[Kimberly]

#1064330

Hi Kari – Autoimmunity is not "contagious", so I’m not aware of any limitations that you would have in caring for your animals. I do know of cases where both pets and their owners contracted an autoimmune condition, which is certainly odd. The current theory regarding autoimmunity is that we are *genetically predisposed* to getting an autoimmune disease…and then some "trigger" actually activates the disease. The "trigger" is often stress, physical injury, illness, or some type of environmental factor. So in these cases where both animals and owners contract an autoimmune disease, they both must have been genetically predisposed…but it’s possible that a common element in the environment served as the "trigger".

For patients who have just been treated with Radioactive Iodine, there is generally a precaution to stay away from people for a certain period of time. Usually, the instructions refer only to people, but sometimes I do see household pets included in the restrictions. So if you decide to pursue RAI, you will definitely want to check with your doctor on any special guidelines.

[karilcole]

#1064331

Thanks for your quick response!
I actually had RAI 11 years ago & have been on synthroid for almost just as long ;O)

My question was more of does it put me at a higher risk of getting an illness from the weekend immune system?
I am trying to learn & understand all of the risks involved with this. I didnt understand when I was told I had graves it was an autoimmune disease. I have SO not taken care of myself the way I should have the past 11 years! I just want to educate myself from here on out & start doing my body right.

I know animals can carry disease & illnesses, I was wondering if it was a smart idea to put myself in that risk.
Thanks again!
~Kari

[snelsen]

#1064332

Hi Kari, what a marvelous gift you are giving to those baby animals! It brought back memories of all the "rescuing" we did on an Iowa farm. Our rescues were the same as yours, plus a family of six newborn opossums one year. I was waiting for Kimberly’s response before I answered, for this is a subject that would never occur to me. My initial reaction was that it was a non-issue for you. Thank you for having a small creature rescue.
Shirley

[mamabear]

#1064333

Kari, I have some insight to this.. I worked for an animal hospital when I was 17-19 years old and I also wound up getting treated for Rabies. I didn’t find out I had Graves till I was 26.

I think what you have read is speaking of domesticated animal illnesses like (worms and Toxoplasmosis) which any one of us can get without having Graves disease. Which is also wild animal illnesses as well but most people have domestic animals thus the reason they say to watch out. Since you also work with wild life you should be careful to not get bit due to rabies and of course cat scratch fever and just in general getting bit brings infection from an animals mouth (any animal)and that can cause your immune system to fight harder if you are currently not taking care of yourself or your levels aren’t where they should be and your body is fighting to stay healthy.

I wouldn’t say stop doing what you are doing but I will say you need to take care of yourself just like you care for your animals, you need to care for yourself so you can continue your wonderful work! Good hand washing is key and I am sure since you are in the wild animal industry you already know that and do it so I wouldn’t worry to much.

When I was pregnant with my 2nd child, it had taken some time to get pregnant but I finally there. I was about 2 months pregnant and on PTU (ATD medicine for Graves). I had gotten a thorn in my finger and pulled it out but there was a piece in there still . I went to dr. and she looked and said she would not even put a pin in there because she was afraid my body would react to it and cause my Graves to go nutty. I didn’t get what she meant but she explained that the body does things when it’s in a shock, even the slightest little pain that deep could cause "something" to happen and she didn’t want that to happen since I was pregnant and doing so well on meds. It took a month for me to finally see that piece of thorn grown out far enough that I took a nail clipper and took it out. OMG I was grateful that day!

In your line of work, getting bit by something can cause your body to be in pain and react a certain way, everyone is different so you never what could happen. If an animal has rabies and you have to go through rabies shots that is also something else to consider. Since you know about protocol you should be fine. Unfortunately I wound up at the age of 18 getting bit by a baby kitten that had rabies. although my body had a very bad reaction to the shots I still had to have them but my Graves disease didn’t show up so that wasn’t the "trigger" for it. It was years later when I got the flu. So for me it was a virus that caused it and I have to watch every virus I get and hope it doesn’t happen again. BUT if it does I’ll sort through it again, I dont mind because it could be worse.

I think the more important thing here is not that you work with animals, you are doing the right things and as long as you stick with protocol and hygiene you should be fine. Remember when in doubt, stay away from the animal till there is someone who can help you. Wash wounds well and let them bleed for a while, its a natural way of washing impurities out of the wound… Most importantly you have to start taking care of yourself. Eat well and drink plenty of water. Take your medicine when you should and as the dr. says. Get checked out regularly and if yuor levels aren’t good make sure you get them checked according to the protocol of the dr. (some say every 4 weeks or 6 weeks till the medicine is working well for a period of time). After your levels are good and have been good on a certain dose for a while then you can go less often.

Being cautious with the animals is something you should be doing but also keeping up on your health is the most important. Even if you got out of your line of work you would still have to make sure your health was better. Good that you realize that you haven’t been taking care of your body and are working towards that!! KUDOS to you!

Thank you for taking care of those babies!!!

[Bobbi]

#1064334

We do not necessarily have a compromised/weak immune system (as with AIDS, for example, or as if we were taking immunosuppressant drugs). If the antibody attack is making you ill — as it was when you were hyperthyroid — then, yes, you might expect to have to be more careful around illness. But if your thyroid levels are controlled in the normal area, and you are otherwise healthy, your immune system will protect you as well as that of a person who did not have Graves.

[karilcole]

#1018373

Hi all,

I run a wildlife re-hab out of my home. Mostly baby coons, baby birds, & baby squirrels. I was reading that with an autoimmune disease (I have graves) you have to be careful with animals. Is there danger with this? I follow all the DNR rules & am a freak about disinfecting, but is it still to risky? I have just read it about domesticated pets as well, but I also see that alot of ppl still have pets with the disease. I am more worried about the wild babies I come in contact with.
Any info would be great! Thanks!
~Kari

[karilcole]

#1064335

Thank you all for responding! I feel so stupid that 11 years later, I am just now trying to educate myself! My new dr was shocked when I pulled out 9 meds I have been given over the last year. He said some of these meds should NEVER be taken together! My last Dr would just give me a pill for whatever was going on with me. I didnt have the heart to tell my new Dr that was not even all of them he had given. SO, after a month to get the meds I dont actually need out, he is going to do a HUGE blood workup to see if all the other things going on is older meds, or something different. AND get my synthroid corrected. Got to start somewhere.
As for the babies I rescue, with all of your help & knowing by next seaon I should (hopefully) have MY eating habits better, no more caffene, no more smoking, and reduce stress.(HA yeah right)..etc. I dont think I will be worring as much about getting an illness, I will know more about this with the help of my DR & this awesome board….instead of the internet that is SUPER SCARY!! ;O)
Thanks again!
~Kari

[Kimberly]

#1064336

Hi Kari – Sorry, from your question, I thought that you were concerned about the illness being passed the other direction. Glad you got some good responses on what you *really* wanted to know! ” title=”Very Happy” />

[mamabear]

#1064337

Kari,
I have to say a HUGE KUDOS to your new dr. It is not often that a dr. stops and says wow what is this crap! Not saying he did say it to you but I am sure that is what he was thinking about your old dr. and what you were given.

Some tips as well for Medicines:
Try to use the same pharmacy for ALL of your medicines. Any time there might be an interaction with one most pharmacies have a system in place that flags it in the system to show them a red flag and they can tell you. OR like the good old days, your pharmacist gets to know you and says hey I know what you are on and this cant be taken with this. A pharmacist KNOWS BETTER than the dr. when it comes to any drugs. They MUST keep up to date with the lastest info and what they dont know they have the side effects at their finger tips to read up on.

Remember cold turkey for stopping caffeine and smoking is not a good combo. Either stop smoking and drink coffee or make sure you know you will get caffeine headaches for a while. I was drinking way to much coffee so I stopped and took some Tylenol for a few days. I limit myself to a cup a day if that much.

[Kimberly]

#1064338

Hello Again! ” title=”Very Happy” /> If you do have to choose between giving up caffeine and smoking, I would definitely focus on the smoking cessation, as patients who are smokers tend to have a higher incidence of Thyroid Eye Disease — and also the worst outcomes with TED. While there is no guarantee that smoking cessation will give you a free pass from TED, almost all the literature that I’ve read on smoking and Graves’ encourages patients to quit.

[Author]

Posts