To Heather Hildebrandt:
 
>I realized that with cats if you are pregnant you should refrain from changing
>their litter pans because of toxiplasmosis?  Does this same caution hold for
>ferrets?
 
        Technically, yes, although the main source of toxo in ferrets is
exposure to cat feces.  But toxoplasmosis has been documented in ferrets.
However, I don't think they shed the organisms like cats do.
 
        To be on the safe side:
 
        1)  Husband changes the litter pan
        2)  Cook your steaks well done (most common way to get toxo is from
undercooked beef)
        3)  Never eat any ferrets....
 
--
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP              Department of Veterinary Pathology
[log in to unmask]               Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
[log in to unmask]             Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
(202) 782-2600/2602
[Posted in FML issue 1203]