Toxoplasmosis - curable?

[LisaK]

I did a search on this site and researched other places and can't seem to find a definite answer as to whether toxo is absolutely curable. One source said it is curable in 7 to 10 days with antibiotics, another said only 40 to 60% of cats can be cured, another said it is only curable when detected early and yet another said it is fatal! I will be talking to my vet when I pick up medication today, but I would like to know other's experiences with it.

(Just so you know.......my cat is around 9 yrs old and shows no symptoms other than recent diarrhea. She had 2 fecals, tested for giardia and a complete cat wellness check (blood) - that's how the toxo was detected).

Thanks

[Traci]

Was the blood (serologic sample) sent to an outside lab for confirmation, and was hemobartonella included in the testing? Did your vet request retesting about 3 weeks after the first test? This helps to determine active vs chronic vs recent infection in which to choose the best treatment and to determine status of infection, since if you don't retest frequently, you don't know if the infection is resolving.

If detected early on and treated appropriately, cats can recover from toxo. It is when the cat has been immunocompromised without treatment that causes other infections to occur and makes for more difficult treatment, or when health declines due to symptoms not being treated (weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, ocular problems, respiratory problems, neurological problems, pneumonia etc). Has your kitty been tested for FELV/FIV etc? Do you have other cats and have they been tested as well?

Did you give your vet a thorough history on your kitty? I.e., environment, diet, indoor vs outdoor, etc. You're not feeding kitty raw meat are you? Are you keeping kitty Indoors Only?!

[LisaK]

Was the blood (serologic sample) sent to an outside lab for confirmation, and was hemobartonella included in the testing? Did your vet request retesting about 3 weeks after the first test? This helps to determine active vs chronic vs recent infection in which to choose the best treatment and to determine status of infection, since if you don't retest frequently, you don't know if the infection is resolving.

If detected early on and treated appropriately, cats can recover from toxo. It is when the cat has been immunocompromised without treatment that causes other infections to occur and makes for more difficult treatment, or when health declines due to symptoms not being treated (weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, ocular problems, respiratory problems, neurological problems, pneumonia etc). Has your kitty been tested for FELV/FIV etc? Do you have other cats and have they been tested as well?

Did you give your vet a thorough history on your kitty? I.e., environment, diet, indoor vs outdoor, etc. You're not feeding kitty raw meat are you? Are you keeping kitty Indoors Only?!

Yes, blood was sent out for testing. I don't know about hemobartonella
- a complete feline wellness check was done. He did not request retesting, but I will ask today. Yes, she has been tested for FELV/FIV. Don't have any other cats. Vet knows all about her. No, never raw meat. Cat stays indoors, once in a blue moon walks to the bottom of deck stairs to grab a piece of grass and back in.

[Traci]

Retesting is crucial, Lisa, talk to your vet about that.

[LisaK]

Retesting is crucial, Lisa, talk to your vet about that.

She is on Antirobe 25mg (Clindamycin) 2 capsules twice daily for 3 wks, then another blood test.

Thanks

[mamabear]

Ok Traci help me out here , now i am curious...

How does a cat that never goes outside (just a nibble of grass supervised), doesnt even raw meat or near other cats get toxo? Not sure I have ever come across this before.

Lisa I am so sorry you have to go through this. Make sure you get that retest dear. Huggies to kitty.

[Traci]

The infection could have been latent and developed as a result of a secondary bacterial infection, stress, immunocompromised health, etc.

Common causes: other infected cats, (or if outdoors, other cats), eating flies or cockroaches, unpasteurized milk (particularly goat's milk), contaminated water (like contaminated tap or well water), eating birds or rodents, eating raw or insufficiently cooked meat and/or vegetables, including those prepared by the human and transmitting the bacteria due to not washing vegetables, not washing hands or preparation surfaces after handling raw meats/foods, not washing hands after gardening etc.

[LisaK]

Ok Traci help me out here , now i am curious...

How does a cat that never goes outside (just a nibble of grass supervised), doesnt even raw meat or near other cats get toxo? Not sure I have ever come across this before.

Lisa I am so sorry you have to go through this. Make sure you get that retest dear. Huggies to kitty.

Don't worry - she will be retested in 3 wks. This cat drinks bottled water, does not drink milk, does not eat bugs, rodents, birds or vegetables. I can only figure that she has had it since before I got her and it only surfaced now or that she ingested a cyst from a piece of grass.

[mamabear]

Thank you Traci. I dont have my kitties anymore but I still have friends and clients that have cats as well so it's nice to know.

LisaK I wanna go to up North by you and live....Bottle water? Heck yeah! Hmmmmm Wonder how well you make a steak. LOL I dont live far and I use to live in nothern nj.

We have well water and when I go back to north jersey where sister is I can smell the chlorine in the water. ITs so weird. we do give our kids bottled water tho.

Good luck with this dear.