Are pets a danger to someone with low blood counts?

2 answers | Last updated: Jun 30, 2011

My son has been diagnosed with lymphoma for about two months and has had his second chemo treatment. He is receiving chemo every three weeks. On the fourth or fifth day of chemotherapy he became quite ill--vomiting, high temperature,etc. His wife has taken him into the hospital to receive the proper treatment for this. He is now in his fourth day of hospitalization and has a white count of one. My question is about his pets. He has a dog and a cat. His dog has the worst bad breath ever imaginable. The cat is in and out of the house at will. Is it a danger to him to be around these animals with the low blood count and should they be removed from his home permanently?

Dan Tobin, M.D.

Caring.com Expert

Dan Tobin, M.D. is the CEO of Care Support of America, a national service providing telephonic and local nurse counsel to adult children...

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Dan Tobin, M.D. said...

Hi:
In trying to figure out if pets can be a danger to your son’s low blood count it is best to contact his treating doctor with that exact question. Every case of low blood count is individual and the treating physicians will have the right answer for your specific case. You can often get your questions answered by speaking with a nurse in the doctor’s office.
Dan Tobin

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poison

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poison said...

I think that you are correct in thinking pets should be removed from her husbands envoriment! Because pets are dirty, they can bring disease and bad allergies around the home. I feel a cat in particular are filthy animals full of disease, unless kept inside. But, even then they go to the bathroom in their pan and bring their duties on their paws and their anus. No thanks, don't need that around the house. Gross ewwww

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