Are you a Fur parent and in a dilemma as to whether you can keep your fur babies or not during pregnancy? Worry no more, let's have a little chat on fur babies. Many people have a big heart for animals and some believe that pet lovers make better parents because of the empathy, patience, and compassion they show to their pets.

While some are very conservative with the type of animals they keep as pets - dogs, cats; others are a little adventurous with their choices- reptiles, rodents, etc. Many people in the world are pet lovers for various reasons - I for one love dogs, they are great listeners and companions hence the name Man's best friend. Some people even believe their pets could sense their pregnancy before they even found out.

Having a pet whilst pregnant should not cause any issues but there are a few precautions to take.

Cats

Although cats are generally safe to keep as pets, they can be a threat to you and your unborn child because of a specific parasite they carry in their feces. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that causes Toxoplasmosis infection in cats and rodents. It is usually found in outdoor cats that feed on their own and hunt for rodents. If a woman is infected before or during pregnancy, it may cause birth defects, stillbirths, and miscarriages.

To protect yourself:

● avoid stray cats.

● wear gloves when taking care of cat feces or avoid doing it at all if possible.

● thoroughly wash your hands with warm water and soap after handling cats.

● wear gloves while gardening since cats usually ease themselves in soil.

According to the UK National Health Service, the chances of the infection spreading to the fetus are quite low, and 1 in 10,000 babies are born with toxoplasmosis each year, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Dogs

Unless they are untrained or unfriendly, dogs are normally safe to be around during pregnancy. Since it is easy for pregnant women to lose their balance, it is advised to be careful with big dogs as they can knock you over. To keep you and your baby safe from infections, make sure your dogs vaccines are always up to date. If you intend to keep your dog after baby comes, explore training options for your dog(s) and gently introduce your dog to kids and babies.

Rodents

Mice, squirrels, rabbits, and hamsters among others are kept as pets sometimes. However, mice and rats are known for carrying about 35 diseases that can be easily transmitted to humans. Maintaining a hygiene routine for your pet and personal hygiene can reduce the chance of contracting any form of the disease.

Hamsters on the other hand carry salmonella bacteria that cause intense stomach upsets and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus that cause flu-like symptoms. Both can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her unborn child.

Reptiles

Most reptiles are not domestic animals or safe to keep as pets but some people with the experience and love for them are comfortable keeping a snake, lizard, or a tortoise as companions.

Reptiles are also very known for transmitting salmonella to humans especially pregnant women and children because of their vulnerable immunity. Avoid venomous snakes at all cost. Snake bites can lead to major complications like teratogenesis and spontaneous miscarriages, antepartum hemorrhage, preterm labour and delivery, intrauterine fetal death, and neonatal death.

Regardless of the type of pet, you keep, maintaining a good hygiene routine while handling domestic animals is very important to reduce the chances of contracting any transmitted disease during pregnancy.

All in all, you should take extra precautions with pets when pregnant. If you don't already have pets, you might want to wait till after delivery to explore that option. If your fur babies are not used to children, now will be a great time gently introduce them to kids.

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