Asthma and animals....

Hello,

I'm looking for a bit of advice from the forum. My daughter who is 10 has Asthma

We have a hypo-allergenic dog breed, one of 3 breeds that is hypo-allergenic

I read somewhere recently that scientists have proved there is no link between Asthma and allergies and my daughter had an Asthma attack 5 days after being round my dog.

My question is.......is there a link?

she's tested positive to pet allergies

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I am allergic to several types of animals including dogs and my aunt has a dog which is the non-allergic the type. However, I get a reaction to the dog whenever I visit my aunts house... So personally I would say there is a link.... I guess it changes from person to person depending on how allergic you are.... Like any research/studies there is normally always more than one differing point of view...

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Hi there,

Whilst scientists may have proved there isn't a link, for me and all asthmatics i know, there is. I too have pet allergies, and my asthma is much worse when I am around animals. Because of this, my family have never kept pets, and I am unable to stay with friends or family with cats or dogs as it brings on an attack. I never knew about hypo-allergenic pets (what a fantastic idea), but i think part of the problem is the psychosomatic side of asthma - sometimes just knowing the pet is there is enough to flare up an allergy and start a wheeze.

Natalie

[Annista]

I totally agree, there is most definitely a link between asthma and allergies. Most of us will have had experiences that prove this to be true. I suspect that if the scientists who say there isn't a link suddenly found themselves living with asthma they might reverse there opinion pdq!

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Firstly there is no such thing as a hypo-allergenic dog breed. Some breeders use this as a selling ploy in my opinion. There is no doubt in my mind that certain breeds are probably better than others, because of the kind of fur. I am allergic to animals too, and yet keep a dog, and yes I do find that some breeds are worse than others. Though I also find that my reactions will also depend on the environment the dog has been kept in. That is to say that if the home it lives in uses lots of air fresheners and perfumes this will also hang around on the dog's coat and aggravate the situation. It is not the fur itself that causes the problem but the dander, in a harsh coated dog for example there are more barbs on each individual hair, and so the dander hangs around on on the coat longer. Silky type coats have less barbs on the individual hair.

Since Asthma can happen as the result of being exposed to something, it is my reasoning that there is a link. Though I haven't read the research you are referring to so cannot comment on that.

I expect that you may well feel under pressure to get rid of the dog, but don't be a rush on consider it carefully, as this will be so upsetting to everyone who now has an attachment. There are many things that can be done to help your child live with a dog if this is want you decide to do. Don't allow the dog in the child's bedroom, and if you do allow the dog on the furniture in the living room clean it regularly, or cover it with throws and wash on a weekly basis. Bathing the dog on a regular basis too, to remove allergens such as pollens is also a good idea. Finally Health House who can be found on line sell a spray that can be put on animals to reduce allergic reactions. I haven't used it myself so cannot comment on how successful it is.

Wishing you the best outcome,

PS: Have just looked up Hypo Allergenic Dogs, Apparently a Shit Zu is one, which is interesting because I walk one of these, and she makes me itch far more than my Daxie which isn't.

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Thanks

for all the info. I'm personally allergic to cats and some dogs, but I don't have Asthma

I'm fine around the dog, which is a Samoyed, I read this on Wikipeida

""Shed Samoyed fur is sometimes used as an alternative to wool in knitting, with hypoallergenic properties and a texture similar to angora

Now I'm really confused......would she, over time not build up an resistance to it?

If she was to have an attack then surely it wouldn't be 5 days after being with the dog

[Skee-skee]

I definitely agree with Katina. People can be allergic to supposedly hypoallergenic dogs. She is also right that you can react to things caught in the dog's coat, we used to be pet fosterers and I found that we would react to some dogs until we took them in the garden for a good bath.

In addition to bathing the dog, do you groom it regularly, like every other day. Groom it in the garden or even the park, there is an Akita near here who gets groomed in the park and leaves big piles of fluff.

I had never heard of Samoyeds being hypoallergenic - that seems a bit odd as they are massive fluff balls who shed. Also with their double coats they are super well insulated so I guess if their coat traps air it traps other stuff too??

It is difficult to know whether the dog played any part in your daughter's attack. It could be that the dog made her asthma a bit worse and then something else came along and triggered a more acute attack. What does her doctor say?

Interestingly my boyfriend grew up with dogs, then went away to uni and came back at Christmas and was allergic to the family dog. Apparently this is really common. He isn't too bad with our dog (a German Shepherd/Husky cross called Skye) though, she just makes his nose run a little.

Bryony

[angievere]

Bryony - interested in what you said about your boyfriend becoming allergic to dogs after university. We had dogs growing up and I dont remember being particularly allergic to them (although very poorly with asthma). But when I came back home after university I was very allergic to dogs. My allergies seemed to have actually worsened as I've got older, I can not be in the same room as cats or dogs. It's a nuisance as I like dogs.

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Others have said before me that all dogs have the potential to cause allergy whether they shed hair or not as that it's the dander (resulting from the shedding of dead skin cells and proteins in saliva deposited during washing) that acts as the allergen. That said the fur itself can act as a mechanical irritant, causing itching and sneezing.

It's also worth noting that hypo-allergenic does not mean it cannot trigger an allergic reaction, merely that it is less likely to. I myself am allergic to a well known brand of hypo-allergenic suncream.

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Gotta say i dont agree with the scientists.

My eldest daughter has 4 cats.

When we go round she always puts them in garden, but there is still cat hairs everywhere & i can still smell them.

I always begin tightening up & often start with the cough.

So, if scientists are right, i must be allergic to my daughter!

Howie

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I'm afraid the scientists are still right Howie. Pet dander (particularly cat dander) particles are so small they're really hard to get rid of and hang around for months -even years after the pet has gone. This means that putting the cats outside when you visit won't prevent your symptoms, other than preventing direct contact with the cats.

Recent studies have even found pet dander at low levels in homes that have never had pets in them as pet owners take the dander with them on clothing and deposit the dander everywhere they go be it other people's houses or in public places like seats on buses etc. When pet dander is left in public places unsuspecting people will pick up the dander on their clothes and take it home with them.