's break down the most important aspects in order so that you can form your own opinion.

Unfortunately, it is worth knowing that neither the animal nor you are insured against the fact that you can become infected with toxoplasmosis. Try not to let your pet go outside so that it interacts with fellows.
From yard cats, your cat can easily pick up such a disease or any other infection. Remember that while carrying a baby, do not kiss the cat, and wash your hands with soap and water every time you come into contact with the animal.
Make sure that your pet does not climb onto the dining table. In general, pay attention to the behavior and general condition of the animal. Toxoplasmosis manifests itself in a lack of appetite, diarrhea and fever.
If you notice that your four-legged friend is not feeling well, be sure to seek help from your veterinarian. In order to prevent this, you can regularly visit such a doctor for prevention. The most important thing is to entrust another family member with cleaning the litter box. Don't do these things yourself.
The easiest way to pick up such an infection is through feces. If you have no other choice, remember about basic safety measures. Always wear silicone gloves and boil the pet's litter box. Thus, a complete disinfection can be carried out.

Myths

In the common people, there are enough signs that talk about pregnancy and the presence of a cat in the house. Interestingly, some of them are quite true and are recommended to be used as recommendations.

Myth 1. Some believe that pregnant girls are not allowed to pick up cats. There is some truth in this, because animals are carriers of toxoplasmosis. Therefore, in any contact with a four-legged friend, take extra care and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. If you have previously suffered from such a disease, then you are not in danger.
Myth 2. It is believed that if a cat sleeps in the same pastel with a pregnant woman, it will lead to trouble. If you believe you will, then when the animal tries to lie down next to the future woman in labor, then something is wrong with the child. In reality, a four-legged friend simply becomes attached to a person and tries to be near, showing affection. Therefore, you should not worry about this, there is nothing bad about it.
Myth 3. Allegedly, if the animal sleeps on a woman's chest, then after giving birth she will not have breast milk. It is worth noting that this assumption is not supported by anything. The only reason why you should not let your pet sleep on your chest is because of the possibility of contracting any kind of infection. In addition, a large individual resting on the chest can cause a lot of discomfort. Perhaps squeezing it can harm the mammary glands.

Remember, in order not to face any diseases, both you and the animal need to be examined. Take basic precautions. Even if your four-legged friend is sick, if you follow these simple rules, you will not get infected with anything. You don't need to listen to all sorts of fables and get rid of the animal.

Is it possible to get toxoplasmosis from pets and how dangerous this disease is during pregnancy.

A cat for a pregnant woman - a friend or a danger? © Shutterstock

Often, a pregnant doctor suggests getting rid of the cat in order to prevent infection and the birth of a child with congenital abnormalities. Is the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis really that great?

What is toxoplasmosis and how can you get it?

Toxoplasma is found in the feces of cats (as well as related wild animals). Through contaminated soil, Toxoplasma feed enters the body of other animals, including cows, whose meat is then eaten. Mice and rats are also infected with toxoplasmosis.

A cat can become infected with toxoplasmosis in two ways - if it eats contaminated food: meat or a rodent. In the city, the main source of Toxoplasma is street cats. Indoor cats can also contract toxoplasmosis through street dust and dirt.

A sick cat coughs and sneezes, breathes quickly, her eyes are reddened, with purulent discharge. Muscle tremors, emaciation, salivation are possible, the liver is affected in the animal - jaundice, vomiting, and severe diarrhea may develop.

They say that the latent form of toxoplasmosis in cats is dangerous to humans. But this is not the case, the cat's chronic toxoplasmosis is not contagious to the owners, since the cat does not excrete toxoplasma.

The main sources of infection for humans are the same as for animals - soil contaminated with toxoplasma, street dust, and meat. So a poorly cooked kebab is more dangerous than a domestic cat.

Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy

At first, toxoplasmosis is similar to a viral cold. Then toxoplasmosis becomes chronic. Chronic toxoplasmosis becomes an acute illness when the immune system is weakened.

Unfortunately, in humans, Toxoplasma most often affects the nervous system.

Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous during pregnancy or before conception.

Toxoplasmosis is transmitted through the placenta to the child, which can lead to severe congenital abnormalities.

10% of children develop hearing problems and mental retardation.

Toxoplasmosis is manifested by enlargement of the liver and spleen, jaundice, eye infections, pneumonia, etc. Some babies die a few days after birth. Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Although toxoplasmosis is not so common. According to American statistics, about 0.1% of women are infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.

How is toxoplasmosis diagnosed and treated during pregnancy?

If there are antibodies of class G immunoglobulins in the blood, then the infection occurred in the past.

If the pregnant woman has an active Toxoplasma infection, the doctor will prescribe amniocentesis and ultrasound diagnostics to determine if the fetus is infected.

If the fetus is infected, then the pregnant woman will be prescribed treatment that will save the baby from pathologies.

Precautions to avoid contracting toxoplasmosis

Don't clean the cat's litter box, let someone else do it.

Do not feed your cat raw or poorly cooked meat, because about 25% of the meat sold is infected with toxoplasmosis. Better feed frozen meat, toxoplasma die within 2-3 days at temperatures below -25 degrees.

Do not eat raw or semi-raw meat, and do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands.

The myth that a domestic cat must be isolated from a pregnant woman is based on the fact that our purring friends are very often carriers of a microorganism dangerous to human health - Toxoplasma. However, it does not take into account the possibility that our own body has already managed to come close to a dangerous microbe in its life, and therefore did not fail to reliably protect itself from it. To understand this issue, you need to find out what kind of microbe it is that can deliver so many troubles to a person and his furry pets.

Is the fear of getting infected from "our smaller brothers" so justified? Can pregnant women keep a cat in the house? Most often, concerns are raised by the likelihood that the animal is a potential source of the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Indeed, the infection of a woman with this disease during gestation is fraught with tremendous danger. A miscarriage is not the worst thing that can happen. It is more terrible if a defective child is born, a cripple. This is really a disaster for the whole family for life. Given the unpleasant chance of getting a lot of problems from the neighborhood of their beloved kitty, people are trying in every way to get rid of the animal in the house. But in fact, this should not be in a hurry. If the infection of pregnant women with toxoplasmosis from pets were really so inevitable and widespread, then half of humanity would now move in wheelchairs. Fortunately, for a really dangerous situation to arise for a woman and her future offspring, a fatal combination of many circumstances is needed.

Firstly, if a cat has been living with you for a long time and has had time to get sick with toxoplasmosis, then most likely you yourself have suffered this disease (and its symptoms are very minor, they can be easily attributed to a cold), which means that your body has immunity. excluding re-infection with toxoplasma. It is believed that more than half of the world's population is infected with this microorganism. For example, in France - about 90%, in America - about 60%, in Russia - about 70%. By the way, toxoplasmosis can be contracted not only from cats. A dangerous microorganism can be introduced into the body when processing raw infected meat or during gardening work, digging in soil contaminated with microbes. This should be taken into account by expectant mothers. As already mentioned, a woman who has had toxoplasmosis acquires immunity, that is, immunity to the disease. This means that the danger for future pregnancy and offspring is over.

Secondly, cats that have undergone toxoplasmosis also acquire active immunity and become non-infectious to others. Thus, that fateful coincidence of circumstances that can spoil the joy of motherhood and fatherhood for people implies that while the family is waiting for the family replenishment, their pet "picks up" somewhere Toxoplasma, gets sick and infects its owner.

In the light of the above facts, such a probability is small, but still exists, and cannot be discounted. To finally decide whether to get rid of the cat, have it examined in a veterinary clinic. Appropriate tests should be done in the hospital and the owner of the animal. If behind your (with the cat) shoulders there is already a once transferred disease, then move on through life together, without parting. If the cat does not have immunity, then it remains at risk of contracting (at the most inopportune moment) toxoplasmosis, and this, as you understand, complicates matters. To prevent infection of the pet, do not let it go outside, do not feed raw meat, do not give dairy products that have not undergone heat treatment. It is better for pregnant women to refrain from cleaning the cat litter, leaving it to other family members. If this is not possible, then use rubber gloves (preferably disposable) when cleaning. Disinfect your cat's litter box periodically with boiling water. And only as a last resort, if it's really scary, you can ask relatives to keep the pet in their house until your long-awaited baby is born.

And besides, the doctor in the antenatal clinic talks about some kind of toxoplasmosis and recommends getting rid of the cat. Let's see if they are compatible pregnancy and cat?

Among infectious diseases caused by protozoa, it is the most common and dangerous for pregnant women. To avoid unwanted pregnancy problems, keep the following facts in mind:

toxoplasmosis is dangerous only if a woman becomes infected with it during a pregnancy that has already begun;
if a woman had been ill with Toxoplasma earlier than six months before the onset of pregnancy, then nothing threatens the current pregnancy. Most often, a woman who has lived with a cat for some time has already had this infection. She has no symptoms and is absolutely safe. It is believed that more than half of the world's inhabitants are infected with this microorganism: in France it is 90%, in Russia - 60%, in America - 70%, and accordingly has a strong immunity to it.
if a woman was infected with toxoplasmosis during a previous pregnancy, as a result of which she lost a child, then six months later she can become pregnant again without fear of a repetition of the sad situation. The antibodies produced by the body will reliably protect the new fetus from toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis cannot be re-infected!

From all of the above, we conclude that the percentage of toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy is not great, but still there. If a pet appeared in your house quite recently, and you have never lived under the same roof with a cat, then at or at its beginning the woman needs to take a blood test for antibodies to toxoplasmosis. If this test is positive, then you have nothing to fear. You can safely bear a child. If the test comes back negative, don't panic. A pregnant woman who has not been infected with toxoplasmosis should be screened for toxoplasmosis every 2-3 months and preferably in the same laboratory so as not to miss accidental infection.

Let's see how these microbes generally enter our body.

Toxoplasmosis can be found in cat feces and enter the body of the person who cleans the litter box. Be sure to donate your cat's feces or blood for analysis at any veterinary clinic. If the disease is identified, strictly follow the preventive measures prescribed by your doctor. And, of course, it is better, of course, to protect the communication of a pregnant woman with an infected animal for the duration of treatment, because the likelihood of catching an infection with close contact is high.

If the cat is healthy, it is worth in every possible way to protect it from possible infection. Do not feed your pet raw meat and fish products, do not let them hunt mice and birds, do not walk your pet outside.

The main source of toxoplasmosis is raw meat, or meat products that have not been sufficiently cooked. During pregnancy, a woman needs to fry and finish cooking meals containing meat products.

In some cases, sexual transmission of the disease is possible, so use a barrier method of contraception.

What pets are sick with. It is necessary to vaccinate koshen, this is a criterion for both the safety of the cat and your safety. Many cats are strictly indoor, but you can bring the infection home with your shoes or clothes. And therefore, your beloved Muska needs to be vaccinated against the following diseases:

rabies... The disease is dangerous both for cats and dogs, and for humans. The disease is difficult, severely affecting the central nervous system;
panleukopenia- a viral disease characteristic of felines and other animals, during which the gastrointestinal tract of animals is affected. The mortality rate for infection with such a disease is 25-75%;
calicivirus, a very common disease in cats. It is characterized by lesions of the upper respiratory tract, expressions on the tongue, palate, lips, nose, sometimes results in pneumonia or arthritis;
infectious rhinotracheitis, it is characterized by fever, eye damage.

Your pets should be vaccinated in veterinary clinics, while the doctor will keep a passport for the animal.

Remember also that worms are very easily transmitted from animal to person, so it is necessary to monitor the health of the cat. The first deworming is carried out at the age of 6 weeks, then at 10-11 weeks, and then 2 times a year. Cats can also suffer from cat fleas, usually localized on the face, behind the ears, all over the body of the animal. Having discovered a disease, immediately start treatment, use special drugs.

Simple and understandable precautions will protect you from unnecessary problems during pregnancy. Remember that there is no effective vaccine for toxoplasmosis, so follow basic hygiene rules:

subject meat to sufficient heat treatment;
wash food thoroughly before use;
do not let your domestic cat out into the street;
feed the animal with industrial feed or well-processed meat products;
wash your cat's litter box with disinfectant every day;
strictly follow the rules of personal hygiene.