I'm allergic to my DOG?!?!

[LarsMal]

I'm a little confused, and very sad right now. I went to the allergist today. I wanted to get both food and environmental testing done to see if they could come up with anything that might be triggering the skin problems I'm having.

The did the scratch test on my back. I tested negative for all of the foods they tested (including t/n, which I used to be allergic to). I had several environmental reactions, including most grasses, a lot of trees, cats, but (on my back) dogs was negative. Supposedly the dust mite reaction was the worst.

Then they did a second test on my arm. It looked like they injected something in me. Again, I had reactions to the trees/grasses/one mold/cats/dust mites that they tested for. On my arm, though, the reaction for dogs was POSITIVE. WTF?!

I am really confused b/c skin problems are generally NOT related to environmental allergies. The allergist said b/c allergies and eczema usually go hand-in-hand, though, she's not discounting it. The only "normal" environmental symptom I have is post nasal drip, and that's not even that bad. I guess it's pretty chronic, but not awful.

But the DOG?! I just don't know what to do! We've had her for 4 1/2 years. I've never had any problems with her. She sleeps in our bed! When I'm around cats I get sniffly and itchy/watery eyes, but not around dogs- ever!

She put me on Zyrtec and a nasal spray and wants to see me back in a month. I think I'm going to ask her to check again, just to be double sure. I'm not about to give our dog away and find out later it wasn't a true positive.

She wouldn't do a RAST test since my skin test for foods came back negative. I wonder if I should've pushed for one. So frustrating!!

Okay, this is long enough...

[gatorsmom]

Ok, I'm naive about this stuff, but would it help if you washed your dog weekly and your bedsheets and blankets more often? Or, if worse came to worst, if you didn't let your dog sleep with you (maybe she can sleep with one of the kids)?

i'm severely allergic to cats and I know that if a cat slept in my bed every night, I'd be nearly dead. Keeping the cat out of my bed would be the first thing I'd do to lessen my agony. Just a thought...

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[LarsMal]

It's so weird to me. We've had her for 4 1/2 years, and it's just been the last 6 months (4 months after having DD) that I've been having problems. I only have skin issues, not breathing/sinus issues (like I do with cats).

The first thing we're going to do is get her out of our room. I'll wash everything in hot water and thoroughly clean our room. After that I have to get special cases for our pillows and mattress to keep the dust mites in/out- whatever. I don't think it's going to come down to getting rid of the dog. As long as I can manage my issues with her around, I'm fine.

They didn't tell me any kind of level of the allergy, but the dr. did say "she" would get rid of the dog. NICE!!! Then she said, "At least get her out of your bed and room."

I swear- never a dull moment!

[bubbaray]

If you are allergic to your dog, you can get shots to diminish your allergic response. Definitely have him sleep elsewhere and consider a HEPA air purifier for your bedroom. We got Honeywell ones for all our bedrooms (mainly for dust mites, but HEPA filters work on pet dander too) and it makes a big difference. It sounds like you're only mildly allergic so I doubt you'd need to give away your dog. You'll likely be able to figure out a work-around.

HTH

Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[gatorsmom]

Maybe this will pass. Maybe it's just a hormonal thing.

But since you aren't having sinus/asthma issues, I'd have a really hard time getting rid of the dog too.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[caheinz]

I haven't been to an allergist in years, but when I did get skin tests, the doc told me that he wouldn't tell anyone to get rid of a pet. The reason? He knew full well that more people would get rid of the doctor than the pet!

[lizajane]

i'm allergic to both of my dogs. my 90lbs dog and my 70lb dog. (that's right... one is fat...) i have been living with these two dogs for 8 years. and before that, i had a childhood dog until i was about 8 and a second one from around 9-11. and a third from 13-adulthood. i just wash my hands and don't let them on the furniture.

you don't have to get rid of your dog.

definitely a good idea to get her out of your bed.

but do get a really good mattress cover for dust mites. that is my worst allergy and we have one of the gore tex ones that doesn't make you feel hot and sticky and you can dry it in the dryer. expensive, but worth it.

[writermama]

According to the tests, I'm allergic to cats. That's why we only have two of them.

Seriously, I think at least in my case, the skin test really doesn't necessarily give the whole story. According to skin tests, I'm allergic to dust mites and cats, although we only keep cats as pets, dust mites not being very cuddly.

I generally only have nasty allergy problems when certain pollens are high, and yet I don't test positive to those pollens. And even though I do test positive to cats, I'm around them all the time with no problems, except when certain pollens are high.

I have noticed, that since having children, my allergies have all but dissapeared (knock on wood). This may be hormonal (and they may come back after I finish nursing, though I hope not) or it may be the result of some lifestyle changes I've made since having babies, such as the switch to organic dairy, natural cleaning products, and fewer "frankenfoods" in my diet.

I for one, would NOT get rid of a beloved family member, not without a lot more evidence than one (out of two) skin tests.