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Pregnancy

pregnant with a dog - does anyone else worry about this?

25 replies

WorryWurta · 13/02/2015 16:10

Just a quick hope-I'm-being-silly question! I have a dog, and when he gets back from walks we towel him dry. It sets my OCD off a bit as DH happily towels his feet then his back. This makes me worry that if he's stepped in cat poop (cats poop with upsetting regularity in our yard) it'll get spread onto his back from the towel and therefore when I pet him or he sleeps at the foot of our bed I'll get it on me. Does anyone else with a dog worry about such things or is it just silly?

OP posts:

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bonzo77 · 13/02/2015 16:14

I'm very relaxed about hygiene. Except cat poo when I'm pregnant. And I have a cat. Ask DH to wipe the dog's feet with kitchen towel in future and put it straight in the bin.

WorraLiberty · 13/02/2015 16:17

I've only ever been pregnant with a baby

I think you're massively over worrying about this. Any of us could step in cat poop and not realise it.

I'm sure there would have to be actual poo on him to pose any kind of risk...and even then a tiny one.

If you have OCD, how to you manage the dog on your bed?

MyDcUseSleepDeprivationAsTortu · 13/02/2015 16:17

I miss read your title and it made me chuckle. Small things

WorraLiberty · 13/02/2015 16:18

Or just get him to towel his back and then his feet

Number3cometome · 13/02/2015 16:19

I'm pregnant (with a baby) and your title made me giggle.

Sorry I don't have anything further to add!

monkeyfacegrace · 13/02/2015 16:21

Ha, I'm pregnant too, feels like with a horse mind.

OP you are being silly. In a nice way

WorryWurta · 13/02/2015 16:22

WorraLiberty - beats me, it's a very specific ocd, like I can freak the f**k out about some things but others I'm ok with. Plus I really, really love my dog, he was with me thru all my ivf and pregnancy loss and I cant push him out now.

MyDCuses... - awesome! I just read it like that too now

OP posts:

geekymommy · 13/02/2015 16:24

I'm also pregnant with a baby. Although DD might prefer a dog.

I wouldn't worry too much. I mean, I wouldn't lick your dog's feet after he comes in from a walk, but there are other reasons why I wouldn't do that.

Zsazsabinks · 13/02/2015 16:33

I think it's fine, you've probably already been exposed to most things they'll drag in with them, and I know you never truly understand the disgustingness of dogs until you've got one! Think of all of those amazing antibodies your baby is getting across the placenta!

I have two children and a dog and it's amazing for them. They adore him, he adores them. He's especially protective of my youngest because the eldest was already around when we got him as a puppy. Can't take him to the swing park with us though, he goes absolutely nuts when I put DD2 on the swing and push her. But, from a dog's perspective, I just put his baby onto something, left her there and then threw her into the air! Other than that they play together, the children are always laughing with him, gets us out of the house twice a day. Lovely.

Hope it is a baby you have in there and not a dog by the way, although you would probably make a lot of money on various documentaries if you are pregnant with a dog!

Overtiredbackagain · 13/02/2015 16:38

Sorry no advice to offer, but your thread title made me laugh out loud on the train!!

geekymommy · 13/02/2015 16:42

Who knows- if you do have a dog in there, you might get the surgeon to the royal household interested in your case! People might still be talking about you 300 years from now.

Stinkersmum · 13/02/2015 17:17

I'm pregnant and currently have 11 cats in the house (I rescue etc). I have no worries. I'm guessing your worry is regarding toxoplasmosis? You've just as much chance of getting that from undercooked eat or pork products as you are from anything else. You have to ingest it to get sick. Just wash your hands after contact with the dog and put the towel in the wash after each use.

skinnylegs33 · 13/02/2015 17:18

Lol
As others have said... It really made me giggle It was very welcome, had a very shit day. Thank you :)

Now, about the dog, no. I don't worry at all actually. I worry long term, about how she will be affected by the new arrival, about her hair - that I now not only tolerate but got very used to - and also about how we are going to sleep later on in pregnancy and after as she sleeps in our bed and she's a 45kg big dog
I'm sure it's nothing to worry as someone has already said, you must be immune to most things by now

geekymommy · 13/02/2015 17:37

Do animal shelters where you are have classes on getting your pets ready for your new baby? They do that here.

Exposure to dog hair might be a positive for your baby- kids who are exposed before age one to pets tend to have lower rates of asthma and allergies later on.

geekymommy · 13/02/2015 17:53

Even if your local animal shelter doesn't have formal classes on getting dogs ready for new babies, I would bet they have been asked these things before. They might have some resources for you. I'm sure they've been asked the question about dogs sleeping in your bed and pregnancy. It might be worth contacting them (even if that's not where you got your dog). The RSPCA or ASPCA websites might be another good place to look.

WorryWurta · 13/02/2015 17:58

Thanks for the advice and for pointing out the wish-it-was-deliberate error in my post title . Yes it's toxoplasmosis I worry about, I worry endlessly about it getting into the house via the dog, have done for months because of the cat pooping outside (although DH does his best to pick up all the outside poop daily). DH doesn't worry about toxo he worries about my OCD which is why he refuses to change his towel behaviour. I don't worry about the dog otherwise with the baby, I've seen him with friend's babies and he's fine (even lets them pull his ears, tongue etc, although personally I won't be encouraging that!). The houserabbit is far more likely to bit the child.

OP posts:

aneesa28 · 14/02/2015 08:50

It sounds like the cats pooping on your yard aren't yours?

WorryWurta · 14/02/2015 09:24

No the cats aren't ours, but that's cats for you - no respect for property boundaries!

OP posts:

BossWitch · 14/02/2015 09:53

Random advantage to dog in pregnancy - labour predictor! Mine stuck to me like glue for two days on the run up to my going into labour (seriously, you couldn't have squeezed a lego brick between us). Something to watch for as you approach your due date!

WorryWurta · 14/02/2015 09:57

Ooooh that's really interesting! I would notice that too cos since I've been pregnant the little swine is all about my husband lol - I think he must think I'm dying or something so there's no point creeping round me anymore !

OP posts:

TabbyNicki · 14/02/2015 10:01

Id worry if I were pregnant with a dog [hmmm]

aneesa28 · 14/02/2015 11:03

Worry in that case there are ways to deter them. I had four cats at one point and one of them used to park himself in next door's front yard, probably because her wheelie bin is just outside her front door. Anyway, she hates cats and requested that I do something about it. So I gave her a spray container filled with water and asked her to spray him with it whenever she sees him. After a week of this, he stopped going round there completely.

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DanyStormborn · 14/02/2015 13:23

Just towel his back then his feet (or get OH to do it in that order) so the cat poop doesn't get wiped on the bits of him you touch most. Tell your OH that's just the sensible way to do it cat poop or not as his feet are the dirtiest part so you might as well leave them till last. Toxoplasmosis is pretty rare.

blowinahoolie · 14/02/2015 15:02

I have two DC and one of them rode their bicycle wheel through dog sht the other day, and the other stepped on dog sht on his right shoe which I had to clean. I'm just over 12 weeks pregnant.

I hope I'm not pregnant with a dog!

Inpup · 15/02/2015 10:47

The only thing you should worry about it the dog on the bed.
Not sure your OCD is that full blown if you allow this.

Baby will no doubt at some point be in or on your bed, not a good idea to have the dog up too.

Dogs can become funny about 'beds' and a baby does change the balance of a household.

Just be aware your beloved doggy might not take too kindly to his comfy quiet bed being invaded by a noisy little mite who will and should take up most of your attention!

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