Among pregnant women, there are often stories about toxoplasmosis, a dangerous cat-to-person disease that causes serious problems with the baby's future. Part of this is true, and the disease does exist and can hurt your pregnancy. But to catch it is much harder than it is told.
CAUTION: THE DISEASE IS EVERYWHERE
Toxoplasma is a microscopic parasite spread all over the globe. Many people think it is only cats who tolerate it, but it is not. About 300 species of mammals, 60 species of birds and, of course, humans, can get toxoplasmosis, but only in the cat's body parasites can reproduce.
HOW CATS GET INFECTED
These are the main methods of infection:
When eating raw meat, carefully suggested by the hosts, or when hunting mice and rats.
Through the feces of another cat on a walk.
Through mud, including dirt brought from the street on the bottom of the shoe.
You don't have to go outside to get sick. But don't be afraid - for most cats, infection is not as scary as it seems at first glance.
WHAT HAPPENS TO A SICK CAT
So the cat ate a toxoplasmosis-infected mouse or talked to a sick animal. Now the parasites have also entered her body. Some of them start to multiply in the small intestine, the rest are spread with blood all over the body.
The first 2-3 weeks after toxoplasmic infection come out of the cat's body with feces and pose a threat to others. After this time, the immunity of the healthy animal is fully coping with the problem, blocking toxoplasma inside the cells and preventing them from reproducing. If the animal doesn't re-infect, the parasite won't inconvenience him for the rest of his life.
SYMPTOMS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN CATS
To notice the symptoms of infection, you need to have psychic abilities - nothing out of the ordinary happens to the cat, and most owners are blamed for the poisoning.
Single diarrhea or vomiting.
Minor discharge from the eyes.
Weakness for a few days.
Only animals at risk should be worried: kittens under one-year-old, elderly cats and cats weakened after illness or surgery.
In acute toxoplasmosis:
Temperature rises sharply.
Breathlessness or fever begins.
Strong coughing, heavy discharge from nose and eyes, sneezing.
Seizures.
Prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, refusal to eat.
It's not hard to guess that if something so bad happens to your cat, you should see your vet without delay.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
The problem is that most people decide to test their cat for toxoplasmosis not because they have detected symptoms and are worried about their cat's health, but only during pregnancy, to find out if it is okay for a woman to come into contact with an animal.
Meanwhile, laboratory tests are expensive and not conducted in every clinic. They take a stool and blood sample from the cat, check for oocyst toxoplasma in the feces and, if necessary, carry out a bio test on laboratory mice.
As you remember, the parasite in the stool can be found only in the first 2-3 weeks after infection, then toxoplasmas are blocked by the immunity of the animal and do not pose a danger.
Treatment is long and time-consuming, can last up to a year and includes therapy, proper nutrition, and comfortable living conditions. Its task is not to destroy the parasite, but to transfer the disease from acute to chronic.
Deciding to do research on toxoplasmosis, contact a proven clinic, not just the nearest veterinary clinic.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Take care of the prevention:
If your cat is walking down the street, don't let mice and birds eat. The easiest way to do this is to buy your cat a collar with a bell.
Do not feed your pet raw meat.
Change the filler in the tray regularly. Fresh excreta is not dangerous, the parasite needs at least 24 hours to ripen. Throw the feces out of the tray daily and wash the decontaminating tray thoroughly once a week.
To ensure that your cat's immunity can cope with the disease on its own, provide it with the right living conditions - cozy bedding, plenty of food and constant access to clean water.https://petsfusion.com/news/287/toksoplazmoz-y-koshek