Agghh!! Toxioplasmosis!!!

[cgjsmith]

I sent my chicks that were dropping like flies off to be tested. it came back as toxioplasmosis 9I think thats the one t disease I could find thanks to my hubbys message taking. Anyway. How in the world did they get it?!? I put them on antibiotics as soon as they started dying and it saved a few but I still lost all but one millie fleur and all my salmon favrillas. (sorry about the spelling.) All i can find on the subjects is cats i need to know about humans and about chickens. My kids handle those chicks(washed their hands after wards but there is always between the house and the barn **groan** Is there any sites that deals with it? Is it in the ground do I need to do something about the coops? Help!! Crystal.

 

[MTchick]

Toxoplasmosis lives in the soil and it is usually spread by cat feces. It is infectious in moist soil for up to a year.

As for your kids- their is a good chance that they have already gotten it, and so have you. Most people never even know that they have had it. Unless you are pregnant, planning on getting pregnant, your kids are very young infants, or you have an immune disorder, you don't have to worry about it beyond washing your hands thoroughly.

I don't know if you should do something with the soil in the coop area... if I was you I'd chat with the vet about it.

-MTchick

editted to fix a serious inaccuracy