Another fine day of atonement, methinks my lad is unrepentant!
I wouldn't let him take his bone outside to bury in the garden. (He goes after his unsuspecting sister, thinking she'll steal it. She probably would.)
I've a question that's been haunting me for quite some time.
I know many of us here have significant issues with our lungs, but we also have beloved companions. I've always had them, lately though, I'm realizing that because my Labrador ( not pictured 😏) is rather a beast about water and dirt ( and shares half her water bowl forays across the floor ) that I'm getting more opportunistic infections, and more often.
I feel I'm in a double bind. When I clean after them, sweeping, mopping, etc. I do wear a mask, but lately it doesn't seem to matter. And when I get sick, I've two of the nasties now, then of course it piles up. I've the two dogs, and four long haired cats,all over the age of ten. I couldn't bear to rehome them now and I've little money to hire an aid.
Sorry, that was the ranty bit...
Can you share bits of wisdom of how you handle having any animals in your homes?
You should know - they don't sleep with me, or have full run of the house. Ah, and I'm on my own. Oh, and just for fun, 😟 I'm in Washington state.
TomTitTot,
Actually, Anne
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Luckily for mine when my allergy testing was done there was no allergy to pet dander which was such a relief so that would be a start, allergy testing.
Separate eating bowls to prevent frantic competition over the water bowls. In the UK we can get no spill water bowls, I'd invest in those. Also regular grooming helps enormously with the fur everywhere. I invested in a comb called a 'Furminator'. Best thing since sliced bread, my goodness I went from vacuuming 3 times daily to 1 every 3/4 days.
Hope that helps in some way, from Peege, Cotswolds UK!
Can't really help as I no longer have any pets. If I did, my husband would say I was a masochist.
I have five cats one of whom is long haired, she sheds everywhere. They have full run of the house and two of them don’t like going out.
Dingo sleeps on my bed, when it’s cold he pinches my hot water bottle that’s how close he is, the long haired one sleeps on my bed too.
I vacuum regularly, damp dust and every couple of days give the bed cover a good shake out of the window.
When I wash their food and water bowls wear gloves or if I’m feeling lazy put them in the dishwasher! As I did tonight, I managed to cut myself badly when I was opening a ton of cat food oops.
There is no way I would ever give up my kitties there’s always a way round things, trial and error will get you there eventually.
As a by the by I’ve had either a chest infection or pneumonia nearly every other month for the last eighteen months.
Jude's, thank you for your reply. I've been thinking that I must have put my query wrong.
My chief difficulty with my furries is that each time I attend to the general housekeeping, within a matter of days I get sick. Right now I have both staph aureus and s. maltophilia.
I sweep and vacuum daily, wash their bedding weekly, their dishes daily and they don't sleep with me or I couldn't breathe. I'm not able to bathe them as they're both rather large. My backyard gets quite muddy until late spring, so they track that through, and I can't have rugs. Mopping utterly exhausts me, though I do that as best I can. It's that combo of water, dust, and hair which so rapidly accrues, that causes both those infections.
I've tried several types of masks, but still haven't found any to be completely effective. I've been quite ill this past week, dragging myself out do minimal care of them. As you might imagine, the house has gone to hell.
I very much love them furries.
The horror, is the realization that by having them, I am making myself ill.
I once years ago, did have a physician who upon finding out I had animals said, quite bluntly, "Kill them!"
And, having said all that, I still can't see how to have the healthiest way going forward. Neither of us, the animals or I, are getting the fullest from one another. When I'm sick, they can't get their runs, brushings, etc. when I'm well, and doing my usual care it's making me sick.
So, really trying to get help from others, about what they have done about the fact, that our animals do bring in pathogens that that those without any respiratory illnesses would never be troubled by.
I know it's rather a long post from someone who's not here often, maybe it's only a rant, because damn it, I'm sick. Again! So apologies for that.
At the moment I'm visiting my brother who has a Labrador. My reaction is nowhere in the same league as you so I don't really have any helpful suggestions, but it does seem to cause breathing and allergy problems. Labradors seem to be particularly messy dogs, they just generate mess, and this one too can conjure up an ocean from her water bowl.
Our animals are our friends and our companions. Getting rid of them isn't really an option. When you clean could you try using gloves and eye protection as well as a mask? It probably sounds drastic but could it be worth trying to see if it helps? Also do you disinfect the mop each time? I'm sorry to know you're having such a difficult time lately. I do hope things start to improve for you 🐕
First off, HH thank you for understanding. We love our beasties, and truthfully, for me animals have always been easier for me to spend time with. I had a lonely childhood, often being ill. The unconditional love...
And you're so right about Labradors, I've never actually had their energy and do better with the layabouts, but my girl was an abandoned rescue and has had at least five different places and I just couldn't bear to see it happen again. Ah, but she is messy 😟
You have made an excellent suggestion about the mop!
Having always had to mop by stages, and being so done in when I finish (I feel a bit of a fool) I have never thought to disinfect it. I've just rinsed it and hung it to dry. It's one of those cartridge types.
I've been forced into a recognition that age has caught up with me, and I am suddenly ageing with a vengeance, and need to make several decisions about my future.
I do have too many animals, that was never my plan. I simply can not bear it when irresponsible morons dump animals. And, my house is suddenly far too big, the yard and garden even bigger, and sadly, the purse far smaller.
I hope your time with your brother is enjoyable. I remember you were rightfully concerned about travel, especially now. And that you return home safely.
I'm a little out of the loop here, have you had your test yet? I think of it often and always sends good thoughts your way!
I can understand how you end up with too many animals. It sort of just happens. The unwanted and unloved somehow find a home 🐑
I didn't have the tests yet but thank you for remembering 😊 I guess that was said not long before I went away so probably not enough time to organise it all. And I was quite happy to let it drag on until after I'm back. 🙄
I applaud you. I have a full time job keeping Chom bathed, brushed and the house clean with just one dog but six animals.... 😱 Your poor couch is completely destroyed too. 😩 I'm not sure how to advise you to be honest. But it does seem like it's all a bit much for you. How on earth do you manage to walk two dogs? I understand your feelings about rehoming. That would be very devastating. I hope someone else comes along with good advise. We do love our four legged family. 😁💓
Caspiana, he did so want to bury his bone... 😒thankfully the cushions hide it for now?😏
When I am well, and that's less often lately, I load them up for country runs.
They snuffle about, wade in the streams, roll in the grass, and have a grand time. I either sit in the car depending on weather, or walk about as I am best able.
That's become part of my conundrum. My lovely Labrador gets quite muddy, the car seat suffers (she will not sit still, looking for a better seatbelt) everything dries into dust and although I'm wearing a mask, it's not foolproof, and I wind up inhaling dust. It's the very old farm car, but although it runs well, is nearly impossible to keep clean for long.
I'm trying to instill new habits, such as her being wiped down. She however, takes it as a game and more than once runs away with the towel through the field. I confess, in their excitement at going, gathering biscuits, leads, drinking water, bowl, I often forget the towel. Wipes have not proven successful.
Rethinking many things of late, unhappily acknowledging I've become a martyr to my beasties, which serves none well. Somewhere along the way I've slipped a stitch (dropped a few?) and slid into their needs over my own.
It's those big, sad, brown pleading eyes...
Hopefully, I can get back up to snuff, once I'm over these infections. Pulmonary rehab is the step after that. For now, the time on my hands is really giving me a rethink going forward and what best decisions will keep me healthy.
I know you are taking care, I have so worried with all the spots of covid-19 putting you (all of us) into further risk.
Thanks too for those who have responded, it so helps me to clarify what I must do from here.
I live in a city and the closest Chom gets to running about in the open is our park visits. But there is no mud or streams involved. I know they love the open natural spaces but perhaps a dog park or somewhere similar where they'd get less mucky may help? It is so hard to keep up with keeping the car , house etc. clean. And yes, no matter how much we love and adore them we have to think about our own health too. 😒
Alack, and alas -my sofa digging boy is a bit of a criminal and isn't to be trusted around other dogs. That in itself is a stressor, thus the country runs. He's so easy to keep, doesn't bark much, sits like a gentleman on car rides, and best of all, is so easy to keep clean. A brush out and we're done.
And unfortunately, the dog park is all too often a sea of mud...
Sadly, it's on the lovely lady Labrador. Really not attaching blame to anything but my wretched health.
Currently, because of my infections, we're all having a time off from goings out. The house however, is getting hairier because I've only enough energy to do minimal care. All options are on the table and that's why I so appreciate the feedback.
So far : finding some manner of chore aid
better dog seatbelt
disinfecting mop (thanks HH)
Pulmonary rehab
eventually selling for much smaller, more manageable home
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After years of being careful... 
Had to cancel my Lung function tests
I had to post This ! 
Undiagnosed condition
