Content
- What is toxoplasmosis
- Toxoplasmosis contagion
- Detect toxoplasmosis
- Prevent toxoplasmosis in cats
- Treatment of Toxoplasmosis in Cats
- Pregnant women and toxoplasmosis
When we talk about toxoplasmosis we are referring to an infectious-type disease that can affect cats. The disease becomes really worrying if the cat's owner is a pregnant woman.
It is a disease that can be transmitted to the fetus (hardly) of pregnant women and, for this reason, it is a matter of concern on the part of some families.
If you are worried and want to rule out the fact that your cat suffers from toxoplasmosis, at PeritoAnimal we help you with useful and interesting information. So, keep reading this article and learn how to tell if your cat has toxoplasmosis.
What is toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a infection that can be transmitted to the fetus. The chances of this happening are very low, however, facing a pregnancy, it is completely understandable that many women are interested in the topic and try to find out how they can identify toxoplasmosis.
The toxoplasmosis parasite can be found in raw meat and feces of infected cats, basically transmitting through direct contact with one of these two elements. It can happen that we wash the cat's litter box incorrectly and the infection spreads.
About 10% of cats around the world suffer from it and about 15% are carriers of this disease that usually spreads when the cat feeds on wild animals such as birds and rats.
Toxoplasmosis contagion
As previously mentioned, toxoplasmosis is spread through direct contact with the feces of the infected animal or through raw meat. This is why many veterinarians recommend pick up litter box feces with gloves, in this way, direct contact is avoided. They also recommend not handling raw meat.
The contagion can occur at any stage of pregnancy, although it is really serious when it occurs in the first three months, during the formation of the embryo. Contagion can occur without us realizing it, as it is a asymptomatic disease, that is, it does not show clear symptoms that make us identify the disease.
Detect toxoplasmosis
As we mentioned before, toxoplasmosis is a asymptomatic disease, this means that at first the infected cat does not show clear symptoms of being suffering from an illness. However, we can detect some anomalies in the cat if it is suffering from toxoplasmosis such as the following:
- Diarrhea
- low defenses
- Fever
- Lack of appetite
- difficulty breathing
- Apathy
To detect toxoplasmosis, it is recommended to carry out a blood test on our cat at your regular veterinarian. This is the most reliable test that will reveal whether the animal is indeed sick. Fecal analysis is not recommended as it is not decisive in all stages of the disease.
Prevent toxoplasmosis in cats
toxoplasmosis can be prevented with a proper diet based on packaged products, such as kibble or wet food, fundamental in the cat's diet. Withdrawing raw food is the best option, without a doubt.
Most domestic cats live indoors, for this reason, if the animal has its vaccines up to date, eats prepared food and has no contact with other animals outside, we can be relaxed, as it is unlikely to suffer from this disease .
Treatment of Toxoplasmosis in Cats
After performing a blood test and having confirmed the presence of toxoplasmosis in the cat, the veterinarian issues a diagnosis and that is when we can begin treatment to fight the disease.
In general, an antibiotic treatment is applied for two weeks, parenterally or orally, although the second option generally applies. At PeritoAnimal we remember the importance of following the veterinarian's indications if you suffer from the disease, for this reason we must carefully follow all the steps indicated, especially if there is a pregnant woman at home.
Pregnant women and toxoplasmosis
If our cat has been infected for a long time or if we had a cat that suffered from toxoplasmosis before, it may be that the pregnant woman has also suffered the disease at some point, relating it by symptoms to a mild cold.
There's one effective treatment to fight toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, although most often do not need any treatment if the pregnant woman does not show obvious signs of the disease (except in severe cases where symptoms persist repeatedly).
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.