Hi Dr. Barchas,

I just found out I’m pregnant. I have two cats and a dog who are all very sweet and loving, but I’m wondering if there is anything special my husband and I need to consider now that we’re going to have a baby.

Jayne
San Francisco, CA

Let me preface my comments with a few general thoughts. First, remember that millions upon millions of children have grown up around cats and dogs. I believe that pets are good for children and children are good for pets. Also, don’t forget that you should never substitute anything you read on the internet for consultation with a real, live veterinarian, obstetrician, or pediatrician. That’s especially true if infants and children are concerned.

That said, there are several things I’d recommend you consider. Cats may carry a parasite, called Toxoplasma, that can cause miscarriage or birth defects. This parasite receives an amount of press and hype that is out of proportion to the risk it poses. However, you should take a few precautions to ensure your pregnancy is not put at risk. The simplest of these is to have your husband clean the litter box daily. People are exposed to the parasite through contact with cat feces, so if your husband cleans the box, your risk will be dramatically reduced. Your veterinarian or obstetrician can provide more information and recommendations about Toxoplasma.

Once your baby is born, there are other issues to remember. Some of them are common-sense. For instance, take care to ensure that your child is not scratched or bitten by your pets. In my experience, this happens very rarely–most pets immediately bond with new family members. But be careful nonetheless. Remember that cats are most likely to scratch when they are cornered by toddlers, and dogs are most likely to bite during meal times.

Dogs and cats may carry diseases that can be spread to children. These include rabies, roundworm infestation, and ringworm. The first two have the potential to be very serious. However, appropriate vaccination, deworming, and veterinary examinations can virtually eliminate the risk.

Don’t forget to keep your pet free of fleas. Fleas spread human and animal diseases ranging from tapeworms to bubonic plague. As well, flea feces can contaminate carpets and beds. Advantage and Frontline are generally safer for your children than flea bombs, flea collars, or household pesticides.

Finally, please don’t let the information in this column scare you. Although there are several issues you must consider if you are pregnant and have pets, you can minimize the risk to your child by following your veterinarian’s advice.

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My seven-month-old black Lab has small bald spots on her face, head and a
few on her legs. I was wondering what they are. She does not act like
they bother her; it looks like she got in a fight or something and got
scratched a few times, but she has not been around any other animals.
Can you give me any ideas?

Jennifer
Columbia, MO

It sounds like your dog has puppy mange. Don’t be alarmed by the name. Although the word mange has negative connotations, your dog’s condition is probably not serious.

Puppy mange, also known as Demodectic mange, is extremely common in dogs between six and eighteen months of age. It comes in two forms: mild and severe. Your dog’s symptoms are consistent with the mild form. In this syndrome, small patches of baldness develop on the face, legs, or body. The spots usually aren’t painful or itchy. You should go to your vet to confirm this diagnosis. He or she can prescribe an ointment that will help the baldness to resolve. Even without treatment, the spots will probably disappear over time.

Dogs with the severe form of puppy mange lose hair over large areas of their bodies. Although this syndrome is rare, it definitely warrants veterinary intervention.

In theory, puppy mange is contagious. However, in practice the syndrome does not behave in an infectious fashion and there is very little risk that your pet could spread the problem to other dogs.

Finally, be aware that for many dogs diagnosed with puppy mange, it takes several months for the hair to grow back.

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My cat, Kitty, likes to chew on plastic grocery bags. It’s annoying to us, sure, but is it bad for her? She doesn’t eat them. Do a lot of cats do this? And do you know why?

Shawna
Olathe, KS

Believe it or not, people ask me these sorts of questions almost every day in my practice. So, to answer one of the questions, yes, a very large number of cats like to chew on plastic bags. Many cats also enjoy chewing other forms of thin plastic, or chew on (and sometimes swallow) rubber bands.

I do not have a definitive answer for why cats do this. It may be because they enjoy the texture, which is unlike most objects found in nature. But, frankly, that is just a guess. Certainly, medical science has provided no answer to this question that I’m aware of.

If your cat is not swallowing portions of the bags, then it probably is harmless. The plastic in most bags is inert and not toxic. Even if swallowed, small pieces of plastic (or rubber bands) usually will pass harmlessly through a cat’s system. However, a slight risk exists that such foreign material might coalesce into a form that can obstruct the intestines and require surgery. As well, if any toxic materials are on a bag (for instance, if the bag was used to carry insecticide or motor oil), they could make your cat sick. And, a risk of suffocation exists if cats crawl into plastic bags. So, to be safe, you should probably keep plastic bags out of reach.

However, if your cat is like most, she will probably continue to chew on the occasional plastic bag without coming to any harm.

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I recently rescued a 10- or 11-year-old female Pekingese the day before her
euthanization. She has several warts on her body, and I wonder if
there is anything topical that we can use to remove them. Can they be
removed any other way? Are they contagious to other pets or humans?

Thank you so much for your help with this.

Sue
Raleigh Area, NC

Although the skin growths you describe look like warts, they probably aren’t real warts.

True warts in dogs are caused by a virus, and in theory they are contagious. However, in practice they don’t spread easily, and they almost always regress (go away) without medical intervention. I usually see true warts on young (less than 18 months old) dogs. They are very unsightly fleshy growths that look a bit like cauliflower stalks. They generally are found on the lips or gums, or rarely elsewhere on the face or body.

In a mature individuals over seven years of age, true warts are very rare. However, skin masses that resemble warts are very common. These masses are similar to moles in people. They may increase in number as an animal ages. And, they are mostly harmless, although they should be monitored carefully. I usually don’t recommend removing them unless they are growing or changing rapidly, or unless they are causing other problems (sometimes these masses will become itchy or will bleed). There are no topical products that are likely to cause regression of your dog’s masses.

Next time you’re at the vet, have him or her assess the growths to ensure that none of them look problematic. If she thinks they’re harmless, I would recommend against removing or treating them.

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