Do you really have to get rid of pets after a transplant?

[Sara]

People around here carry big sticks or bats or something similar for that reason.  It's horrible.  I can't walk my dogs in my neighborhood for fear the roaming nasty dog will get them.

[kitkatz]

Hay wait a minute. I carry a big stick. But not when I am walking, just when I am talking.  I am using it now, too. lol 

[okarol]

I have been researching this because about 2 years ago a transplant surgeon said, regarding life after transplant, "No birds for pets."

A year ago my son was at a swim party and out of nowhere a cockateil tried to land on his head in the pool. He dodged her and she
began to sink so I grabbed her. I brought her home and ran ads in the newspapers and on Craiglist. We got about 12 calls, but no
one could identify the 2 very distinctive songs that Darla (that's what we named her) could whistle when we found her. So she is
still with us, and she is the sweetest pet, singing, muttering, loves her head scratched and is crazy about people. She has learned 4
more songs and is a really charming gal. I would love to find her owner, but it's been so long now I don't know if it will ever happen.

We could have her stay with another family for awhile if a transplant happens. Jenna would not be responsible to handle her cage or
food. Of course, if it's unsafe to keep her, we will find her a new home. Not sure what to do.

I found the following on the US Center for Disease Control site:

Diseases from Birds

Although birds can spread germs to people, illness caused by touching or owning birds is rare. To best protect yourself from getting sick, thoroughly wash your hands with running water and soap after contact with birds or their droppings.
Different types of birds can carry different diseases. For example, baby chicks and ducklings often carry the bacterium Salmonella. This germ causes salmonellosis (sal-MOhn-el-OH-sis) in people. Parakeets and parrots can carry the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci (kluh-MID-ee-ah si-TACH-ee). This germ causes the disease psittacosis (sit-a-koh-sis). Pigeon droppings can have germs that make people sick.
Some people are more likely than others to get diseases from birds. A person's age and health status may affect his or her immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick. People who are more likely to get diseases from birds include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS, and people being treated for cancer. Special advice is available for people who are at greater risk than others of getting diseases from animals.
Many organization support the health benefits of pets. These groups provide information on how pets can help people be healthy.
Learn more about bird-related diseases, below.
Chlamydia psittaci Infection (psittacosis): A bacterial disease associated with pet birds, including parrots and parakeets. Recommendations and Reports MMWR.
Cryptococcus Infection (cryptococcosis): A fungal disease associated with wild-bird droppings, including those from pigeons.
Salmonella Infection (salmonellosis): A bacterial disease associated with many birds, especially chickens, baby chicks, and ducklings.

Organ Transplant Patients
   
Pet Safety Tips
Patients who have received organ transplants are more likely than most people to get diseases from animals. However, simple tips can be followed to reduce their risk of getting sick after contact with animals. These recommendations were originally made for bone marrow transplant patients, but they also may be useful for other organ transplant patients. Although this section focuses on how to protect organ transplant patients from pet related diseases, many groups support the health benefits of pets.
Keep Clean!
Wash your hands thoroughly with running water and soap after handling animals and their feces (stool). If possible, you should avoid direct contact with animal feces. Adults should supervise the hand washing of children.
Caring for Your Pet
If your pet is ill, seek veterinary care as soon as possible. Any cat or dog that has diarrhea should be checked by a veterinarian for infection with Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.
Caring for Birds: Bird cage linings should be cleaned daily. Wear gloves whenever handling items contaminated with bird droppings. Routine screening of healthy birds for zoonotic diseases is not recommended.
Caring for Fish: Avoid cleaning fish tanks by yourself; ask a family member or friend for assistance. If this task cannot be avoided, you should wear disposable gloves during such activities. Wash your hands thoroughly with running water and soap afterwards.
Caring for Cats: If you have a cat try to have another person clean out litter on a regular (daily) basis. Do not place litter boxes in kitchens, dining rooms, or other areas where food is prepared and eaten. Keep your cat indoors. Avoid handling stray cats. Pet cats do not need to be tested for toxoplasmosis.
Feeding Your Pet
Just like people, pets can get diseases from eating contaminated food. By protecting your pet from foodborne diseases, you can protect your own health as well. Pets should be fed only high-quality commercial pet foods. If eggs, poultry, or meat products are given to your pet as supplements, they should be well-cooked. Any dairy products given to your pets should be pasteurized. Additionally, pets should be prevented from drinking toilet bowl water and from having access to garbage. Do not let your pet scavenge for food, hunt, or eat other animals' feces.
Getting A New Pet
When getting a new pet, avoid animals that are ill, stray, or young (cats and dogs less than 6 months old). These animals are more likely to carry diseases that can make you ill.
Animals to Avoid
The following animals are considered high-risk animals for immunocompromised people (including organ transplant patients):

    * Reptiles, including lizards, snakes, and turtles.

    * Baby chicks and ducklings.

    * Exotic pets, including monkeys. Note: All persons should avoid direct contact with wild animals. Do not adopt wild animals as pets or bring them into your home.

Contact with these animals and their environments should be avoided by people with compromised immune systems. If you do touch these animals or their environment (their food or cage, for example), wash your hands thoroughly with running water and soap. Additionally, organ transplant patients should be extra cautious when visiting farms and when in contact with farm animals, including animals at petting zoos and fairs.
These pet safety guidelines for bone marrow transplant patients were developed from the following CDC resource: Guidelines for preventing opportunistic infections among hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 20, 2000; 49(RR10):1-128. {http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/bonemarrow_transplant.htm}

~Karol

[Fox_nc]

Great stuff karol!  My current transplant has lived with cats, dogs, and birds and it's never been a problem.  But then again, I stay away from the messy parts and let the ol ball and chain do that.  I'll be extra careful when I get my new transplant and will make sure he reads this, so he's not passing on dirty germs to me 

[RichardMEL]

OMG I read the topic header on this and nearly had a heart attack (I am sure my BP went to scary levels too!). I couldn't get rid of my beautiful cat! She is my best mate!!! I was feeling very sad when I read the topic header.. but then I feel a bit better after reading everyone's stories.

Like some here, I live alone, so have nobody else to do stuff like the litter etc. My cat is always indoors, but she was a stray for who knows how long before picked up, so not sure what she may or may not have picked up while out and about. These days she doesn't get out or try.. in fact one time recently she alerted me to the fact that I had left the front door wide open somehow by sitting in front of it and yelling at me till I came to see what was up! LOL

So I guess if I am super careful and super paranoid re washing etc it might be OK.

I want a transplant of course, but I would hate to lose the best thing that has happened to me in the past 3 years!

[angieskidney]

Sandman was sooo nice to me and bought me an automated cat litter box that scoops cat crap automatically! But boy was my cat scared of it at first lol so we had to have the motor off while re-training my cat to use it

I also always wear gloves when cleaning it as I did the old one.

[nextnoel]

What a thoughtful gift!  I have a friend who had to get rid of her automated litter box because her cat liked it a little TOO much - she had it in her bedroom, and he'd sit by it all during the night and just step in and out of it to make it run so he could watch the movement, and the noise kept her from getting any sleep!  I hope you don't have that problem!

[angieskidney]

What a thoughtful gift!  I have a friend who had to get rid of her automated litter box because her cat liked it a little TOO much - she had it in her bedroom, and he'd sit by it all during the night and just step in and out of it to make it run so he could watch the movement, and the noise kept her from getting any sleep!  I hope you don't have that problem!

lol no but at first every time she heard it her ears would perk up and she would run to the door of the tiny room (storage closet) I have it in.

[RichardMEL]

Well I spoke to my doc today and brought up the question of transplants and pets and he said he couldn't see any reason why I couldn't keep my little sweet cat as long as I was careful with things like the litter tray and not kissing her etc. YAY!!!!

That took a bit of worry off me... of course the transplant team might say something else, but for now I am worrying less about that.. or rather there are other things to worry about more.. (sigh)

[Sara]

I think we have pretty much worked out what we will do.  Assuming Joe gets a transplant while we are in this house, we will set up the spare bedroom as a "no animal zone" so he can sleep without worrying about animals scratching him or bother his incision or whatever.  We will also put up a baby gate in front of the dogs' room to keep them in there at night.  During the day, while I am at work, he will either hang out with my mom or his sister, because to our understanding someone needs to physically be with him all the time while he's recovering.  I will be the one responsible for all litterbox cleaning and pet interaction/care.  It's going to be a long 3 months. 

[Bette]

I had my cat with my transplant, but he is a declawed indoor cat.  I don't clean the litter box and he is not allowed to sleep in our bedroom.  I did not have any problems. 

I couldn't bear to get rid of him.  He's my baby.

[goofynina]

Well I spoke to my doc today and brought up the question of transplants and pets and he said he couldn't see any reason why I couldn't keep my little sweet cat as long as I was careful with things like the litter tray and not kissing her etc. YAY!!!!

That took a bit of worry off me... of course the transplant team might say something else, but for now I am worrying less about that.. or rather there are other things to worry about more.. (sigh)

RichardMel, i love the relationship you have with your cat, i admire anyone who cherishes any animal as their "family member" and not just a pet.  Your ace in my book amigo 

[RichardMEL]

blush! thank you.

Well she really IS my family. I have no partner at the moment, and unlikely anytime soon, so she is who I come home to. She's the one that meets me at the door and meows since she has been sitting by the door for a while waiting.. and I *know* she is not waiting just for FOOD... she is so happy to see me she meows and runs to her little spot where she rolls around and wants a tummy rub and general "hello I am happy you are home time".. and she's the one who, as soon as I get in bed and turn out the light, rushes from wherever she is into the bedroom and jumps up on the bed to curl up against my leg (guess I will have to give that up if I get a transplant!). I definately know she is responsible for lowering my stress levels and blood pressure since I have had her, and possibly she has also been responsible for keeping me off dialysis for a little while...

she is way more than a pet to me... and she'll be my little girl I thin.. since I don't want kids.. so I can devote everything to her!

The thought of having to give her up, even for a few months, really upset me because I've grown so used to her.. heck even when I go away for a night I miss her not jumping up to curl up in "her" spot. (I am trained well!)..

so hoping that we can keep eachother company during a time when I know I'll need my best mate!

Coming up to 3 years together on valentine's day

[kitkatz]

I had a cat who I think literally purred me into better health.  I was having pains and fevers and chills after dialysis several years ago.  I would pick up this cat we used to have and he would purr into my chest.  I had enlarged lymph nodes at the time and I really think his loud purring on my chest helped me to heal those lymph nodes.  I know I felt like I could breath better after a purr session.  And he would sit with me and purr a loud purr into me.  I think he knew.  He went to a superb home where he is King Outdoor Cat now just like he wanted to be.  He is well fed by the neighbors as well as by his owner. Quite a content happy cat now.

[Sara]

The thought of having to give her up, even for a few months, really upset me because I've grown so used to her.. heck even when I go away for a night I miss her not jumping up to curl up in "her" spot. (I am trained well!)..

You know every doctor is different in what they recommend.  The main thing is they don't want them biting/scratching you and they want you to be careful cleaning the litterbox.  I know we'll have to keep our pets separate from Joe just because we have so many, and they are VERY playful/active.  Yours may be just fine.   

[RichardMEL]

Oh my Celeste never bites or scratches me... she does lick my hand from time to time but I can wash that she's never raised a paw in anger to me and i know she never would on purpose. So hopefully that will be good.

To KitKatz you know some believe a cats purr IS a healing power... as in they purr to mend their bones and other things.. something to do with the ultrasonics of the purr vibration or something being good for their bones etc... (I am dead serious on this). So it could well be that your kitty was indeed helping you quite seriously!! what a lovely story!

[goofynina]

I have heard the same thing RichardMel,  damn, now i want a cat, maybe 2 or 3,    Me loves me kitties

[jbeany]

Having a pet is supposed to lower your stress level. 

That might be true for mine if she didn't insist on waking me up in the middle of the night! 

[RichardMEL]

Pets DO lower stress levels it is absolutely true. I think i already wrote that I feel my cat kept me off dialysis for a bit of time because after I got her my BP improved and I felt generally more relaxed about things, and there was a small, but noticable improvement in my test results... I think just the feeling of that unconditional love helps a lot. I know that she won't ever play emotional games with me or screw me over in some way or hurt me on purpose.. and I think that is one of the key things, along with having someone to come home to who is actually happy to see me ("aha! dinner time!" ).

Luckily I am blessed with a cat who does NOT bug me in the middle of the night for stuff. Somehow she has figured out I need my sleep and she is happy to snuggle on the bed and sit quietly until I get out of it and get up! She also seems to be able to sense when I am feeling low, or down about stuff, or just extra tired and again, is happy to sit quietly with me (or on me!) and be a companion.

that's why she means the world to me (I write this looking at her sitting on the floor near my legs). I am definitely a believer that pets (dogs and cats) are much more perceptive and smarter than most give them credit for. Some of the things my cat has done have just amazed me. I hope there is more to come

[coravh]

I kept all my babies post-transplant. I had someone clean the litter box for me for a while but since then I do it myself. The funny thing is that my kitty drove me nuts for the first couple of months after the surgery. I had a rough time at first (doing great now) and the silly cat kept wanting to sit in my lap to comfort me. Needless to say the poor little guy kept getting shoved onto my shoulder or off me entirely. Luckily I didn't traumatize him for life and here we are 4 years later and he still loves me. He's 17 yo btw and he is still going strong. At night he still snuggles under the covers with me and purrs me to sleep. Once in a while a dog will lie on top of him, but he doesn't seem to mind too much.

I think the purpose of a transplant is to give you a better life and if you are a pet owner getting rid of your babies will certainly not do that.

Cora

[Sluff]

I would never give up my dog. He is loyal to me and I to him.  He is my buddy for life.

[nextnoel]

Y'all are absolutely right about pets lowering blood pressure.  My 88-year-old mother has high blood pressure, and she lives in an apartment complex that used to allow cats but stopped just before she moved in (she wouldn't have moved there had she known they quit allowing cats).  She actually got a letter from her doctor saying she would benefit medically from having a companion pet to help keep her calm and lower her blood pressure, and they went for it!  She's the envy of all her neighbors, needless to say!

As for me, there are times I think I wouldn't even get up out of bed if I didn't have my two girls, and they are absolutely necessary for my well being!  They ask so little, and they give so much.  Besides - they're way funnier than anything on TV!

[RichardMEL]

I think you hit the nail on the head - they ask for so little and give so much. That is so true!!!

And it doesnt even have to be conscious giving.. for example this morning I was watching my cat lying on her side with her paws spread out relaxing (it is hot here!) and she was in just sucha  gorgeous position.. so totally relaxed and not worried about anything it just made me smile

[Jill D.]

I just had a transplant 3 weeks ago, and I was told that pets are fine. The said to not let your cats or dogs lick you in the face, and to always wash your hands after petting and/or handling them. Best not to let them sleep on your bed. Have someone else clean the kitty litter. If that is not possible, use gloves and a mask. If you have birds, definitely have someone else clean the cage and do not handle the birds. Clean fish tanks with gloves on.
That was all they had to say at Mayo Clinic about transplant patients having pets. FYI - they had way more to say about food preparation than pets!

[mrhecht]

This thread has been so encouraging!! I'm on the transplant list after 18 yrs on dialysis and I have 2 cats. (Had 3 but my 20 lb Jerry died 2005) I've been agonizing over what to do with them immediately post transplant as I live alone. Do any cat owners her have any experience with those "self cleaning" litterboxes, the ones that motorized? I'd be willing to spend that kind of money if they really work. I have no problem masking/gloving and my 2 NEVER go outside. They haven't been outside in over 10 yrs. Other than the obvious little nasties that are present in any species feces, it is my understanding that the risk with dogs & cats is fungus that they pick up from the dirt outdoors. No outdoors, no dirt, low fungus risk???  I've thought that maybe I should find a temp home for them for the 1st 3 months of immunosuppression, but now I'm wondering if that's actually necessary as it would be very difficult.