RFK jr Brain Worm

[NanaCat]

63. Well, before you get all excited there

Dogs can spread the same disease to their owners.

Really.

Toxoplasmosis in Dogs
By J. P. Dubey, MVSc, PhD, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, USDA
Reviewed/Revised Jun 2018

Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite that infects humans and other warmblooded animals. It is found worldwide.

Felines (members of the cat family) are the only definitive hosts of the parasite. (A definitive host is an animal that a parasite requires in order to mature normally.) Both wild and domestic cats serve as the main reservoir of infection. In dogs, a generalized infection may occur as the parasites travel through the body and invade the tissues.

Adult animals with vigorous immune systems control the spread of the parasite efficiently; therefore, toxoplasmosis usually causes no signs in healthy dogs. However, in puppies, the parasites may spread throughout the body. Signs of infection include fever, diarrhea, cough, difficulty breathing, jaundice, seizures, and death. Adult animals with weakened immune systems are extremely susceptible to developing sudden, generalized toxoplasmosis.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/disorders-affecting-multiple-body-systems-of-dogs/toxoplasmosis-in-dogs.

So much for hating on cats unnecessarily.