To Brian Gallagher:
 
>My current concren is this:  Lorilei (my fiance') is pregnant.  We have
>heard from various sources (folk wisdom, doctors, books) that expectant
>mothers should avoid cat litter/cat feces at all costs, because they can
>cause complications -- namely, they are a carrier of toxoplasmosis.  I
>need to know if the same holds true for ferret feces as well.
 
        Toxoplasmosis has been reported twice in ferrets.  Ferrets will not
shed the toxoplasma organism to the extent that cats do, but if they are
exposed to cat feces, they may contract the disease and shed very low
amounts of oocysts.
 
        Here's the bottom line.  Becuase of the devastating effects that
Toxoplasma can have on a developing human fetus in the first trimester - you
don't want to take ANY chance at all on exposing Lorelei to Toxo.  So you,
my friend, inherit all litterbox duties for the next nine months.  Actually,
she probably stands a higher chance of getting Toxo from poorly cooked beef.
The doctor says - if she's a carnivore - better get used to well-done steaks....
 
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
Dept. of Vet Path, AFIP
[log in to unmask]  OR
Chief Pathologist, AccuPath
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1281]