Worried about having pets at home when you’re pregnant? Pets and pregnancy may sound like something that doesn’t go together. Getting rid of your pets when pregnant is an extreme measure, but the myth has some roots in fact.
Having Pets At Home: Is It Okay During Pregnancy?
Pets are fantastic. They are entertaining, companionable, and generous with their love. It makes sense that so many families value their pets and that many women start having “fur babies” or other kinds of pets before they start having human children.
However, despite all the happiness of having pets at home, there are a few worries because certain dogs could be dangerous or unhealthy. So, when the time comes to consider starting a family, you might be concerned about whether it’s safe to be near your pet while you’re expecting.
What you need to know about how various pet breeds can impact your pregnancy and your unborn child is provided here.
Pets During Pregnancy
Any pet can either be risky or safe for a pregnant woman. It all depends on the kind of animal, how you care for it, how it behaves, and your understanding of any risks it might cause to you, your pregnancy, and your unborn child.
There are some diseases that pets can transmit to people. However, it’s quite unlikely to contract a serious disease from a pet with the proper care and hygiene.
Unvaccinated pets can be susceptible to hosting certain diseases and bacteria. In the past, there were no vaccines and little medical care for pets, making animals less safe to be around. But now, most pets are very healthy and disease-free from regular veterinary care.
Most healthy pets that receive regular veterinary care, are as safe to have around as people, if not safer. Having pets at home comes with the responsibility of getting them vaccinated. It’s for their safety, and yours too.
You might want to however avoid adopting a new pet at this time, especially if you don’t know its health history. Read on to find out about keeping the following pets while pregnant – cats, dogs, birds, rodents and reptiles.
Having Pets at Home: Is It Safe to Keep My Cat
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Caring for cats poses a special problem during pregnancy as their poop contains a parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis. This is an infection that can cause birth defects and the litter becomes infectious after one day. So if you have cats, you should either ask someone else to clean the litter for you or take special precautions when doing it yourself.
Can You Pick Up Cat Litter While Pregnant?
If you live alone and have to clean the litter yourself, wear gloves and wash your hands after every litter change. Clean the litter every day as it becomes infectious after a day or so.
It might also be worth having yourself tested for toxoplasmosis. If you’ve had cats for a long time, you might find you’ve already been infected before and are immune already. In that case, you won’t need to take any special care.
Do Cats Affect Pregnancy?
Due to a few significant concerns that cats pose in the home, they don’t make the best companions for expecting mothers.
Potential dangers
Safety advice
- Allow someone else to take care of the cat’s needs and clean her litter box.
- Ensure that your cat stays within the house or only leaves when accompanied. This will avoid them from possibly eating contaminates. Feed your feline friend only canned or dried commercial cat food. Never give them undercooked or raw meat. Do not bring a new cat into your house that might have been an outdoor cat or might have eaten raw meat.
- Another thing to look out for with a pet cat is which rooms they can enter and places they can nap. Cats are great at finding the cosiest spot to curl up, and that may well be your baby’s cot.
Having Pets at Home: What About My Dog? Do I Need to Be Worried
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In general, you don’t have to be worried about your pooch, but you may need to take some steps to prepare him for the arrival of your little one. Do consider obedience training if your pup has never had it before.
This would be a good time for him to learn basic instructions like stop chewing, drop the toy, no jumping, etc. Many obedience training schools offer “baby readiness” classes or individual training sessions to help your dog adjust.
It’s also important to expose your pooch to babies and their extensive array of sounds, smells, and gear. Invite friends with babies over before the arrival of your own, so he can get used to having a little one over. You can also use a baby doll in the weeks before delivery to rock, carry, and push in a stroller to get your dog used to daily baby care.
Don’t suddenly withdraw attention from your pup. It is best to gradually prepare him for changes to come by spending less time with you – so have your partner take him down for his daily walks and the house help to assist with grooming/showers.
If there will be a new sleeping arrangement when the baby is born, then it’s a smart idea to start him on the new routine during pregnancy itself.
Can I Sleep With My Dog While Pregnant?
While there is some danger involved in sleeping with your dog while pregnant, it is not very high. Exposure to ticks and fleas is a minor risk, as is the possibility that your dog might thrash around as you sleep. While most dogs do not typically experience night terrors, large dogs have a tendency to thrash around.
Last but not least, you can never tell how your dog or puppy would behave when you bring a pregnant woman into the room.
You should keep in mind that dogs are able to detect your emotions if you’re thinking of sleeping with your dog while pregnant. Their noses can pick up on changes in your behaviour and attitude. Your dog might even be able to sense the presence of a baby while pregnant.
As a result, if you’re a single mother, sleeping with your dog during pregnancy might be a smart idea. Even though there are little hazards, it is still not a good idea to have a baby if you and your dog do not get along.
Keeping Dogs During Pregnancy
Dogs are typically kept as pets in homes by most households. As long as you are not allergic to any of those, dogs are generally fairly friendly and pose little risk to you during pregnancy. There are a few things to watch out for, though.
Potential dangers
- Some dogs have a propensity to randomly bite you or lick your hands or face. These put your pregnancy at danger by spreading germs or infections.
- Some hyperactive dogs have the propensity to jump on their owners when they are joyful. It’s not harmless for your dog to jump on your growing belly.
Safety tips
- It’s important to train your dog to behave properly. Make sure he gets to know the other residents of the house more than you do so that he will feel at ease among them when the baby is around.
- Your dog needs to have all of the recommended vaccinations well before the pregnancy reaches the third trimester.
Can You Pick Up Dog Poop While Pregnant?
One of the downsides of having pets at home is picking up their faeces.
If a pregnant woman must pick up canine waste, she should do so while wearing a mask. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites flourish in dog faeces. Even after scooping canine waste, it’s crucial to wash your hands, but you still shouldn’t handle the faeces without gloves. If you must pick up pet waste, it is preferable to delegate the task to someone else.
A pregnant woman and her unborn child may be at risk from some diseases carried by some domestic pets, such as cats and dogs. The unborn kid may develop serious, potentially fatal problems as a result.
A pregnant woman can pass this illness to her unborn child through the placenta if she touches dog excrement. Use a scoop if you don’t want to jeopardise your health or that of your unborn child.
Having Pets at Home: Can I Still Keep My Pet Rodent
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Many peoples have pet mice, gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs. If you’re pregnant be very careful with them as they may carry a virus called lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV )that can be harmful to you and your baby. LCMV can cause severe birth defects and miscarriage. Pet rodents should be removed from the home during pregnancy.
Having Pets at Home: Exotic Pets Like Reptiles
Reptiles like lizards, snakes and turtles could carry germs that make people sick. One such germ is salmonellosis. Even if a pet reptile has a negative test for salmonella, it doesn’t mean the animal is not infected.
It may mean that the animal was just not “shedding salmonella” on the day it was tested. Pregnant women are at increased risk of getting salmonella infection. If you’re pregnant, remove any pet reptile from your home.
Having Pets At Home: What About Feathered Friends
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Upon finding out you are pregnant, you should take the bird to the veterinarian for a health check. Birds can transmit campylobacter, salmonella, chlamydiosis, and some other infections.
Additionally, pregnant women should avoid handling bird droppings because parrot fever, which can mimic the flu, can be contracted from them.
This can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy or stillbirth in advanced pregnancy. If possible, give someone else the job of cleaning the birdcage while you are pregnant, and be sure to always wash your hands after you touch the bird or the cage.
Developing Pet Allergies During Pregnancy
An allergic reaction to proteins in an animal’s skin cells, saliva, or urine is referred to as a pet allergy. Sneezing and a runny nose, are symptoms of hay fever and pet allergies alike, respectively. Additionally, some people may exhibit asthmatic symptoms such as wheezing and breathing difficulties.
Exposure to the skin flakes (dander) that a pet shed is the main cause of pet allergies. Pet allergies can come from any animal with fur, although they are most frequently linked to cats and dogs.
The best course of action if you have a pet allergy is to avoid or minimise exposure to the animal. To manage asthma symptoms, it may be necessary to use medications or other treatments.
If you have allergies and adore animals, you should discuss with your doctor the allergy medications you can and cannot take while pregnant.
While there is no way to predict whether your child will be allergic to your pet, it’s interesting to know that certain research seem to indicate that children who grow up with pets are less likely to develop pet allergies. Never say never, though. You should let the baby’s paediatrician know if you think she has allergies to your pet.
Animals To Avoid When Pregnant
If you’re expecting, you might be wondering which animals to stay away from. Pregnancy is safe for the majority of animal-based products, however some may contain dangerous parasites.
The risk of salmonella, an illness that can affect your unborn child, should be taken into consideration while eating some animals during pregnancy. Thankfully, the majority of these infections are brought on by germs that do not pose a threat to people. However, if exposed to farm animals, pregnant women may still be at a high risk of contracting salmonella.
Women who are or may be pregnant should be urged to stay away from close contact with livestock animals in order to preserve their health and the health of their unborn child. This is due to the possibility of pathogenic organisms in animal birth fluids, notably those from sheep, cattle, and goats.
Ensuring Safety From Pets During Pregnancy
When working with animals, including cats, it is crucial to take the appropriate safety precautions. There are parasites on many cats that can lead to toxoplasmosis, a dangerous condition that can harm an unborn child. Cats in particular must be kept inside since their waste contains parasites that might harm expectant mothers.
Mice and rats are creatures that pose a high risk. Although it is safe for pregnant women to have pets at home, it is still advisable to take precautions.
So to conclude, cats, birds and dogs are generally safe, while rodents and reptiles are not. When in doubt, consult your physician or veterinarian.
That said, the joys of having pets at home can greatly outweigh any minor risks. They are great at alleviating stress, and can even lower your blood pressure. They are great for cheering you up and chasing away the pregnancy blues.
You can think of them as the health benefits of having a cat or dog or bird!
Updates from Matt Doctor
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