Dogs?

[honey560buddy]

My IBD 6 year old is on Imuran and has been doing GREAT for the last year and a half. She is stable and hasn't had any flares since August 2016 which was under control literally in a day and short term steroids. She is maintaining remission with Imuran. Her labs are done every 3-4 months and she is good.

Here is where my worry comes in. We have ALWAYS had dogs. I am a dog lover. We have a sweet 4 year old shitzu and last week purchased Ella's dream dog (a german shepherd) puppy. He will be going to school for 6 weeks for obedience and personal protection because Ella has issues with being scared to be alone in a room or even go to the bathroom alone. She is so much smaller than other kids her age and we think that has to do with it. She said she is so excited because I am not scared anymore since we have Major.

Fast forward to now. The dog was just diagnosed with Giardia and is being treated. They say that the chances of humans getting it is almost nill, but still there. NOW IM TERRIFIED! He is being treated and should recover fully, but that got me to Googling and there are other parasites like Crypto that dogs can carry that humans can get, albeit very rare with hand washing. I am 43 years old and had dogs my entire life. Why did I not know this? Here is my question. How many of you own dogs? Would my daughter be considered immunocompromised if her WBC is normal? I cannot take the dog away now. She has fallen in love. Now I am reading that a large percent of dogs carry these diseases and we never know because there is no symptoms so they are never tested.

HELP!

 

[Maya142]

We have had a dog for the entire time my girls have been on biologics and immunosuppressants. They are both on a biologic + immunosuppressant (younger one is on Imuran + biologic + another immunosuppressant for her arthritis). We also have 3 cats, whom my daughters adore. The cats climb all over everything (except the kitchen counters and dining table - those are our two rules!!) and even sleep in their beds.

I have worried about infections (especially cat scratch fever) and asked the vet and their doctors, and no one is worried at all. For cats, they just say to avoid having the girls clean the litter box (so I get that fun job ).

Our dog recently died, and had been very old and sick for the last year - lots of infections. She also was incontinent and peed everywhere. I worried a lot but neither girl got sick.

We just make sure they wash their hands a lot. Honestly, I really don't worry about it anymore.

 

[honey560buddy]

We have had a dog for the entire time my girls have been on biologics and immunosuppressants. They are both on a biologic + immunosuppressant (younger one is on Imuran + biologic + another immunosuppressant for her arthritis). We also have 3 cats, whom my daughters adore. The cats climb all over everything (except the kitchen counters and dining table - those are our two rules!!) and even sleep in their beds.

I have worried about infections (especially cat scratch fever) and asked the vet and their doctors, and no one is worried at all. For cats, they just say to avoid having the girls clean the litter box (so I get that fun job ).

Our dog recently died, and had been very old and sick for the last year - lots of infections. She also was incontinent and peed everywhere. I worried a lot but neither girl got sick.

We just make sure they wash their hands a lot. Honestly, I really don't worry about it anymore.

Thank you! The vet said we walk in parasites every time we walk outside and then bring it in our houses and our kids roll all over in it and unless your house is an operating room, its got all kinds of crud, but I guess because this is something I had never heard of, it worries me.

 

[my little penguin]

Our dog had it
We called the GI
Let them know
They said just watch for diarrhea etc..
Otherwise don’t worry
Ds never got anything from the dog

 

[crohnsinct]

Two daughters with IBD and on immunomodulators and biologics. Two dogs their entire lives (3 dogs total). Every dog at one time or another had a parasite of some kind. One of them had diarrhea all over the house. Never affected either daughter.

Hospital operating room? Now don't get nervous but there is a risk of c diff with hospital admissions. Although I will say hospitals are coming a long way with that.

 

[Jmrogers4]

Husband and son at one time on just about every therapy for crohn's out there, probably easier at this point to list what they haven't been on.
We've always had dogs and cats and at various times - gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, crested gecko lizard and a bird. Have never had any issues. We do have a rule after handling the lizard that hands must be thoroughly washed and purell applied but that goes for everyone not just my crohn's kiddo and it is his lizard.

 

[Tesscorm]

Here too... Our last dog, at one time, had colitis! And, of our two current dogs, one has had intestinal problems since a very small pup (possible infections, IBD, pancreatitis, etc) plus the typical episodes of diarrhea, infections, etc that come with two dogs. It's never been an issue.

One concern that I do have are ticks. One of our dogs competes in field trials and hunting (so out in the bush/forest alot) and we've found two ticks on him. That worries me quite a bit (but, he's an outdoor dog so limited contact with S).

And, as for the 'companionship', we got our first dog when our kids were about 9ish. I think this was the age when we started to leave them at home for short periods... it made them both feel comfortable when alone. They'd both say they felt safe because Jazz was with them. (Made me feel safer too... Jazz was a doberman! :wink