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I have asked this before but my nan thinks that i should get rid of my bunnies!

Shellypops

Wise Old Thumper
Because I'm pregnant!

I have told her its rubbish! But she said when my auntie was pregnant in the early 90's the doc told her to get rid of her bunny as it was a danger to pregnant women!

Has anyone got anything I can show her to prove otherwise?
 
Get your OH to clean the litter trays or wear gloves if you are worried. Tell nan stress is not good for pregnant ladies either and how stressful rehoming pets can be.
 
The only rabbit things that can be passed to humans are:

fleas (rabbits well kept very rarely have these - and strictly speaking they are not human fleas anyway - but may have a quick bite if desperate!!)
internal parasites (notably tapeworm - rare in rabbits anyway unless kept in poor conditons and close to cats etc who are much more common carriers and also easily treated)

E.C. - which can cause very minor problems in very heavily immuno-supressed humans (people having chemotherapy, actively suffering Aids or Hep C sufferers - and I mean suffering - I have Hep C but no symptoms and have never dreamed of getting rid of my rabbits)

Your grandmother is taking XXXXXXX
 
My mil keeps saying that when we have a baby we have to get rid of the rabbits cos 'rabbit poo causes serious health issues and nearly killed her sister - the fact her sister only cleans them out once a month and doesn't wash her hands has nothing to do with it of course! And she also claims that the reason I was so poorly the other week was from the rabbits (it wasn't, it was either norovirus, or food poisoning - the chicken in my chinese takeaway didn't taste right so probably food poisoning).

As long as you wash your hands etc it'll be fine x
 
I have read the link as well and I'm sure you are safe its more likely that we will pass something to our bunnies rather than the other way round.

I was shocked about this bit though :

One recently recognised hazard that most rabbit owners will not be aware of is that rabbits are highly susceptible to herpes simplex virus or HSV, which causes cold sores in humans. HSV can cause a nasty brain infection (encephalitis) in rabbits, with features such as sudden head tilt and loss of balance that could mimic a dramatic middle ear infection, or E. cuniculi related problems. HSV infection is well studied in laboratory rabbits, but there are now at least two reports in the literature of previously healthy pet rabbits who have developed HSV encephalitis at the same time their owners had cold sores. We don't know yet how significant this risk is, but until more information is available, we would advise rabbit owners with an active cold sore to wash their hands before handling their rabbit and definitely not to kiss the bunny until the cold sore has gone.
 
People keep saying things to me and my husband like 'what will you do with all your pets when you have a baby?' and 'you'll have to get rid of the cats when you get pregnant'

The answers there are 'well we'll have lots of pets and a baby as well' and 'no'

I really don't see the problem with pets in pregnancy as long as basic hygeine is followed. Always worth asking OHs to clean litter trays for you though.
 
Awww, I hope she isn't upsetting you xxx

I would see no reason to get rid of bunnies, cats do carry something that can be particularly harmful to pregnant ladies. However, I read an article the other week (sent to me by my nan who thinks that me working at a rescue is somehow going to kill me or something :roll:) and it said very clearly that most people catch it from earth contaminated by cat poo, not from owning a cat. So in theory gardening would be the most dangerous as most of the dangerous bacteria ect live in soil, bet she wouldn't tell you that!!!

Rabbit poo being dangerous is news to me, I was shown during a class trip teaching us survival things in the woods that rabbit poo is actually edible, our guide picked some up off the ground and ate it :mrgreen: not something I'd try personally but it didn't kill him!

Wasn't there some story in the 90's saying that small animals were very bad for small children because they carried salmonella? (I was a kid but remember being told I had to be careful of my rabbit, advice I ignored :lol:)
 
People keep saying things to me and my husband like 'what will you do with all your pets when you have a baby?' and 'you'll have to get rid of the cats when you get pregnant'

The answers there are 'well we'll have lots of pets and a baby as well' and 'no'

I really don't see the problem with pets in pregnancy as long as basic hygeine is followed. Always worth asking OHs to clean litter trays for you though.

I still cleaned cat litter trays when pregnant....remember cats are only at risk if they haven't been wormed regularly and have been catching and eating prey.
 
Bless your nan, shes just worried about you :love: Rabbits aren't an issue, their poo is safe to eat (not that I'm suggesting you do it, but babies put stuff in their mouths!) :lol: just follow good hygiene and you'll be fine :love:
 
Bless your nan, shes just worried about you :love: Rabbits aren't an issue, their poo is safe to eat (not that I'm suggesting you do it, but babies put stuff in their mouths!) :lol: just follow good hygiene and you'll be fine :love:

its true rabbit poo is safe to eat you can even buy them as cereal!

funny-Nesquik-cereal-rabbit-poop_large.jpg
 
I have read the link as well and I'm sure you are safe its more likely that we will pass something to our bunnies rather than the other way round.

I was shocked about this bit though :

One recently recognised hazard that most rabbit owners will not be aware of is that rabbits are highly susceptible to herpes simplex virus or HSV, which causes cold sores in humans. HSV can cause a nasty brain infection (encephalitis) in rabbits, with features such as sudden head tilt and loss of balance that could mimic a dramatic middle ear infection, or E. cuniculi related problems. HSV infection is well studied in laboratory rabbits, but there are now at least two reports in the literature of previously healthy pet rabbits who have developed HSV encephalitis at the same time their owners had cold sores. We don't know yet how significant this risk is, but until more information is available, we would advise rabbit owners with an active cold sore to wash their hands before handling their rabbit and definitely not to kiss the bunny until the cold sore has gone.

This happened to Grim and my friend gets cold sores! Can you link me please.
 
Awww, I hope she isn't upsetting you xxx

I would see no reason to get rid of bunnies, cats do carry something that can be particularly harmful to pregnant ladies. However, I read an article the other week (sent to me by my nan who thinks that me working at a rescue is somehow going to kill me or something :roll:) and it said very clearly that most people catch it from earth contaminated by cat poo, not from owning a cat. So in theory gardening would be the most dangerous as most of the dangerous bacteria ect live in soil, bet she wouldn't tell you that!!!

Rabbit poo being dangerous is news to me, I was shown during a class trip teaching us survival things in the woods that rabbit poo is actually edible, our guide picked some up off the ground and ate it :mrgreen: not something I'd try personally but it didn't kill him!

Wasn't there some story in the 90's saying that small animals were very bad for small children because they carried salmonella? (I was a kid but remember being told I had to be careful of my rabbit, advice I ignored :lol:)

I read recently that you're more likely to get toxoplasmosis from a chopping board than you are from cats.
 
If you're still concerned ask your midwife, but I think they only worry about cat poo and possibly certain types of birds but wouldn't tell you to give them up just to take sensible precautions.

E and I came to no harm looking after buns, including B's head tilt/EC, whilst pregnant. :D
 
I've been cleaning out the rabbits as normal since being pregnant and our baby is fine as am I!
They even say the risk from cat poo is so small that you just need to take normal hygiene precautions.
All the foods they tell you not to eat carry such a small risk as well.

It's good to be careful but there is no need to rehome any of your pets.
 
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