Does anyone have info on allergies to dogs???

[Suzy Mouse]

We have finally found a breeder for the dog we are looking for. When I mentioned to my SIL that we were going to be getting a dog she informed me the her daughter (4) would only be able to come over for short periods of time and never be allowed to sleep at our house because of her allergies to pet dander. We love our niece as if she were our own and our children are extremely close to her.

I have heard that if a dog has hair and doesn't shed then it wouldn't have dander. The dog we are looking at is a non~shedding dog. If this is true then we would be able to get it and she would be ok.

Does anyone know if this is true?

 

[DawnCt]

Given the possibility that every allergic person is different, I frankly don't know of any allergic person who is allergic to poodles. Three of my boys are allergic to cats, one is allergic to dogs but we have two poodles; a standard and a toy and everyone is fine with them. Even allergic guests who visit. It would be sad if your niece couldn't come over but then, she doesn't live at your house. You do. If your life will be happier with a dog, you should have one....or two!

 

[jamsmom]

I have sever allergies to pets and so much more. My parents were always able to let me have poodles. However, I have heard the chihauhaus also can be okay.

I do have 2 kitties now. I go to bed with benadryl every night, wake up with an asthma attack, and can;t breathe in the mornings.....but the kitties are staying

 

[ennazus]

I will ditto Dawn that a poodle may make a good dog for people with allergies. I have asthma and was able to have a poodle while growing up.

As for the visiting... my DH can only stay at his parents house for a limited time since they got a dog and then his allergies will start to bother him.

 

[tw1nsmom]

My husband is extremely allergic to cat dander (9 out of 10) and moderately allergic to dog dander (5 out of 10). Whether a dog sheds or not has nothing to do with the amount of dander/skin that he/she sloughs off. I've spoken to his allergist and our vet, and there are no specific breeds of dogs that are less "allergic" than others. Having said that, there are individual dogs that shed less skin than others. Also, lap dogs tend to be groomed/washed/conditioned more frequently than large dogs, so they may shed their skin during the grooming process instead of around your house. Our vet told us that the only way to be sure of a dog causing less of a reaction would be for my husband to spend time with it first. I really do sympathize. My husband can't visit his sisters house because of her cats. We've also had to find homes for our two lab mixes because of this (we got the dogs before my husband realized he was allergic to dogs as well as cats). The only other piece of advice I can give you is that if you get a dog, don't vaccuum before your niece comes over. The vaccuum throws the dander in the air where it stays suspended for quite a while. It's better for it to stay embedded in the carpet until after she leaves. Good luck.

 

[olena]

The problem isn't the dander or hair themselves. It's an enzyme in the saliva. Dogs lick their hair and skin, so that's what gets blamed. I have severe animal allergies and dogs aren't as bad as cats. I can do OK in a house where a dog lives. If I have a choice, I do not sleep there. When a dog licks me, the skin tunrs red, gets hot and breaks out in hives.

Does your niece sleep in the guestroom when they visit? If so, keep the dog out of there at all times. The dander can be nearly microscopic and can embed into furniture, linens, carpet and beds. Have niece bring her own pillow.

Does your house have central ventilation? If so, change your filter often...at least every two months.

My grandmother had a dog, when I was young. Two weeks prior to our visit, she would have to keep the dog out of the house and vaccuum every day for those two weeks. (Including the furniture)

When she did that faithfully and kept the dog out of the guest room, my sister and I were fine. It's a lot of work, but a solution to having it both ways.

 

[Mermaid02]

Yep- it's the protein in the dog's saliva that people are allergic to. Had a poodle growing up.... was allergic to it. I have a dog now- a weimaraner.... great big beautiful dog.... am allergic to her.... I take Allegra D every day so we can live together. It's soooooo worth it!!

 

[janette]

My 8yo DD has tested positive for cat & dog allergies. We've had outside dogs but recently got a Bichon Frise which like a poodle doesn't shed at all. She hasn't had any problems with him, she does say that her eyes water etc when she handles him but not as bad as the other dogs. She handles them too but since they are not in the house the hair isn't inside.

My MIL is allergic and she has said the Bichon Frise bothers her, not sure how much and she's extremely sensitive to almost anything.

We did limit our selection to a Bichon Frise or Poodle, their are other breeds that might have been okay but they rate the best for people with allergies.

I think as long as you take precautions you should be okay, everyone is different in their reactions to allergies so it's not really possible to know but hopefully you'll find she can tolerate your new dog fine.

 

[jfulcer]

I am allergic to cats and dogs. I can't pet them but can be around them as long as it's not for extended periods of time.

Having said that, my parents had a Cocka-Poo when I was growing up that I was NOT allergic to. I was the main caregiver for the dog, so played with her all the time.

Weren't you looking for a poo variant? I think that your niece may do ok as long as it's part poodle, IMHO. I wouldn't base your decisions on getting a dog on your niece - it's your dog not theirs. If I were you, I'd just tell your SIL that you are getting a less allergenic breed and see how it goes.

Incidentally, did you find your breeder through any links that I provided you? I'd be interested in knowing...

 

[cinlee3]

My DD is very allergic to dogs. We have very good friends (like adopted grandparents) who have poodles and they have to put them up and vacuum thoroughly before DD comes over. Her eyes swell up and she gets hives and sometimes it triggers her asthma. My Dad has a mixed bread and she sometimes reacts to her and sometimes not. If she is over at their house for a long time her eyes itch and swell up.

She has reacted to dogs even outside. My Dad took her to an outdoor dog show thinking it would be okay since they were outside and she had her worst reaction ever.

 

[Suzy Mouse]

Jeff~ We were looking at the Lhasapoo (Lhasa Apsa/Poodle). I did find it through one of the links that you sent me which happened to be a site we had gone to prior to my coming on here. (BTW~Thanks for your help!)

I emailed someone who sent my request to his list of Lhasapoo owners. Someone contacted me right here in NY and we got our name put on a list (We're the second on it).

We are extremely close with my SIL and her children. When I told her we were taking our name off of the list she was devistated andhas tried to get us to change our minds. She said they'll know for sure when my niece is 5 and they take her to a pulminary specialist...(next year) Maybe they'll have better news for us then.

I suggested that we keep our office/guest room free of the dog and have her stay there when she sleeps over. Their doctor said that wouldn't be good.

I need to be depended on if my SIL and her husband go away. It would break my heart if she could never stay over our house.

Thank you to all for all of your responses!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have severe allergies and I am a dog breeder. Strange statement, I know. We breed Airedales. They have wire hair that is "non-shedding", but some folks could still be allergic to them. In 27 years of breeding and selling puppies, I have only had one dog come back because the people were allergic to it. This was an unusal case where the individual dog DID have dander. I am not bothered by the adult Airedales, but the puppy hair bothers me a little, and my hands will swell up like baseball gloves if I don't wear surgical gloves when the pups are born. The amniotic fluid is just too high a concentration of "dog" for me! The advice about a poodle is very good since they have virtually NO dander. Some folks are allergic to the saliva though, so that would not help in those cases.

 

[DawnCt]

At the risk of being flamed, I would not recommend a Llasa Apso as a pet in a house with small children. They tend to be snappy. I have known four families over the last few years with Llasas, and all of the families have had to find adoptive homes for their dogs due to biting of their children or a child guest. If you like the look of a llasa, consider their cousin, the ****z zoo (spelling??).
They have sweet, docile temperments and have the same llasa hair.

 

[KaterBell]

If they didn't shed every day, i'd say, "GO PUG!" But alas... they shed. But they are GREAT with kids and love to be companions...

Anyway - I read an interesting article the other day that stated how babies/kids are less likely to become allergic to dogs and cats if they grow up with an animal in the house at all times.. I thought that was pretty interesting!

Good luck with your dog buying Having a dog is the most rewarding experience I've ever known.

 

[Christine]

Well, I'm very allergic to cats and mildly allergic to dogs. I have two dogs. Previously, I also had three at one time. I find that when I first get the dogs, I get all itchy and my airways feel tight. That goes away in about a week. Then I'm fine. If I go to someone else's house and play with their dogs, I get itchy, might get hives on my hands and my eyes water. It never gets really bad. I think if your niece was over all the time, she *might* get used to the dog--but if it is sporadic she won't. If she has asthma that is a whole other situation--not good because the allergy will trigger and airway attack. I'm lucky I don't have the asthma.

Now cats are another story. I'm really allergic to them and no matter how much I handle them, it never goes away. I really dread when I make a friend and find out they have cats. I basically know that I can never entertain with them--it is that bad and VERY uncomfortable. Believe me, I know how much joy pets can bring (I love my dogs) but I would love it if I knew I had a "cat-free" home to go to. If one of my relatives had cats, I could never go to their home again. I would hope if they didn't have a pet already and we had a close relationship, they would consider my allergies and not get one. I would never ask anyone to give up a pet, but if you don't have one already and you really want to be with your niece, I say give it up. When she gets a little bit older she may grow out of it a bit.
Christine

 

[2Poodles]

I'm allergic to dogs and highly allergic to cats (asthma). I have two Standard Poodles and have no problems with them. I can not touch shedding dogs without my hands swelling up and my eyes and face itching. Most people with allergies don't have a problem with a poodle though everyone's allergies react differently.



Mary & the 2Poodles (Sebastian & Winslow)