Pets

Question

A simple question but I haven’t found an answer anywhere. We have three cats, these cats also go outside. What is the opinion about a CF baby (eight weeks old) and pets.

Answer

Dear ECORN-user,
Thank you for your interesting question. In families with pets, there is no need for extra measures -specific for babies or children with CF. Of course normal rules of hygiene and safety need to be followed. For instance a pet may not get access to a baby crib or a children’s bedroom, a pet needs to be vaccinated. Safety of the child is an important issue because a pet can scratch or bite. There is no indication that children with CF become allergic to pets more often than other children. Recent data even suggest that being in contact with several pets during the first years of life may protect against allergies later. But of course, allergy for pets with disease signs such allergic rhinitis (itchy nose, blocked nose, sneezing, watery eyes) or asthma (acute episodes of cough, wheeze or shortness of breath) are rather common and a child may thus well have CF as well as allergy to cats. In unusual situations such as CF patients with reduced immunity post lung transplant, a sick dog may infect the diseased child. And also the reverse has been described such as an adult with CF and lung infection with a highly transmissible Pseudomonas strain who gave his bacteria to his cat. But these situations are really exceptional and luckily they have nothing to do with a young CF-baby. If you have other concerns about your cats and your baby we advise you to discuss it with your CF-doctor.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. DeBoeck

13.11.2008