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RoundwormToxoplasma gondii, A very small parasite of cats which uses the dog as an intermediate host. If the eggs are eaten they will mature and the parasite will go on to invade the dogs tissue forming cysts mainly in the muscles but sometimes the brain. At this stage the intermediate host becomes immune and the cysts lie dormant but can become active again if the dog becomes stressed by some other disease. If this occurs in pregnant bitches puppies may become infected in the womb and be aborted or die soon after birth. Most Toxoplasma infections in dogs go unnoticed but more severe infections may cause diarrhoea or muscle weakness and difficulty in breathing. Infection can only be diagnosed by a vet, and it is not possible to prevent the disease since dogs can become infected in so many different ways. If you have a cat in your home take extra precautions and remove all cat faeces from the litter tray daily, Pregnant women should avoid all contact with cat faeces and should also avoid feeding raw meat to animals. It is possible that the infection can reach the baby in the uterus causing abortion. |
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