# Allergic to your dog?



## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

How many of you are allergic to your dogs? Or allergic to other dogs but not your own? Or were allergic to your dogs but are no longer?

I'm curious because we are thinking of getting another dog in the next year or two. Part of the reason we put off getting Louis for so long was because my husband is allergic to dogs. We tried to narrow it down to the more 'hypoallergenic' breeds (I know no dogs are 100% hypoallergenic). We took a risk with Louis, and I recall some mild itching and watery eyes during the first few days, but nothing persisted beyond the first week. Very mild. Shortly after, I could bury my face in his fur and he sleeps in our bed with no problems.

But it wasn't until we got Louis that I started to spend more time around other dogs and realized _I_ was allergic to dogs too. Even my friend's 'hypoallergenic' bichon had my nose running and throat all scratchy. I dogsat for another friend and sadly had to keep her dog confined to the kitchen because if she so much as brushed against me, my skin would start itching. When she went home I had to essentially sanitize the house. Vacuum, mop, and wash everything in hot water. Even when they visit without the dog, I have to vacuum the couch where they sat or we will both end up with allergic reactions. And then when Louis plays at the dog park, I usually have to stay away from touching him for a few hours and wipe him down. Not to mention that almost every dog I pet on the street does this to me too if I don't wash my hands right away.

So I'm truly worried...it's part of the reason why I haven't gotten a rescue. I also can't really tell if I'm more or less allergic to mutts. We never met Louis before he arrived on the plane. Like I said, lucky! If we do get a puppy from a breeder again, this time we will make sure to meet and play with it first. But what if we get another puppy and it doesn't go away? For those of you that live with your dog allergies, what do you do to make it more bearable?


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Would you consider getting another Japanese spitz? If you are fine with Louis then you may be with another of the same breed?

I am not allergic to dogs but I do somewhat react to shar peis.. not as much with chows though. They give me itchy skin and my eyes water.


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## shellbeme (Dec 8, 2010)

Ugh my husband is allergic to dogs too  He does great with Rocky, who is a maltese-no signs of allergies there. My dream dog has always been a GSD and I would love to own one  in the future we might see an allergist to find out if it's a possibility but right now we have avoided it because if I bring one home-it's not leaving-and I really don't want to have to have my husband move outside


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

Caty M said:


> Would you consider getting another Japanese spitz? If you are fine with Louis then you may be with another of the same breed?
> 
> I am not allergic to dogs but I do somewhat react to shar peis.. not as much with chows though. They give me itchy skin and my eyes water.


That was the original consideration...but we both would love a bigger dog too. We were thinking Samoyed or a Siberian Husky...and if not this time, one day I would really love to rescue one :frown: Japanese spitzes are so rare in the US, they don't really get put into shelters.



shellbeme said:


> Ugh my husband is allergic to dogs too  He does great with Rocky, who is a maltese-no signs of allergies there. My dream dog has always been a GSD and I would love to own one  in the future we might see an allergist to find out if it's a possibility but right now we have avoided it because if I bring one home-it's not leaving-and I really don't want to have to have my husband move outside


I considered a maltese before we got Louis! I read they are more hypoallergenic too...sigh, it just seems to be hit or miss hwell: Has he ever been allergic to Rocky at any point?


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## maplewood (Apr 14, 2011)

I am allergic to EVERYTHING! Dogs, cats, rabbits, bird, perfumes ect ect. Dogs generally just make me itchy where I touch them or them me. I have noticed I'm less allergic to my guy's now that they've been on raw! There has to be a correlation there LOL I was playing with my neighbors grand-daughters dog the other day and noticed he left me itchy, but my guy's haven't for awhile.


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## shellbeme (Dec 8, 2010)

schtuffy said:


> That was the original consideration...but we both would love a bigger dog too. We were thinking Samoyed or a Siberian Husky...and if not this time, one day I would really love to rescue one :frown: Japanese spitzes are so rare in the US, they don't really get put into shelters.
> 
> 
> 
> I considered a maltese before we got Louis! I read they are more hypoallergenic too...sigh, it just seems to be hit or miss hwell: Has he ever been allergic to Rocky at any point?


My husband has not shown any signs of being allergic to Rocky at all.  He grew up with shih tzus too and did fine with them, but his sisters boxers-or other non-'hypoallergenic' type breeds, he has reactions to.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

I am allergic to dogs, cats, birds, rodents, mold etc....my allergist told me that I needed to pick a different career and get rid of all my animals....can you guess who I got rid of? LOL. I started going to one of my dad's clients who is an ENT and he was flabbergasted the allergist told me to do that...no wonder so many people get rid of their animals.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

My sister is highly allergic, my dad is moderately allergic and both suffer from asthma. 

My sister had a shih-tzu for 16 yrs and did very well with him as long as he was groomed on a regular basis. Now she has a shi-pom and it's the same process with him. She cannot even visit someone's house that has dogs...like mine...she would have a full blown episode and could cause a severe asthma attack. I've ridden horses all my life and showed up until my younger adult years and she has never seen me ride...not even once because her allergies are that extreme. 

My sister has many allergies. I know one is pet dander and she has to have a dog that does not shed. Also, it's best if they have hair not fur.

My father has a boxer bull and usually only has flare ups if he pets dogs, then touches his face or eyes without washing his hands first. He can have an allergy episode if he's around too many dogs at once without touching them at all. Also, if they lick him especially in the face he has a major reaction. My father will usually just go take a zyrtec.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Lots of allergies here -usually evincing in asthma and hives.

I am much more reactive to cats. when I was young, I couldn't even enter a house with a cat. I was excluded from lots of sleepovers and visits to friends because of it.

that's probably why I am not much of a cat person. Dogs will give me allergies, but they aren't nearly so bad as cats. Before we were married, I had given my husband a cat left outside by people who moved from their apartment and abandoned their elderly cat with no claws. 

When he moved in with me, he brought the cat - she was some kind of Persian or really long haired cat and oh my god the two years she lived were miserable for me.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

My sister is the same way...she can't be in range of a cat whatsoever.

This girl is so allergic...almost every Christmas she ends up in the emergency room due to all the cedar trees and wreaths, etc. Of course, she has fake and my mother also does for my sister's sake.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I am horribly allergic to boxers and dogs like that with the really really short hair. When I was working for a vet and had to hold a boxer my arms would immediately break out in hives and I would have to go and scrub them with soap and water. I was worried when Shade came to live with us but he's more Rottie mix and his hair is long enough that it doesn't bother me.

Shar pei's are notorious for causing people to break out in allergic reactions. I think it's because they have the really short reactive hair. I can handle any other breeds except for those types. I do best with fluffy dogs :smile:


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Now I think that is backward! I would think it would be the other way around - not allergic to short hair dogs.

The two dogs i have now I am barely allergic to - Rebel is a blue Dobie so he's pretty bald, and snorkels has a very thin coat even though she's a long hair, and I keep it cut very short. Neither dog has any dander to speak of. That's why I can let them go into my bedroom.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

chowder said:


> I am horribly allergic to boxers and dogs like that with the really really short hair. When I was working for a vet and had to hold a boxer my arms would immediately break out in hives and I would have to go and scrub them with soap and water. I was worried when Shade came to live with us but he's more Rottie mix and his hair is long enough that it doesn't bother me.
> 
> Shar pei's are notorious for causing people to break out in allergic reactions. I think it's because they have the really short reactive hair. I can handle any other breeds except for those types. I do best with fluffy dogs :smile:


I am the EXACT same way boxers, shar peis, pitties etc, I react with hives almost instantly after assisting to hold them.


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## Hadley (Jan 6, 2011)

Do you guys also react to greyhounds? Just curious! I used to think greyhounds had the same type of coat as my pit bull, but I met a bunch over the weekend and their hair seems much softer. 

I actually have the opposite issue. Dogs with long hair seem to bother me. I get itchy and my eyes get watery and unbearable. I just ignore it though.. I refuse to give up dogs!


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

xellil said:


> Now I think that is backward! I would think it would be the other way around - not allergic to short hair dogs.


I was thinking I might be the same way...I'm pretty allergic to my friend's dachshund and really allergic to her dachschund/doberman mix. Come to think of it, I've never really played with or petted another fluffy dog like Louis to notice a reaction. Back before I got Louis, I did read about dogs with hair being generally better for allergy sufferers. But I am allergic to my friend's bichon and another friend's shih tzu. 



cprcheetah said:


> I am allergic to dogs, cats, birds, rodents, mold etc....my allergist told me that I needed to pick a different career and get rid of all my animals....can you guess who I got rid of? LOL. I started going to one of my dad's clients who is an ENT and he was flabbergasted the allergist told me to do that...no wonder so many people get rid of their animals.


Have you gotten over the allergies, or do you still feel itchy etc?



frogdog said:


> My sister has many allergies. I know one is pet dander and she has to have a dog that does not shed. Also, it's best if they have hair not fur.
> 
> My father has a boxer bull and usually only has flare ups if he pets dogs, then touches his face or eyes without washing his hands first. He can have an allergy episode if he's around too many dogs at once without touching them at all. Also, if they lick him especially in the face he has a major reaction. My father will usually just go take a zyrtec.


Your poor sister...I feel for her! My husband is allergic to practically everything, though not to the point of being life threatening. But basically nuts, fruits, vegetables, soy, cats, dogs, horses, pollen, mold, trees...you name it, and it will cause him extreme discomfort. I do feel I am more allergic to cats than he is though.



xellil said:


> Lots of allergies here -usually evincing in asthma and hives.
> 
> I am much more reactive to cats. when I was young, I couldn't even enter a house with a cat. I was excluded from lots of sleepovers and visits to friends because of it.
> 
> ...


Speaking of cats....I am the exact same way...super allergic! I used to feed my neighbors 2 Siamese cats when they went on vacation. I LOVED those cats, but every time I went over I felt like I was dying. My husband actually had a cat for a few years...I don't know how he survived.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

Yes I still react to certain dogs and do get itchy. I have to alternate antihistamines every 4-6 months or so because I become immune to them. But my animals ARE my life, they are almost as important to me as the oxygen I breathe. I would never give them up. I do have eye drops that I use as well when my eyes are irritated.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I'm allergic to cats. If they rub anywhere near my face, or I pet them and touch my face, my eyes and nose get so itchy I can't stand it, and my throat feels scratchy. Because of this, the cats aren't allowed in the bedrooms at all, and I wipe down the leather couch and wash the throw pillows often.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

Severe allergies and allergen induced asthma. Living with certain breeds is not possible for me. I've found, through trial and error, a few breeds that work. Poodles and other European water dogs make the "OK" list. It's still a bit like allergy season year round - I take Allegra daily and often double up on Advair and Flonase. I'm using Albuterol much more frequently. And take lots of showers after training classes, dog parks, playdates, etc. I react to some hypoallergenic breeds but not others - I react to schnauzers but not wheatens. Not sure how bad your and you husband's allergies are, but definitely experiment before getting another breed.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

schtuffy said:


> Have you gotten over the allergies, or do you still feel itchy etc?


I have a lot of allergies and asthma. The only allergy that I've gotten over is the one to my grey cat. I had three cats but was only allergic to the grey one and she wasn't even the long haired one! She had medium, very thick hair and I would just wheeze and sneeze horrendously whenever she would sit on my lap. But, she was suppose to be put to sleep at my work because she needed surgery so of course I had to have her saved and brought her home.

It took about 3 months of me suffering through a lot of inhalers and seldane (at the time) but after that I wasn't allergic to her any more and had her 17 years. Now if only I could get over the darn allergies to maple trees, mold, grass, basically all of North Carolina!!


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

Yes, I am allergic to my dogs. I too have severe allergies as well as allergen and exercise induced asthma. I am pretty severely allergic to dogs but my symptoms around my poodles range are more mild to moderate. I still do have to take daily allergy meds (Zyrtec and sometimes Flonase - esp. during fall - ragweed). It is easy for me to control my allergies to my dogs - if they seem to be acting up a bit (slight wheezing, itchy eyes) - I know I have surpassed my threshold and I back off from them a little bit. It is usually their saliva that gets me the most - so if they have been licking me it can be a problem. Backing off of really close contact from the dogs for a day always clears things up. 

I think I am doing pretty well considering how severe my dog allergies are. Millie sleeps in my bed every night. I bathe and groom my own dogs sometimes. Interestingly, going to the dog park has been setting off my allergies and asthma lately. Kinda crazy, considering it is outside, right? I am that allergic to dogs.

This week I am having some pretty bad asthma problems. I pushed myself way past my threshold this past weekend by spending two days at a dog show watching Tiger show (about 3 hours in the venue each day), and then riding in my mom's car where she had previously had a dirty horse blanket (allergic to horses), and then bathed and force dried two of my poodles. This was just too much and I am paying right now. 

For me, the most important thing I can do is to try and prevent myself from going over that threshold where my allergies and asthma go from tolerable to severe. Like SpooOwner said, dog parks, training classes, etc. and for me, dog shows too, really do tend to push me over that threshold if I am not careful.

Funny thing, I actually took the day off today because I am going to the allergist to see if I can try out a different medicine. My Purbuterol inhaler was not effective enough yesterday and I am a bit concerned. I think I have to back off of the dog shows for a bit.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

BrownieM said:


> I think I am doing pretty well considering how severe my dog allergies are. Millie sleeps in my bed every night. I bathe and groom my own dogs sometimes. Interestingly, going to the dog park has been setting off my allergies and asthma lately. Kinda crazy, considering it is outside, right? I am that allergic to dogs.
> 
> This week I am having some pretty bad asthma problems.
> 
> Ffor me, dog shows too, really do tend to push me over that threshold if I am not careful.


We try to contain things a little bit in our house. The dogs are suppose to be kept out of our bedroom so that I have one room in the house where I can breathe. Rocky has been sneaking in there and napping with me on occasion lately, ever since I took a trip and left him for a week so the bedroom is no longer dog free . We do have hepa air cleaners in every room of the house and there is one right next to my side of the bed. I have problems with coughing and wheezing a lot in the evening and at night so we at least try with the bedroom.

Right now it is a really bad time for allergies here. We've had a lot of rain and humidity and they say our ragweed has started up now. Everyone I know is back on the allergy pills already so maybe that is why you are having problems now, and not poor Tiger's dog shows!!


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