My rescue puppy had toxoplasmosis. Is reoccurrence a long-term risk?

That is a great question, and one that doesn't really have a crystal clear answer. If she was initially treated during the acute phase, its possible that that bacteria was completely eliminated. It is possible that the antibodies produced by her body may prevent a second infection, however there is no guarantee of this. If a second infection develops, it is more likely to be subclinical, and it may or may not ever progress to being chronic and symptomatic. Having said all of that, I wouldn't be overly stressed. Use a monthly tick prevention moving forward, and if she develops any symptoms of illness, take her to your vet. https://www.petcarerx.com/article/identify-ehrlichiosis-symptoms-at-all-3-stages-of-the-disease/1545 Thank you for asking PetCoach!

There is no approved or curative treatment for canine neosporosis.  Arrestment of clinical disease is best achieved when treatment is initiated before the occurrence of contracture or paralysis.  Since she has no clinical signs then I think her prognosis is good if she take the entire 4 weeks of the recommended treatment. I see no reason not to adopt her but definitely DO NOT breed her. Good question! 


Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! As long as your dog has been treated and is now healthy, there should not be any long term effects of the infection. However, in the future, testing for these infections may be difficult, as false positive results are possible. Your dog may be a carrier of Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichia life long, but this disease is not transmitted to humans. You should be careful if you are planning to, or have, another dog. I hope this helps and that all is well!

I'm sorry to hear about this. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that is commonly acquired by cats, people and many other animals, but doesn't always cause disease. This means that any animal can be infected and shedding the infective stage, but doesn't necessarily have the disease. Unless Blink is having signs of illness, there is no need to treat the infection. However, it may be worthwhile to have a vet find out if she is in-fact the source of the infection. For your sake, it may be worthwhile to eliminate the infection in Blink, so she doesn't continually spread it. Keep in mind that cat's are not the only source of this disease. Many other animals can carry this parasite and it's often transmitted through undercooked meat. Below are links to a couple of articles that should be helpful for understanding this disease and making future decisions. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/toxoplasmosis https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/index.html I hope that helps and you get better soon.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Generally I will treat for 4-6 weeks with Doxycycline and then send out an anaplasmosis PCR to see if the patient is still positive. The test used in most vet clinics is a simple snap test that detects circulating antibodies to the anaplasma. It is likely that Molly will be positive on this snap test for years to come. This does not mean she is actively infected, just that she has had previous exposure to the infection. If you want to confirm she is negative after treatment, then a PCR test would be the test to run. Generally after successful treatment, I do not see any health complications. No annual testing is needed but a PCR might be something to consider running for the first 12 months every 6 months after treatment. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Your Doctor can test you. If you are negative then you should avoid gardening or doing things with the soil as toxoplasma lives there as well. Then I would have your husband clean Cecile's litter box or you do it wearing gloves and wash your hands. I would also keep your cats indoors. As a Vet, I have been exposed, who knows when or how, and I had a normal pregnancy. Below is a link to the CDC's page on toxoplasma. It should answer all of your questions! I hope this helps and I wish you the best! https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/index.html

With treatment, most pets will clear coccidia from their intestines. I recommend to have Bailey checked for coccidia by his veterinarian. Also keep in mind there are two primary species of coccidia and only one affects dogs. I hope this and please feel free to post any additional questions.