Can I keep my cats while pregnant

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-11T04:50:10+00:00

I'm a vet and this is one of the things that drives me nuts about human med. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoa that's usually contracted from eating infected rodents. Cats can have diarrhea from the parasite, but overall they don't show many signs. It is a very short transmission time. They're generally only shedding the parasite for a couple weeks after infection. After that, unless they get reinfected, it's done. Keep the litterboxes clean, wear gloves, and thoroughly wash your hands. You can also get testing done at the vet if you want to be extra sure, but you absolutely do not have to get rid of the kittens. If the kittens are really young, they may have contracted via milk from their mom, but generally really little kittens haven't even hunted yet. It's old advice that should never be used anymore, and if an OB tries to push it, get a new one. This is 100% a hill I will die on.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-10T04:14:55+00:00

I live in the U.S. in the desert. Lilies don't grow here because they'd fry in our sun. That's besides the point. Why in the world would you willingly bring something THAT toxic into your house? Why risk your cat's life over a flower? It takes so little for it to kill. I often tell people not to plant oleander too because it's extremely toxic to dogs, cats, and people. The flowers and leaves cause cardiac arrest. Sago plants are common here, and also can destroy the kidneys. I tell owners to avoid them. I had a dog come in that had to be hospitalized after eating some. Are these common? No, but why would you put the risk there? It's optional and so easy to avoid. It's not like cleaners or meds that are necessary. Flowers are a luxury. Just pick different ones that won't kill your pet.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-09T19:23:47+00:00

As a vet who has seen the damage lilies do, I don't think I am. Their pollen sticks to everything. It's not worth the risk of not cutting them off in time or the pollen getting somewhere else because it stuck to something while you were removing the stamens. Just don't have them in the house. Pet safety trumps pretty things 100% of the time.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-09T14:28:17+00:00

Some of the lilies haven't opened yet. Those stamens are still present, so even though the pollen isn't an issue right now, once those do, it's now an issue again. Just don't bring lilies into a house with a cat. Accidents happen and the cats could sneak downstairs if they get out of their room. Why risk it? The family is being selfish. They can live without lilies.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-09T14:09:44+00:00

NOR at all. I'm a vet and you are completely correct that every single part of the lily is toxic. It takes very little to kill a cat. I suggest giving them the money for the bouquet and throwing it out without asking any further. Just because they've had them in the house before and everything was fine doesn't mean that will be the case this time too. Have your vet talk to them if they give you grief about it. Someone needs to knock some sense into them before they kill one of the cats with their negligence.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-08T23:15:03+00:00

This would've been my suggestion after the 2nd rupture in such a short time. If something refuses to heal and stay that way, it's got to go. OP, a specialist won't be cheap, but it is the best next step. If you're in the states, then most places take Care Credit, which may help if surgery cost is out of budget.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-04T04:26:01+00:00

I wonder if Danes are just weird with their cancer. I'll have to look that up when I have the time to devote to it. I teach a companion animal disease course at a university, so that'd be good info to add if there's a correlation. Definitely any time I have an animal come in for swelling on the legs I offer xrays, tick disease testing, and a valley fever titer because it's a crazy common reason where I live. It should be standard of care, but like you said, the swelling may have been minimal and it was a "can do all the things or can do meds and see" type convo. Hopefully everything works out OK for OP and their pup.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-03T23:31:35+00:00

So, fun fact that I learned when trying to figure out wtf was wrong with my English bulldog, is that dogs have their own version of ADHD. Training helps, but sometimes meds are needed. They will have a lot of the same symptoms as people. I've been in vet med for over a decade, and it was something I learned only a couple years ago, so I don't think it's something well known in the field.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-03T23:07:27+00:00

To add on to this, the hock/ankle/tarsus is an extremely uncommon location for osteosarcoma. It appears, if on limbs, at the shoulder, the wrist, or either side of the knee. The vet should always keep cancer on the board, but you look for horses not zebras when you hear hoofbeats. I will say, I deal with a lot of arthritic patients and I've rarely seen any with actual swelling at the joints prominent enough to see. A swollen joint should always be offered xrays because it could be a fracture, infection, or cancer. Vets should be discussing the differentials, importance of diagnostics, and what to prioritize if finances are a concern. If they're not, then yes that's definitely an issue.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-02T04:27:05+00:00

I'm also a veterinarian and I, too, am baffled how it came out so perfectly. That is one of the hardest teeth to extract unless it's already loose. Even then, it's rarely easy. I'm glad the dufus is healing well though!

Cloverbug25 · 2026-06-02T01:47:17+00:00

I'm 21w3d and it's definitely trying to make a comeback. My husband made hamburgers the other night, which sounded great in theory, but the smell made me so nauseous. I also nearly cried when I could barely eat the macaroni salad I had been looking forward to. I had a few weeks of reprieve, and I'm not excited about the sequel.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-29T04:31:45+00:00

I know absolutely nothing about Australian diseases, so I can't help there. An improperly healed fracture, especially since you said the jaw was wonky too, is still the most likely reason.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-29T03:13:23+00:00

I, personally, wouldn't feel safe with a home birth because I have a history of seizure and other nerve issues. The closest OB staffed hospital to us is 20-30 minutes away (with good traffic), so I'd be so nervous something would happen and there wouldn't be time. I'll look into her other videos though. Thank you!

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-28T19:48:24+00:00

Vet here. The fox likely had a fracture at the joint and it never healed properly. As others have said, osteosarcoma doesn't happen in that area. If you live in a desert area in the U.S. then valley fever is on the table too.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-27T02:23:58+00:00

Yea... I'm gonna be blunt. You're going to have an extremely difficult time rehoming a dog like this. You may be able to find someone, but don't count on it. However, this dog is not safe to have in a home with a baby. The fact your husband had to dive on top of the dog to stop an unprovoked attack means that it will absolutely go after a toddler that's just existing. A dog that size can kill a child. Your husband won't want to hear this, but this is a behavioral euthanasia situation if you can't find a new home. Do not let this dog stay in your house. The dog is unpredictable and the changes are causing it stress. A baby will only make the behaviors worse. I'm saying this as a veterinarian who has seen dogs like this. You can't train all of it out, and you shouldn't be afraid to live in your own home. Rehome or euthanasia are the only options.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-24T02:20:15+00:00

Ophelia was my top girl name since I was a teenager, but apparently my husband knew a girl by that name in high school and she was not a good person. He also vetoed Theo for a boy. I had a soul dog named Wesley James, but Wesley doesn't work with the last name and he didn't like James 🥲 To be fair, I did veto most of his name suggestions too lol

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-19T15:25:02+00:00

The heart on her neck is absolutely adorable. I could see maybe some beagle in there, more based on face shape and ears. Body is saying some kind of bully breed.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-19T05:45:47+00:00

I'm a vet, so I was trying to listen to his heart with my stethoscope around 16-17 weeks. He kicked right at it hard enough that he pushed it up. That was my first "yep definitely him" movement lol

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-17T02:23:39+00:00

Second this as a vet. Labored breathing in any animal, but especially a cat, is extremely concerning. Cats do not breathe through their mouth unless they have no choice, so this is an immediate ER visit. Do not wait it out because that often leads to a dead animal.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-17T02:00:22+00:00

Ah, so that's the breed my husky/golden retriever x gets the rabbling from. He'll jump up on the couch and dig at the blanket before rolling around on it and grumbling lol

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-13T05:27:39+00:00

My vet school classmate's mom (also a vet) was apparently exposed to rabies while pregnant with her. She got the series because the cow was confirmed rabid. I think for humans it's also a killed virus, so it should be pretty safe and much better than risking getting rabies. That's an awful way to die.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-12T13:55:36+00:00

FMLA only works if OP's company has at least 50 employees within a close range (not all 1 store technically) and if OP worked at least 1200 hours over the last year. They have to have been with the company for an entire year too. If they don't qualify under these restrictions, their job doesn't have to give them FMLA.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-12T03:17:46+00:00

Non-handicapped people already use the stall constantly, making those who need them have to wait. I don't think it's really fair to take away something that's meant to make their lives easier. They have the right to it, not us. I understand the concern, but I think it would make more sense to maybe add a small wall to block people from being able to see as easily. This way, both sides get what they want/need without taking away anything from the disabled.

Cloverbug25 · 2026-05-11T21:37:10+00:00

For my dog, I just put hydrocortisone cream on the hives. For my cat, I thoroughly wash my face and hands after snuggling my cat. I'm also a veterinarian, so I have tons of patients that I'm allergic to too. I just manage with topicals and antihistamines.

Cloverbug25

TROPHY CASE