How to tell if my cat has toxoplasmosis
When we talk about it, we’re talking about an infectious disease that can affect cats, the disease becomes really worrisome if the cat owner is a pregnant woman.
- It is a disease that can (hardly) be transmitted to the pregnant woman’s fetus and is therefore a concern on the part of some families.
If you are worried and want to rule out your cat suffering from toxoplasmosis, in Animal Expert we help you with useful and interesting information, so keep reading this article and find out if your cat has toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection that can be transmitted to the fetus, the chances of this happening are very low, but with pregnancy, it is quite understandable that many women are interested in the subject and are trying to figure out how they can identify toxoplasmosis.
The toxoplasmosis parasite can be found in raw meat and faeces of infected cats and is mainly transmitted through direct contact with either element.Sometimes, we wash the cat sand badly and the infection spreads.
Approximately 10% of the world’s cats suffer from it and approximately 15% are carriers of this disease, which usually spreads when the cat feeds on wild animals such as birds and rats.
As mentioned above, toxoplasmosis is infected by direct contact with the faeces of the infected animal or raw meat, for this reason, many veterinarians recommend collecting stool from garbage with gloves, thus avoiding direct contact and not handling raw meat.
Contagion can occur at any stage of pregnancy, even if it is really severe when it occurs within the first three months of embryo formation Contagion can occur inadvertently, as it is an asymptomatic disease, that is, it has no clear symptoms.that allow us to identify the disease.
As mentioned above, toxoplasmosis is an asymptomatic disease, meaning that the infected cat initially has no clear symptoms of developing a disease, however, we can detect certain abnormalities in cats if they have toxoplasmosis such as:
To detect toxoplasmosis, it is recommended to perform a blood test on our cat in its usual veterinarian, this is the most reliable test that will reveal if the animal is actually sick, stool analysis is not recommended as it is not a determinant at all stages of the disease.
Toxoplasmosis can be prevented with proper nutrition from packaged products, such as feed or wet food, which are essential in cat food. Eliminating raw food is definitely the best option.
Most domestic cats live inside the house, so if the animal has its vaccinations up to date, eats prepared food and has no contact with other animals from outside, we can rest easy because it is unlikely to suffer from this disease.
After a blood test and confirming the presence of toxoplasmosis in the cat, the veterinarian makes a diagnosis and that is when we can start treatment to fight the disease.
Antibiotic treatment is usually applied for two weeks, parenteral or oral, although the second option is generally applied. In Animal Expert, we remind you of the importance of following the vet’s instructions if ours suffers from the disease, for this reason we must carefully follow all the steps that indicate it, especially if there is a pregnant woman at home.
If our cat has been infected for a long time or if we have ever had a cat that has already had toxoplasmosis, the pregnant woman may also have had the disease at some point, linking it to symptoms such as a mild cold.
There is effective treatment for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, although most of the time it does not require treatment if the pregnant woman shows no obvious signs of the disease (except in severe cases where symptoms persist repeatedly).
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Infectious Diseases section.