I am allergic to dogs and cats. My sister used to live with me with 2 cats. Since I am allergic, the vet gave us a liquid form of medicine that we gave to cats daily and after a couple weeks I wasn't having any allergic reactions to the cats.
My boyfriend has a dog, and we are looking into getting a place together and I was wondering if anyone knew of a medicine to give to dogs like I was talking about with the cats.
I have taken Allegra and all those other allergy meds, but that doesn't seem to work.
Anyone know of anything or have had a similar issue?
2006-10-13 16:33:25 · 1 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
well if you are just allergic to the dandrif off of them from outside (like me) then just wash your hands with soap and warm water or keep your pets inside except when dey do deir bidness. but otherwise try taking ClaritonDbecause that really helps people i know
2006-10-13 16:42:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was on singulair and I have 3 dogs. My allergist suggested taking me off it and having me use only over the counter stuff. I was miserable. I think I bought just about every allergy drug in Target. Anyhow I switched Doctors and am I back on Singular and very happy about it!
2006-10-13 16:43:18 · answer #2 · answered by Brainiac 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Allergic to Dogs?
human pet allergies
Are you allergic to your dog?
Yes, I am! I have been a dog lover all my life, but I am also asthmatic and have a lot of allergies. The worst is that I am allergic to dogs! Luckily, I have discovered that I can tolerate hairless dog breeds better than coated ones, and the American Hairless Terrier with its soft skin seems to be the most suitable dog breed for me.
Hypo-allergenic dogs?
There is no dog breed that is truly non-allergenic (not allergy causing) because all dogs produce dander (shed skin cells), saliva, and urine. You can be allergic to the dog dander, dog saliva, or both. Urine is less of a problem since dogs usually potty outside. Pet hair itself is not an allergen, but it can collect dander, dust, and pollen.
People with pet allergies have supersensitive immune systems that react to harmless proteins (allergens) in the pet's dander, saliva or urine. These allergy-producing proteins can cause nasal congestion, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, skin rashes, headaches, fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and serious asthma attacks. This can happen within 5-30 minutes or occur much later as a delayed reaction. Based on pet allergy sufferers' testimonials, it is possible to be allergic to all dogs or only to certain breeds.
The word hypo-allergenic (less allergy causing) is typically used with skin care products that tend to be less irritating to sensitive skin. Sometimes people also call "low dander" dog breeds hypo-allergenic, low allergy, or allergy friendly.
Some dog breeds supposedly produce less dander than others, and many people who are mildly allergic to dogs can tolerate some of these "low dander" dog breeds with proper environmental controls. Be careful though, as there are no guarantees. People's pet allergies vary greatly. Severe pet allergy sufferers may not tolerate any dogs at all, even with the best environmental controls.
For more info and a listing of "low dander" dog breeds, go to the dog breeds for allergy sufferers page.
* NEW *
Sneeze-Free Dog Breeds: Allergy Management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Dog Lover
the first ever book about human dog allergies!
in-depth profiles of 21 "low allergen" dog breeds
advice on managing your dog allergies
published March 2006
What's causing your allergic reaction? Pet or not?
Are you really allergic to your dog or to something else? Here's a tip from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: "To test the effect of household pets on your quality of life, remove them from your home for at least two months and clean thoroughly every week. After two months, if you still want pets, bring a pet into the house. Measure the change in your symptoms, then decide if the change in your symptoms is worth keeping the pet."
A frequent and very thorough cleaning of your house is important during this time because animal allergens are sticky and adhere to walls, clothing and other surfaces. Remove all pet items from your house, vacuum or wash all surfaces including walls, and remove or steam clean your carpets. Animal allergens will not lose their strength for a long time. It can take months or even years to free your house of pet allergens. These particles also stay suspended in the air for long periods of time, so it's important to open windows and to air your home thoroughly. Other people who own pets with fur or feathers can also bring pet allergens to your house in their clothes.
Want a dog? - Test your allergies
Caution! If it is your child that is allergic to dogs, think twice before getting a dog. Is it really worth it to put your child through possibly severe allergic reactions just to have a dog? It will also be heartbreaking for your child to give up his or her beloved pet if it comes to that. And many times it does!
The ideal choice, of course, is to have no dog. If you decide to risk your health and get a dog anyway, your first step is to study the "low dander" dog breeds and find the ones that would fit in your family and lifestyle. Then it is time to find a reputable breeder or a breed rescue group.
Visit the breeder's home and tell the breeder about your allergies. Ask a lot of questions and stay as long as you can. Hug and kiss the dogs, rub your nose into their fur, and breath the air in the room where they live. Let the dogs lick your bare skin, especially on your neck (if you are brave) and inside your arms where the skin is more sensitive. You want to test your allergic reaction both to the dander and saliva. This will help you to evaluate your current allergic reaction to that particular breed.
Choose a breeder that only breeds that one breed of dog. You don't want to visit a house that has mixed allergens from several dog breeds. Visit only one breeder per day or even per week. Visiting several breeders on the same day could give you inconclusive results of your allergic reaction. For example, you might have a delayed reaction to your first visit when visiting the second breeder and not actually reacting to the dogs in the second house.
Maybe you can even borrow a dog of the breed you are considering for a few days or weeks. Remember, though, that sometimes allergies to animals can take two years or more to develop!
Interested in a rare breed? - Remote allergy trials
If you are interested in a rare breed with no breeders in your area, you can do a remote allergy trial with a t-shirt. Using two t-shirts would be even better. Send two t-shirts to the breeder, at your cost both ways. The breeder will "danderize" one of the shirts by allowing her or his dogs to lie on it. Next, the breeder will put the shirts in separate plastic ziploc bags and mail them back to you. Without you knowing which shirt has dog dander on it, you will then wear these shirts one at a time to see if you will have any allergic reaction. Of course, this test not as good as visiting a breeder in person, but it's a good starting point. If you do react to the dander in the shirt, then that breed is obviously not suitable for you allergy wise.
You can also do a remote allergy trial using a pillow case. Or, for a more specific allergy trial, send the breeder two pillowcases. One will be "danderized" by using it as the dogs' blanket for a while. For the second pillow case, the breeder will use q-tips to swipe the dogs' mouths multiple times and then smear the saliva on the pillow case. You could also use tissue or handkerchief instead of a pillow case and then put it on or near your pillow when sleeping. I do not know how reliable this dried saliva testing is, but this technique is used by some dog breeders. If you have no allergic reaction to the dog dander or saliva, you could investigate this breed further by doing an allergy trial in person.
For American Hairless Terrier allergy trial contacts, see my AHT Links page for the AHTA link under dog clubs. Comments from allergic AHT owners can be found on the AHTs & Allergies page.
Environmental controls
Controlling the amount of animal dander in the home is a very important part of treating pet allergies. Here are examples of what I do in my battle against the dog allergy.
1. Keep dogs out of the bedroom
My dogs are not allowed on my bed or even in my bedroom
It's important to create at least one dog-free room in your house where you can breathe cleaner, less dander saturated air
Unfortunately, forced air heating and air conditioning will still spread allergens through your house unless you install a central HEPA air cleaner
2. Use HEPA air cleaners
I have HEPA room air cleaners (see the allergy products page) in all bedrooms (no dogs allowed) and in the family room (dogs allowed)
The central heating system in
Allergic to Dogs?
human pet allergies
Are you allergic to your dog?
Yes, I am! I have been a dog lover all my life, but I am also asthmatic and have a lot of allergies. The worst is that I am allergic to dogs! Luckily, I have discovered that I can tolerate hairless dog breeds better than coated ones, and the American Hairless Terrier with its soft skin seems to be the most suitable dog breed for me.
Hypo-allergenic dogs?
There is no dog breed that is truly non-allergenic (not allergy causing) because all dogs produce dander (shed skin cells), saliva, and urine. You can be allergic to the dog dander, dog saliva, or both. Urine is less of a problem since dogs usually potty outside. Pet hair itself is not an allergen, but it can collect dander, dust, and pollen.
People with pet allergies have supersensitive immune systems that react to harmless proteins (allergens) in the pet's dander, saliva or urine. These allergy-producing proteins can cause nasal congestion, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, skin rashes, headaches, fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and serious asthma attacks. This can happen within 5-30 minutes or occur much later as a delayed reaction. Based on pet allergy sufferers' testimonials, it is possible to be allergic to all dogs or only to certain breeds.
The word hypo-allergenic (less allergy causing) is typically used with skin care products that tend to be less irritating to sensitive skin. Sometimes people also call "low dander" dog breeds hypo-allergenic, low allergy, or allergy friendly.
Some dog breeds supposedly produce less dander than others, and many people who are mildly allergic to dogs can tolerate some of these "low dander" dog breeds with proper environmental controls. Be careful though, as there are no guarantees. People's pet allergies vary greatly. Severe pet allergy sufferers may not tolerate any dogs at all, even with the best environmental controls.
For more info and a listing of "low dander" dog breeds, go to the dog breeds for allergy sufferers page.
* NEW *
Sneeze-Free Dog Breeds: Allergy Management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Dog Lover
the first ever book about human dog allergies!
in-depth profiles of 21 "low allergen" dog breeds
advice on managing your dog allergies
published March 2006
What's causing your allergic reaction? Pet or not?
Are you really allergic to your dog or to something else? Here's a tip from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: "To test the effect of household pets on your quality of life, remove them from your home for at least two months and clean thoroughly every week. After two months, if you still want pets, bring a pet into the house. Measure the change in your symptoms, then decide if the change in your symptoms is worth keeping the pet."
A frequent and very thorough cleaning of your house is important during this time because animal allergens are sticky and adhere to walls, clothing and other surfaces. Remove all pet items from your house, vacuum or wash all surfaces including walls, and remove or steam clean your carpets. Animal allergens will not lose their strength for a long time. It can take months or even years to free your house of pet allergens. These particles also stay suspended in the air for long periods of time, so it's important to open windows and to air your home thoroughly. Other people who own pets with fur or feathers can also bring pet allergens to your house in their clothes.
Want a dog? - Test your allergies
Caution! If it is your child that is allergic to dogs, think twice before getting a dog. Is it really worth it to put your child through possibly severe allergic reactions just to have a dog? It will also be heartbreaking for your child to give up his or her beloved pet if it comes to that. And many times it does!
The ideal choice, of course, is to have no dog. If you decide to risk your health and get a dog anyway, your first step is to study the "low dander" dog breeds and find the ones that would fit in your family and lifestyle. Then it is time to find a reputable breeder or a breed rescue group.
Visit the breeder's home and tell the breeder about your allergies. Ask a lot of questions and stay as long as you can. Hug and kiss the dogs, rub your nose into their fur, and breath the air in the room where they live. Let the dogs lick your bare skin, especially on your neck (if you are brave) and inside your arms where the skin is more sensitive. You want to test your allergic reaction both to the dander and saliva. This will help you to evaluate your current allergic reaction to that particular breed.
Choose a breeder that only breeds that one breed of dog. You don't want to visit a house that has mixed allergens from several dog breeds. Visit only one breeder per day or even per week. Visiting several breeders on the same day could give you inconclusive results of your allergic reaction. For example, you might have a delayed reaction to your first visit when visiting the second breeder and not actually reacting to the dogs in the second house.
Maybe you can even borrow a dog of the breed you are considering for a few days or weeks. Remember, though, that sometimes allergies to animals can take two years or more to develop!
Interested in a rare breed? - Remote allergy trials
If you are interested in a rare breed with no breeders in your area, you can do a remote allergy trial with a t-shirt. Using two t-shirts would be even better. Send two t-shirts to the breeder, at your cost both ways. The breeder will "danderize" one of the shirts by allowing her or his dogs to lie on it. Next, the breeder will put the shirts in separate plastic ziploc bags and mail them back to you. Without you knowing which shirt has dog dander on it, you will then wear these shirts one at a time to see if you will have any allergic reaction. Of course, this test not as good as visiting a breeder in person, but it's a good starting point. If you do react to the dander in the shirt, then that breed is obviously not suitable for you allergy wise.
You can also do a remote allergy trial using a pillow case. Or, for a more specific allergy trial, send the breeder two pillowcases. One will be "danderized" by using it as the dogs' blanket for a while. For the second pillow case, the breeder will use q-tips to swipe the dogs' mouths multiple times and then smear the saliva on the pillow case. You could also use tissue or handkerchief instead of a pillow case and then put it on or near your pillow when sleeping. I do not know how reliable this dried saliva testing is, but this technique is used by some dog breeders. If you have no allergic reaction to the dog dander or saliva, you could investigate this breed further by doing an allergy trial in person.
For American Hairless Terrier allergy trial contacts, see my AHT Links page for the AHTA link under dog clubs. Comments from allergic AHT owners can be found on the AHTs & Allergies page.
Environmental controls
Controlling the amount of animal dander in the home is a very important part of treating pet allergies. Here are examples of what I do in my battle against the dog allergy.
1. Keep dogs out of the bedroom
My dogs are not allowed on my bed or even in my bedroom
It's important to create at least one dog-free room in your house where you can breathe cleaner, less dander saturated air
Unfortunately, forced air heating and air conditioning will still spread allergens through your house unless you install a central HEPA air cleaner
2. Use HEPA air cleaners
I have HEPA room air cleaners (see the allergy products page) in all bedrooms (no dogs allowed) and in the family room (dogs allowed)
The central heating system in
Allergic to Dogs?
human pet allergies
Are you allergic to your dog?
Yes, I am! I have been a dog lover all my life, but I am also asthmatic and have a lot of allergies. The worst is that I am allergic to dogs! Luckily, I have discovered that I can tolerate hairless dog breeds better than coated ones, and the American Hairless Terrier with its soft skin seems to be the most suitable dog breed for me.
Hypo-allergenic dogs?
There is no dog breed that is truly non-allergenic (not allergy causing) because all dogs produce dander (shed skin cells), saliva, and urine. You can be allergic to the dog dander, dog saliva, or both. Urine is less of a problem since dogs usually potty outside. Pet hair itself is not an allergen, but it can collect dander, dust, and pollen.
People with pet allergies have supersensitive immune systems that react to harmless proteins (allergens) in the pet's dander, saliva or urine. These allergy-producing proteins can cause nasal congestion, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, skin rashes, headaches, fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and serious asthma attacks. This can happen within 5-30 minutes or occur much later as a delayed reaction. Based on pet allergy sufferers' testimonials, it is possible to be allergic to all dogs or only to certain breeds.
The word hypo-allergenic (less allergy causing) is typically used with skin care products that tend to be less irritating to sensitive skin. Sometimes people also call "low dander" dog breeds hypo-allergenic, low allergy, or allergy friendly.
Some dog breeds supposedly produce less dander than others, and many people who are mildly allergic to dogs can tolerate some of these "low dander" dog breeds with proper environmental controls. Be careful though, as there are no guarantees. People's pet allergies vary greatly. Severe pet allergy sufferers may not tolerate any dogs at all, even with the best environmental controls.
For more info and a listing of "low dander" dog breeds, go to the dog breeds for allergy sufferers page.
* NEW *
Sneeze-Free Dog Breeds: Allergy Management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Dog Lover
the first ever book about human dog allergies!
in-depth profiles of 21 "low allergen" dog breeds
advice on managing your dog allergies
published March 2006
What's causing your allergic reaction? Pet or not?
Are you really allergic to your dog or to something else? Here's a tip from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: "To test the effect of household pets on your quality of life, remove them from your home for at least two months and clean thoroughly every week. After two months, if you still want pets, bring a pet into the house. Measure the change in your symptoms, then decide if the change in your symptoms is worth keeping the pet."
A frequent and very thorough cleaning of your house is important during this time because animal allergens are sticky and adhere to walls, clothing and other surfaces. Remove all pet items from your house, vacuum or wash all surfaces including walls, and remove or steam clean your carpets. Animal allergens will not lose their strength for a long time. It can take months or even years to free your house of pet allergens. These particles also stay suspended in the air for long periods of time, so it's important to open windows and to air your home thoroughly. Other people who own pets with fur or feathers can also bring pet allergens to your house in their clothes.
Want a dog? - Test your allergies
Caution! If it is your child that is allergic to dogs, think twice before getting a dog. Is it really worth it to put your child through possibly severe allergic reactions just to have a dog? It will also be heartbreaking for your child to give up his or her beloved pet if it comes to that. And many times it does!
The ideal choice, of course, is to have no dog. If you decide to risk your health and get a dog anyway, your first step is to study the "low dander" dog breeds and find the ones that would fit in your family and lifestyle. Then it is time to find a reputable breeder or a breed rescue group.
Visit the breeder's home and tell the breeder about your allergies. Ask a lot of questions and stay as long as you can. Hug and kiss the dogs, rub your nose into their fur, and breath the air in the room where they live. Let the dogs lick your bare skin, especially on your neck (if you are brave) and inside your arms where the skin is more sensitive. You want to test your allergic reaction both to the dander and saliva. This will help you to evaluate your current allergic reaction to that particular breed.
Choose a breeder that only breeds that one breed of dog. You don't want to visit a house that has mixed allergens from several dog breeds. Visit only one breeder per day or even per week. Visiting several breeders on the same day could give you inconclusive results of your allergic reaction. For example, you might have a delayed reaction to your first visit when visiting the second breeder and not actually reacting to the dogs in the second house.
Maybe you can even borrow a dog of the breed you are considering for a few days or weeks. Remember, though, that sometimes allergies to animals can take two years or more to develop!
Interested in a rare breed? - Remote allergy trials
If you are interested in a rare breed with no breeders in your area, you can do a remote allergy trial with a t-shirt. Using two t-shirts would be even better. Send two t-shirts to the breeder, at your cost both ways. The breeder will "danderize" one of the shirts by allowing her or his dogs to lie on it. Next, the breeder will put the shirts in separate plastic ziploc bags and mail them back to you. Without you knowing which shirt has dog dander on it, you will then wear these shirts one at a time to see if you will have any allergic reaction. Of course, this test not as good as visiting a breeder in person, but it's a good starting point. If you do react to the dander in the shirt, then that breed is obviously not suitable for you allergy wise.
You can also do a remote allergy trial using a pillow case. Or, for a more specific allergy trial, send the breeder two pillowcases. One will be "danderized" by using it as the dogs' blanket for a while. For the second pillow case, the breeder will use q-tips to swipe the dogs' mouths multiple times and then smear the saliva on the pillow case. You could also use tissue or handkerchief instead of a pillow case and then put it on or near your pillow when sleeping. I do not know how reliable this dried saliva testing is, but this technique is used by some dog breeders. If you have no allergic reaction to the dog dander or saliva, you could investigate this breed further by doing an allergy trial in person.
For American Hairless Terrier allergy trial contacts, see my AHT Links page for the AHTA link under dog clubs. Comments from allergic AHT owners can be found on the AHTs & Allergies page.
Environmental controls
Controlling the amount of animal dander in the home is a very important part of treating pet allergies. Here are examples of what I do in my battle against the dog allergy.
1. Keep dogs out of the bedroom
My dogs are not allowed on my bed or even in my bedroom
It's important to create at least one dog-free room in your house where you can breathe cleaner, less dander saturated air
Unfortunately, forced air heating and air conditioning will still spread allergens through your house unless you install a central HEPA air cleaner
2. Use HEPA air cleaners
I have HEPA room air cleaners (see the allergy products page) in all bedrooms (no dogs allowed) and in the family room (dogs allowed)
The central heating system in
2006-10-13 17:04:22 · answer #3 · answered by C.J. W 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋