Basic Tips
Wash your hands...a lot! Especially before eating or smoking.
Keep your pet clean and well groomed. Bathe dogs regularly.
Keep your pet's living and feeding area clean.
Kill those fleas! Consult you local exterminator or veterinarian to find out the best plan of attack. You must control the fleas on your pet, as well as in the environment for your plan to be effective. Also, take precautions against flies and cockroaches.
Avoid any contact with your pet's bodily fluids, such as vomit, feces, urine or saliva. In the event of an accident, clean up the mess with a disinfectant (one ounce of bleach in a quart of water works nicely) then wash your hands thoroughly. Better yet, wear gloves, or have someone not at risk clean it up.
Don't let your pet lick a wound on your face. You never know where that tongue has been!
Keep your pets nails trimmed short. Ask your veterinarian or groomer to show you how. If your cat scratches excessively, consider declawing.
Litter Box
Keep the box away from the kitchen and eating areas.
Change the litter box daily, or at least every other day. It takes the Toxoplasma parasite at least 24 hours to become infectious. If possible, have someone who is not at risk do it for you.
Use disposable plastic liners and change them each time you change the litter.
Don't dump! If inhaled, the resultant dust could possibly infect you. Gently seal the plastic liner with a twist tie and place in a plastic garbage bag for disposal.
Disinfect the litter box at least once a month by filling it with boiling water and letting it stand for five minutes. No other disinfecting method seems to kill the Toxoplsma organism.
Always wear gloves and wash your hands after cleaning the litter box.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
Keep vaccinations current.
At least once a year, take your pet in for a checkup. If your pet shows signs of possible illness, such as persistent coughing, sneezing, weight loss, or diarrhea, contact your veterinarian right away.
Animal Bites
Tend to any animal bite as soon as possible to help prevent infection. Rinse the wound with cold running water. Disinfect with a tamed iodine solution, such as Betadine (not Betadine soap). This is readily available at drug stores. After this first aid, always contact your physician.
Diet
Feed your pet commercial pet foods only.
Never feed your pets raw meat or unpasteurized milk.
Prevent coprophagia (stool eating). Don't let your pet eat it's own or other animals' feces.
Keep your pet from drinking from the toilet bowl or rooting through the garbage.
No hunting allowed (especially for cats). Cats can catch Toxoplasmosis from eating other animals. If your cat must go outdoors, you might consider placing a double bell on the collar to help scare off potential prey.
Keep your dog on a leash while on walks to help control scavenging.
Adopting New Pets
New pets present more of a risk because the health history of a new pet is often unknown. Your veterinarian, who may want to run some tests to screen for diseases and parasites, should examine all new pets. Puppies and kittens are more likely to be infected with diseases, especially if they have diarrhea or are strays. Be cautious around them.
Pets To Avoid
Stray Animals
Animals With Diarrhea
Exotic animals
Sick Animals
Wild Animals
Monkeys
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