My boyfriend is allergic to cats. He's been on allergy meds for over a year & he's fine with the cats. We broght home a dog yesterday & his eyes have been watering since. Given the fact he forgot to take his meds 2 days in a row the day before & the other day before, does this mean he's allergic to the dog or is it just his lack of responsibility? I wonder if it's b/c he forgot the meds the other day & now all this excitement from all the animals is stirring up more dander? Any suggestions?
2007-03-19 02:52:25 · 7 answers · asked by k_jm779 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Absolutely! My boyfriend and I had a similar experience, but now we live successfully with both a cat and dog!
First, yes, they DO have to be diligent about taking care of themselves, but missing 2 days is probably not what did it. Secondly, if you can, try to find out what it is exactly that causes the allergy-for some, its the dander, for some its the hair itself, and for some, its the saliva; for some unknown reason, after 25 years of allergy to all pets, my boyfriend is no longer bothered by dander (granted, hes medicated as well), or hair, but he does better with the cat than the dog because he breaks out when the dog licks him.
That said, he can try a new medicine. Likewise, keeping things VERY clean helps. There are also all sorts of products out there now, such as powder you put down and vaccuum up specifically designed for pet allergies as well as wipes you can get at your local pet stores that help decrease your pets' allergens.
Hope this helped and good luck!
2007-03-19 03:32:07 · answer #1 · answered by lutmerjm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Allergies are a lovely, strange, pain in the *** kinda thing aren't they? Actually, I myself am allergic to some cats and not others, some dogs, some everything. As for your boyfriend..maybe the slip on meds didn't help much. Or maybe he's going to be extremely allergic to the new addition no matter what. I guess since he seems a little forgetful on the medicine tip, you should make SURE he takes it. Ride his butt everyday. Hopefully he'll be O.K. after a few days. Just make sure you keep everything vacuumed up and dusted,etc...I have 2 dogs, 1 cat, a bird, and a gerbil. So..some good cleaning supplies for this sort of thing (I use these) would be Arm and Hammer allergen reducer for carpet and Febreeze allergen. They work well and smell great! Good luck dearie!!
2007-03-19 10:03:59 · answer #2 · answered by dragonlady 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The meds should help him with both allergies. What causes people to be allergic to animals is their dander. Cats and dogs have different dander, and even among dogs dander varies between breeds and the same for cats. Most people allergic to cats are allergic to long haired cats. As long as he stays on the allergy medicine he should be fine.
2007-03-19 10:53:11 · answer #3 · answered by dolfingrrl928 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's definitely possible. Cats have fur and dogs have hair and the allergens can be different. He could go bakc to his allergist and se eif they can give him a different med that might work for both. Also, we've found that the longer the allergic person is exposed to the animals (in months, years, etc) the less the allgery will be affected. That however is personal to the allergic person and may not work for everyone.
Good luck!
2007-03-19 10:20:45 · answer #4 · answered by Kristy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He's become desensitised to your cats, that's what happens, great news, he should have the same result with the dog after a while too. The flare up is probably a combination of not taking the meds and the new allergen in the house (the dog)
2007-03-23 06:45:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is definitely the meds. Have him take his meds again and if he is still getting a reaction, then see a doctor for more meds.
2007-03-19 10:46:53 · answer #6 · answered by Terk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
2007-03-19 09:58:45 · answer #7 · answered by SpeedyTKala 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋