Health and Pets

[sski1]

If I am on Ocrevus, do I have to be careful around certain pets or animals? My doctor seemed ok with my cat, but she sleeps in my bed. We try to keep her litter box as clean as possible and if I have to scoop I wear a mask and gloves. Also I kind of want a pet snail. Has anyone been told they shouldn't have certain pets like mice, amphibians, mollusks, etc because of zoonotic infections?

[RoseySawyer]

No rules for ms with pets. But ALWAYS KEEP IT CLEAN! 👍😊❤🌷

[greaterexp]

I think it would be a great question to ask your doctor, since the Ocrevus could make you more likely to catch some communicable diseases.

[Fancy1959]

sski1m it's Fancy. No one has ever restricted me or told me to restrict certain pets but I've done it on my own. I understand that certain pets, turtles as an example, carry a lot more botulism and bad bacteria than your run-of-the-mill cats and dogs. With ocrevus, which I'm also on, permanently or should I say chronically lowering your immune system I would think that would set you up for some of the nasty bugs and junk that certain non-traditional pet carry. I'm by no means telling you which pets you can and cannot have but it would be a topic to bring up to a doctor at some point. It's rather interesting to me as well but I remember reading a story or two about not letting your young children having certain pets due to the bacteria that they carry.

I grew up having a pet turtle in a big sandbox but I never let my children have I have two reading article or two that I read about such things. And truth be told I don't think they really missed out on that much about being denied the right to have a turtle for a pet! Just something to consider for yourself and for any children in your life.

[Frances_B]

I understand that some types of snails can be carriers of parasites which can be transmitted to humans - not quite the same as the common meaning of "infections", but still something to check up on if you do decide to adopt a snail.