Pregnant and really worried about friends dog. Help!

[fultime]

Hi
Our daughter is just over six months pregnant with there first child, they are very excited and happy about it but she is really worried that they have been invited to a party at a friends who have a staffordshire bull terrier, very muscular and heavy, lovely dog but very excitable and tends to jump up. When she mentioned her fears to her friend she said, oh he will calm down eventually, just turn your back if he jumps up you'. She wants to know if she is being silly to be worried, would it actually do any harm if it did jump up her abdomen etc? I too am concerned about this. Also I have noticed that they don't worm the dog very often and its often infested. Its very awkward but she is more concerned about the unborn child than her friends being offended to be honest. The dog jumped up my leg about 8 months ago and head butted it, I still have a lump and mark and its tender after all this time, he is very meaty and heavy as you can tell by this. Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks very much.

Babies are pretty protected in their mother's stomachs. Your daughter should be fine, but she might want to try to avoid the dog, particularly if the whole thing makes her anxious.

(Oh, and humans can't catch worms from dogs. Or cats.)

can the dog not be put into a garden or another room when your daughter first gets to the party? tehn be brought back in once its calm? my mums mate has 2 huge english bull terriers, and they get very excited when someone first goes into their house, when i was pregnant they did jump up, but i just turned around, and they did calm down.
can she make somebody else walk into the party first, so they get all the dogs attention?

I fell over and landed quite heavily on my front when I was 8 months pg and the baby was fine - as NQC says they are very well protected.
If she wants to err on the safe side then she should probably not go.

I'd be a bit peed of at friends dismissive attitude tbh

me too.

I wouldn't really want to go near it. My mum has a whippet who has a tendency to jump up, and she's very light and dainty, but even so, I wouldn't have let her do it whilst I was pg. Luckily she seemed to sense I was pg from very early on, and never jumped up at me until DS was born.

My Mother and Father in law have a Rotweiller that is the size of a donkey and about 14 stone. He jumps up at me (well more he stands on his back legs and rests his front on my shoulders ) everytime we see him.

I'm 30 weeks pg atm and its never been a problem for me. He also did it when I was pg with my dd and she was fine too.

Sometimes if I can't be bothered with him, I pack a little chewy stck in my bag or a treat so that I can give it to him straight away and he's distracted. After that he doesn't bother

my 11 month old climbs all over me (7months preg) midwife says obviously dont let him stand on your belly but he wont hurt clambering all over me.
i have 2 lads, 30kilos a piece and they dont hurt my belly. sometimes at their feed time one of them jumps up. if the baby is asleep he doesnt wake up. i dontr think he even feels it. staffs are short anyway. i wouldnt have thought its paws would reach her belly?

2 labs! not lads!

Also Dogs have good sense, they'll pick up if someone feels anxious.

Thanks all of you for that. I know you cant catch worms but you can get tox which can effect the baby. I think she will go and make sure she isn't the first in, he does actually jump really high so yes his feet could reach her belly easily enough. Just have to be really careful and hope he calms down pretty quickly. Thanks again for the advice, its been really helpful. Probably just an over anxious Mum/Nan

My partner and i have a 1 year old doberman and is really strong and big, his jumped up at me many times and has accedently hit his paw on my tummy, but the baby and i were fine. the only thing i can suggest for your daughter to do is completely ignore the dog when she walks in or get her partner to go in first. The dog will see she's not intersted in him and will go and seek attention else where.

I'm pregnant with my second and like yellowfeathers, have a rottweiller the size of a small elephant (14 stone). Not once during my two pregnancies have I been jumped on. He seems to sense that there is something going on. Dogs are more perceptive that we give them credit for. If your daughter is worried, try taking a treat like one other mumsnetter suggested.

My exuberant Staffy didn't leap at me once during my pregnancy. (The cat continued getting a good elbow in though). They do "know", but still do silly things like unexpectedly rush over to see other dogs in the street whilst you are 7 months pregnant and send you bowling right onto your belly. My LO didn't scome out until encouraged at 42+1.

I've yet to hear of any dog that can upset a pregnancy other than tox (and that is rare).
I think you're daughter will be fine - and the owner is right - just tell her to turn her back (it wil act as a sign to the dogs that she is not interested)
Like the chew idea.

Toxoplasmosis is from cat faeces not dogs. She shouldn't relly be at risk of catching any diseae from a dog jumping up at her. It is very unlikely that a dog will harm the baby by jumping up. She just needs to turn her back - her friend was right.

My (then) 5 year old used to climb on my bump to try and see over fences when I was pregnant with ds3.

I'd be more concerned about kittens (toxoplasmosis) or ewes giving birth (??? what is it they can carry) than a dog tbh.

Role of Dogs in Transmitting Toxoplasmosis
Dogs may act as a mecanical factor in transmitting Toxoplasmosis to humans by rolling in foul-smelling substances and by ingesting fecal material. Just remember that 50% of stray dogs and cats carry T.gondii antibodies, which means that they have been infected and may transmit the parasite to you.

Reports show that dogs in shelters, dogs living in close contact with wild birds and rodents in rural areas, and dogs fed raw meat are at mich higher risk for being infected by T.gondii. Since 2000 there have been identified incidents of dermatitis in a dog associated with an unidentified Toxoplasma gondii-like parasite. Toxoplasmosis presents a serious health risk for people. Infection is especially dangerous for people with supressed immune system and pregnant women. Swollen glands and fever are the most common findings in those who have any symptoms. Infected infants may show various symptoms including jaundice, encephalitis, mental defects, and eye disease.

Good post Fulltime. Am surprised people thought toxoplasmosis was only from cats.
If she's worried, then she should avoid touching the dog and wash her hands before eating.

But dogs jumping up shouldn't be a problem - I was run over (by a slow-moving car but still thrown down the road) at around the same stage and ds was fine. They are well- protected in there.