Toxicplasmosis Symptoms

Can Toxicplasmosis affect your eye ducts.  I have continually weeping eyes and have had a stynt put in one duct without any success.  I have one cat and she is 6 years old.  Just need to know if there might be some connection between the cat and the fact that my eye duct will not drain?

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

Good morning to you....this question is one that would be better suited to one of the medical doctor forums.

According to the CDC website (www.cdc.gov), toxoplasmosis can cause problems with the eyes, especially if you are immunocompromised in some way.

Cats are the definitive host of the toxoplasmosis parasite, but there are numerous ways of being infected with toxoplasmosis.

Cats shed the parasite in their stool and it takes approximately 24 hours for the parasite to become infective in the environment.   Daily litter box cleaning can help prevent the spread of the parasite as it won't have time to become infective.  You should also wear gloves while gardening to prevent any contamination from parasites spread by feral cats.  Interestingly, cats only shed the parasite for a very limited time after they contract toxoplasmosis.  

You can contract toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat or by not thoroughly cleaning utensils and surfaces that were in contact with the contaminated meat.  There have been some cases of infection from blood transfusions.

Good luck...I hope you find out what is happening with your eyes.

Tomcat

[Heather5]

Is this an indoor cat? If so, I think the chances of getting toxoplasmosis after 6 years is pretty slim. IF you were infected at some point, it would probably have been in the very beginning after you first got your cat, and by now, you've probably built up an immunity.

Outdoor cats, on the other hand, can bring toxoplasmosis into the home at any time....but like Tomcat said, by keeping the litter box clean and washing you hand properly after, the risks are minimized.

Take care!

[Eharden338]

Patches is a house cat but she goes out a little while at a time.  I got her when she was just a kitten and she has been trained no to leave the yard.