My wife just started Ibrutinib 3 days ago. We have dogs and indoor only cats. I am the one who does poop patrol for the dogs but she often looks after the litter boxes for the cats. Should we be concerned about this
The cats are only indoor pets. We honestly hadn’t thought about pets and the possibility of issues
If anyone has pets and/or any experience or advice we would love to hear. Like deer in the headlights with all the information to absorb we didn’t think to ask but we likely will next week if we can’t find any information
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That makes sense and we just started that but we may just remove her from the process all together: she wants to try to be as normal as possible and feels the less she does for the animals she loves the more depressed she feels and less worth she is. It’s a fine line. But keeping her safe is the most important for now. Thank you
I think there is some slight risk with pets and being immuno-compromised, but with cats and dogs it is pretty low . For me whatever risk that might be, it is way offset by the comfort my pups bring me. The chances of any doctor convincing me to give up my pups are about zero.
Now because we are immunocompromised, it probably is a good idea to do what we should already be doing, making sure our pets stay healthy and keeping them up to date with their vaccinations.
Here is a link to some common sense tips for having immune issues and owning a pet:
I find the article a bit contradictory. it says on the one hand a high number of immunocpmpromised folks are told to give up their pets, but then later says the risk is low.
Of course there are degrees of being immunocompromised and how compromised one's immune system is should factor in, but I am not aware of a lot folks giving up their dogs and cats because they have leukemia, I doubt that is accurate.
Its the same in our household, my dogs rank over me. Dogs have such a great nature. You know what they say, lock your wife and your dog in the trunk for a few hours and then open it and see who is happier to see you. Dogs dont judge you and they dont hold grudges, there is a lot us humans can learn for them.
I really haven't made any adjustment with my dogs, I probably should, but I'm not bringing their poo to the vet to get it checked out. Yuck. Mine sit in my lap, I guess I just like to live dangerously.
My 6 yr old grandson had a case of cat scratch fever. He had a tough time getting over it. He was in hospital for several days and IV antibiotics. His lymph node swelled up to about 5 inches in length. He is now 27 and still has scaring to this day.
Ouch. I don’t think there is any question that cats and dogs can pass illnesses along to us or that with us having an immune disorder, we are more at risk of getting something from our pets.
Our lives with Cll are all about balancing risk. I know it’s safer for me to avoid crowds and not travel, but where I am right now with my Cll I am not going to stop going to football games or stop traveling.
It’s the same with my pups. I enjoy their company so much that I accept the risk of them passing something along to me. Part of that analysis for me is the severity of the risk I am taking vs the activity I enjoy. In the case of dogs, I think the risk is relatively low. It’s the same with cats. I might keep my cats claws trimmed to lessen the risk of the scratch you describe.
Hi Big_Dee, I know the feeling. I had cat-scratch fever about twenty years ago and it took forever for it to go away. It also took a long time for doctors to figure out what it was. I was in the Navy and none of the Navy doctors knew what it was. Luckily my wife worked for an infectious disease pediatrician at the time and she knew exactly what it was. It affected my lymph nodes for a long time.
You need to ideally avoid contact with the body fluids of your cats.
Mask (N99) and gloves. Any infection from cats will be faecal /urine/saliva --> oral.
More importantly - cat bites and scratches are very important to avoid.
We have 2 old cats, I was severely neutropenic on FCR for 6 months, my wife cleared any mess, puke or other cat brought in or up mess! Now 8 months post FCR I relax and have surgical standard gloves everywhere, as well as my Marigolds for washing up! (Other brands do exit) Cats are remarkably clean on the whole!
On the other hand, a cat on the lap snoozing, purring, happy, is quite therapeutic.
Thank you. Yes it seems we will make some adjustments. I will now be on cat duty also
They are very good social house cats. All up todate in any required vaccines but getting old and never ever go out. Scratches are the likeliest issue. Will just need to be more vigilant. They aren’t declawed nor will we but my wife will be much more vigilant in handling them and avoiding scratches. We should be ok otherwise - I hope. Because these things are her babies and more important than anyone else in the house 🤦🏻♂️😂
We have a pet cat which dose not pose any risk when you are around it. However you need to be careful when you're cleaning the litter box. Wearing gloves is the best way if you have to do it.
Toxoplasmosis is the disease you can get from cat feces. And Cat Scratch Fever (Bartonella henselae) from cat scratches. Then there is the issue of bug bites from the fleas on cats and dogs. Fleas can carry disease as well.
I think if cats are indoor/outdoor there is a greater risk I imagine.
Our family has 1 dog, 1 cat, 2 Quaker Parrots, 1 Beta fish and 1 tree frog. The kids promised to take care of the animals and have signed written contracts. Of course they stopped after a couple of months. I was told by my specialist “No Way” on the frog or birds. Dog and fish are ok. The cat, although she prefers I do not, is fine for now, provided I use a mask and gloves, no exceptions.
We have 2 dogs and my husband has had the occasional scratch from them jumping on his lap, but luckily no infections although there is usually a nasty bruise when it happens.
While the companionship of pets certainly can be a positive factor in our quality of life, there are risks of disease transmission, which is why, when we have CLL, it is wise to have someone else look after the litter boxes and to wash our hands after handling our pets. As others have mentioned, cat scratches are a risk. They could transfer bacteria from your skin into your blood, as well as from the cat's claws. Indoor cats can also be a means of transfer of pathogens from around the home to you. Ibrutinib can cause neutropenia, putting you at more risk of bacterial and fungal infections.
I understand that your wife loves her cats, but it's not the best thing to do because her immunity is compromised. You have to make sure that all your pets are healthy and have all the required vaccines and also to keep all their toys and utensils clean and disinfected. I sanitize my cat's toys all the time, but his fountain is a big problem for me. It's so hard to clean. As soon as I can I will exchange it. I already looked at reviews on petsquick.com and I have my eye on the Cat Mate Pet Fountain because the polymer carbon filter helps eliminate even the smallest of debris and bacteria from the water. This is what impressed me the most, so I'm impatient to make the change.
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Dogs dont judge you and they dont hold grudges, there is a lot us humans can learn for them. 
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