My Husband Wants Me To Re-home Ollie

[Rebanne]

you need to get your child allergy health tested first and foremost. My GP was convinced my daughter, many years ago, was allergic to the pets. They had to be the cause of her problems ;) boy did I have the last laugh when the test showed she was actually allergic to rye, no animals at all. Cut the rye out of her diet and hey presto, allergic reactions all gone Mind you we only went to rye bread etc cause the naturopath said to.

[OSoSwift]

how can people be allergic to one dog only and not all dogs?

maybe its both dogs not just the pug?

Poodles and Cockers make me itch like crazy. I love both these breeds but could not ever live with one. Two of my cats also make my eyes red and itchy but not the other.

i didn't know that, ty.

my daughter is allergic to cats...all cats, so i thought it was a species thing not an individual animal thing

i learn something new every day ;)

If a Siamese, Burmese, Turkish Van or Oriental come into the same room as me my throat starts to itch, I sneeze, eyes water and itch like crazy and my face starts to puff up. Yet I can attack a Persian blowing its coat and unless it's fur goes up my nose I barely sneeze!

I think allergy testing is definate the way to go.

As mentioned there is an allergy threshhold.

Basically you can have an allergy to something or even a couple of things and still not show symptoms or bad ones. Then something will just bump you over that line and you start showing all the symptoms of allergies. I maybe a flower that is in bloom, or maybe it is very dusty, a windy day etc.

You only become allergic to something you have been exposed to. Your body needs to be exposed to something to be able to amount the immune response to the allergen. That is why people can eat seafood for years then all of a sudden have a reaction.

Edited November 12, 2010 by OSoSwift

[Rach...]

Im allergic to dogs but Labs, ACDs and anything else with a coat similar to that more so. Also if the dog is dirty, I get really itchy and red rash on my neck and arms. Its one reason both my dogs are kept so clean because they sleep in my bed and im allergic. Claratyne helps me alot and regular washing my hands and stuff, i only take claratyne if i am going around other dogs because i have basically built up an immunity to my two. I have only become allergic to dogs when i started working with them on a regular basis, before that it was cats.

[Lowenhart]

I would try and find a sympathetic groomer who would be willing to hav Ollie come in for bath/blowdry weekly especially at the change of seasons. Grooming in the house probably doesn't help the family either.

I back getting your child tested for allergies.

The remove every pet, huge clean and then add back one at a time thing to help identify the triggers is a great idea.

Four years ago I developed an allergy to cigarette smoke almost spontaneously. I had share housed with smokers but never been one and never reacted before. But I was suddenly getting headaches and nosebleeds and the allergy has gotten worse as time goes on. It is difficult to avoid smokers, at dog shows (where smoking is endemic), and when walking to work in the city.

Allergies can develop spontaneously!

[Bow Wowy]

When I used to work in retail we sold this product:

http://2ols.com/item_10052_459672006-Syner...r-Dogs-6-oz.htm

Don'y know how effective it will be in this situation, but might be worth a shot

[poodlefan]

For what its worth, I'd rehome a dog before I'd subject it to regime of routine shaving.

[perrin]

I just went through this with my almost 5 year old son.

I suggest getting the blood test done. It doesn't take long. My son didn't even flinch when the nurse took blood. They will let you know what the allergies are caused by and the severity. However if you then want it narrowed down to individual causes you will need to go for skin scratch testing.

My son is on Flixotide asthma preventer morning and night, Nasonex nasal spray once a day, Aerius antihistamine plus Polaramine if it flares up during the day. His bedroom is an animal free domain. No animals are allowed to enter. No animals are allowed on the lounge. We have floorboards and tiles. no carpet.

Make sure you look at asthma friendly bedding. There is a website that will show you approved products that are suitable.

Remember that sleeping on a bottom bunk means that it will have more dust etc so if he does perhaps moving him will help. Make sure curtains are clean of all dust.

We also have a air filter that we run in the bedroom that helps him.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I would get allergy tests done on you and your son, if it turns out you are allergic you could have immunotherapy. I know a good couple of people who have done this and lived successfully with dogs/cats and horses.

[Esky the husky]

All I have to say is holy c**p \

I got less hair out of my wooly coated husky!

[~Shepherd~]

9 News on TV just said Melbournians are enduring the worst hay fever season in 10 years. Must have been a story on it. It just came on then.

[HugUrPup]

Yep that's what the doctor said. He reckons it's air pollens. I'm keeping Ollie.

He also said that loose fur can irritate the skin, but it's not an actual allergy unless we get hives from touching him, which we don't.

I'm going to have Ollie hydrobathed and take him to the vet in Bentliegh to check out the shedding issue and make sure he hasn't got an underlining health problems.

[Trisven13]

Woohoo

[Tapferhund]

tell your husband you arent going to rehome him

Been saying that for 2 years now. My kids don't want him to go either, but what about the allergies? Is it wrong to keep him when my sons face and lips get red and sore and I have constant coughing fits?

My husband won't leave me over it or anything if I keep him, but he does have a point when he says that keeping him isn't the healthiest thing for us.

I think I'll check out a dog naturopath and see if I can give him anything.

Have you and the kids actually been tested for allergies specifically to dogs? The reason I ask is because a Dr once told me it is rare to have allergies to dogs. Cats yes but not dogs so much. This is a BAD time of year for all things that cause allergies.....like grasses, pollens , mites and dust mites etc.....and with the dogs shedding at the same time of the year...it might only seem its the dog/s.

Before even thinking of parting with your beloved Ollie.........why don't you ask your Doctor to do a series of tests on you and the kids to see what exactly they are allergic too. There are also medications or programs that can help with this sort of thing. If I were you I would be looking at all avenues before rehoming your dog/s. Even if you have to change the dogs routine......for example , leaving him outside to sleep during the summer months. ?

[Tapferhund]

Puggerup,

sorry, just read you post above (page 7) . GREAT NEWS about it not being the dogs!! I didn't think it would be actually !

Edited November 12, 2010 by Tapferhund

[misha&milo]

9 News on TV just said Melbournians are enduring the worst hay fever season in 10 years. Must have been a story on it. It just came on then.

I agree

I heard this about 3 weeks ago ...

I was in melbourne (3 weeks ago) and I had the worst hay fever since before my son was born. Once I got back up to the country it went

Mind you we are moving back to melb in Jan......

But getting back to the allergies.... They are saying it hasn't been like this for years and its mainly because of the drought we have been having and now because of the rains it is playing havoc with everything and everyone.

[Bluefairy]

I am so glad Ollie is staying.

As for the allergies....I was once around a Pug with a double coat, I was sneezing, running eyes and nose, and my whole body was itching, and the itching led to me making it bleed....I can't feel the pain of what I do so I tend to scratch badly. This pug shed a hell of a lot.

I have had other dogs myself and never had a problem. I even recently had a Pug with a single coat and I never had a problem at all. No allergies, nothing. Mind you the cat is another matter, I am allergic to her.

For me it was the difference of a single or double coat on the Pug.

BF

[Steve]

Im glad that bit is settled.

Humans arent usually allergic to dog fur because even though you can see it and it means you get more housework the fur is too big for the kid or any one to breath in.

Its actually the saliva and dander which people have allergies to and thats not seasonal .If the child was allergic to the dog he would be allergic to the dog all year round - it wouldnt get worse just because its shedding time. Fur on the dog is the same as fur off the dog and on the couch assuming the child touches the dog all year.

[Bjelkier]

Great news you can keep Ollie

I may have missed this somewhere but how often do you groom him?

My Lab sheds like that all the time and it drives me nutty.

He gets brushed everyday and bathed in warm water when it gets really bad (this helps the coat fall) but the best thing we ever did with him was get the blower on him.

We only ever use it outside (same with grooming) and it really does help.

I still have to vaccum every day though

[~Anne~]

Pugger, the shedding will be completely normal I am willing to wager.

I have just finished bathing my three to get rid of some of their hair, and for their weekly bath. It is that time if year when the heat hits and the shedding starts in earnest, although as you know, it never really stops anyway.

I bathed Monte first. He has a very thick coat and a lion's mane (what I call the excessively thick hair around the neck). The drain clogged up with his hair. My hands were plastered with it. The towel was layered thick with it. He always sheds massive amounts of hair.

Olivia was next. She had some hair in the drain, and there was some on my hands, but not to the extent of Monte. Her towel was pretty full of hair after I dried her off.

Next was Boof. Hardly a hair to be seen really compared to the others. His coat is very thin. He freezes in Winter. He doesn't have a lions mane.' There wasn't much hair on his towel either.

Pugs all shed, some more than others though and it all depends on the coat. Ollie has a lion's mane from memory doesn't he? This means he will possibly have a heavy coat. Most Pugs do.

I am glad to see it isn't the dogs setting of the asthma and you don't have to re-home him. If it ever does come to this, I'd contact Pug Rescue Vic to see if they can help perhaps.

[JulesP]

How are you going getting him bathed?

Petstock Lilydale has a bath if you can manage it yourself. I am in Wandin and will bath and dry him for you if you like :D I think you are around the area? A friend has a mobile if that would suit.