Allergies/Asthma anyone?

[krisykris]

So I have two little puppies and I also have allergies and asthma. So far so good with the two little ones I have. They're both small, less sheding and dander producing breeds. I have HEPA airfilters in my room and I bathe them once a week as well as use ALLERPET on them. I'm also taking Claritan. My biggest question I guess is what other things do you ( anyone w/these issues) do to keep the dander low and the health up? I'm not really happy w/the Claritan so any advice on better antihistimines would be appreciated as well. I cough ALL the time and it's so annoying.. I'd say that's my biggest symptom, but I'm committed to these pups being in my life so prevention seems to be the best medicine wherever I can get it Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Fran27]

I prefer Zyrtec, but you need prescriptions for it. For asthma I use albuterol and advair.

 

[Julie]

I just wanted to wish you luck with finding ways to control your allergies. You are smart in trying to prevent the worse case.
I would also like to thank god that my family doesn't have to deal with this situation. You would probably hack up a lung in my house.
Best wishes,
Julie.

 

[krisykris]

Thanks Julie =) I'm deathly allergic to cats and practically died from living w/my mom who had three of them. I've always wanted a dog, and now I have two, so I'm committed to finding the best ways to deal with the situation. I'm going to an allergist to find out "just how allergic" I am to dogs, but I know how most allergists use the old "get rid of the offending animal" crap which I'm not doing, regardless so I just wanted some info on the best treatments

Thanks Fran... I've heard Zyrtec is great, so I'll ask about it! Does ADVAIR work well? I've seen the ads on tv and it looks promising.

 

[mjb]

We have a son with allergies and has had a bout with asthma. He seems to have outgrown it. We have always had a cat and a dog and presently have 2 cats along with a dog. Of course, he's away at college but lived with them full-time for years.

The only thing we have done is kept the dog and cats out of his bedroom. Even with dust mites, his allergist had said the most important room to keep dust-free was the bedroom, with pillows and mattresses slipped into a covering.

 

[mojozen]

krisykris
i have severe asthma... and cannot live with many animals. When I first got my pit bull - dachshund cross 2 years ago he'd give me hives and I had quite a few problems with my asthma. Fortunately after 6 months I built up a tolerance to him, and just him it seems like, so except when he's super smelly or shedding a lot I do okay. However, when he's in his super shedding and smelly phase (as he is now) and/or if i fall off my meds (advair, singulair daily is the least amount of meds I can get away with) I start to have more issues and rely on my nebulizor more.

I also recommend allegra as a good way to keep allergies down. I haven't been able to use it this year because it's too expensive for me, but it has worked wonders in the past for my allergy headaches.

Oh and a lot of doctors are changing their tune of "get rid of the animal" - especially when you tell them flatly up front "i'm NOT getting rid of my dog." Quite a few of them will try to work with you I've found... 'course my own dog helps keep my stress levels down and my depression under control... Which is something I tell the more determined docs - "Either I have allergies or I kill myself... which would you prefer?"

 

[mjb]

I also wondered if my son built up immunities to our pets because he would have his problems primarily when he went to anyone's house with pets or someone who lived in a much older house (mold and dust?).

His doctor told us the flonase, nasonex.....the nasal sprays (steroids) helped the most with allergies. He was right, but my son didn't have allergies all the time, and we couldn't pinpoint when he was going to have a reaction. The nasal sprays took several days to build up and start working. He really needed to use them every day whether he was having problems or not for them to work.

 

[mojozen]

I also wondered if my son built up immunities to our pets because he would have his problems primarily when he went to anyone's house with pets or someone who lived in a much older house (mold and dust?).

His doctor told us the flonase, nasonex.....the nasal sprays (steroids) helped the most with allergies. He was right, but my son didn't have allergies all the time, and we couldn't pinpoint when he was going to have a reaction. The nasal sprays took several days to build up and start working. He really needed to use them every day whether he was having problems or not for them to work.

I've used Flonase - but I hate being over medicated as much as I hate having asthma. I do think you can build up tolerances, but it does take time. I don't have dust mite allergies (thank god) but I am allergic to mold and most animals with fur... Dogs are a lot less, and Mojo is a lot less than most dogs. But not because he's "special" I have a bad asthma attack every time I try to give him a shower... I'm thinking of just taking him someplace to be groomed by some one else.

At any rate, I'm babbling and shall need to go home soon.

 

[krisykris]

Mojozen I really appreciate the tips! As a girl with asthma my whole life, I kind of gave up on the idea of ever owning a dog and I am a HUGE animal lover. I never need to use asthma medication when I'm not around animals, but that limits me so much on where I can go and what I can do. So, I finally decided that I love animals way too much to let asthma and allergies get in my way. I'm hoping that through really good control over my environment and some good allergy meds maybe I won't have to have the asthma issues. It's been two months so far and short of coughing a lot, I haven't had to use my albuterol more than one puff a day, and not even every day. Anyhow, It's good to hear a sucess story of someone that's managing. I get really discouraged by people who tell me I should never have gotten my pups in the first place =/

 

[Gig 'Em Ags]

Zinc, Magnesium, and Vit. C supplements are of great benefit when one suffers from allergies.

 

[Fran27]

I went to an allergist for years, in the end it got more tolerable for me, especially my dog allergies (cat is still pretty bad for cats I don't know). But yes, you do build up resistance to your own pets, which helps a lot.

Those nasal sprays are very good, but pretty useless if your symptoms don't include stuffy nose really (which is the case for me occasionally though). With advair and albuterol, I haven't had asthma in a loooong time now... unfortunately, I have shortness of breath instead now, and I'm not sure it's not worse... not all the time though thanksfully.

I would just stick to claritin/zyrtec if it works good enough, then only ask your doctor for more treatment if you still have asthma after that.

And I've heard the 'get rid of the pets' comment way too much also...

 

[krisykris]

Mostly I just get a tightness in my chest w/a cough. I only really notice shortness of breath if I'm working out vigorously. The claritin helps w/the skin irritation runny nose and itchyness for the most part.

 

[mojozen]

I'm not terribly good at "managing my environment." I mostly just try to keep Mojo groomed and on a good diet so he's not shedding a lot. I also do my best to stay on my meds (I am terrible with medications... I hate being on them so I can consistantly forget to take them)...

My dog still sleeps with me ... ususally it's only to get me to sleep when I'm having a bad bout with my depression/anxiety and then he goes to sleep elsewhere in the apartment once I am sliding into unconsciousness. Somehow, except when I am having a bad bout of illness related asthma, I am able to manage with my un-care of my illness. I should do better, but I don't, and my doctor has just stopped fighting me on the dog issue.

 

[krisykris]

I'm going for allergy testing and all that comes along with it in September, so I'm going to ask about taking Singulair *ar* for my breathing and see how it goes. I'm wondering though my yorkie poodle mix is shedding quite a bit lately... could it just be his time of the month to be shedding and could this be bugging me more lately? Also, If I shaved his fur a little closer and didnt let it grow as long could that make a difference in the allergy dander causing issue?

 

[dogstarsleddogs]

I find that Claritins work great for me. For the longest time, I just used Dimetapp, but I started building up resistance to it, and they took it off the market. Kinda strange, but when I'm stuffed up, I breath through a bag of mint tea. It works though. Nasal sprays never worked, all the stuff just dripped out anyway. I'm pretty allergic to cats, I've lived with cats all my life, and currently live with 6 of them inside. I find that different cats effect me differently. I can sleep with Booger and Whiskey, but if I just pet Somer or Miss Kitty, it makes my eyes water and stuff my nose up. Or I cant have Miss Kitty lick my fingers, but Booger can lick my face.
Also, pet allergies have nothing to do with the pets hair. It all in the protien in the saliva. After they lick themselves, the protein dries, and becomes airborne. You breath it in, and you can figure out the rest.

 

[TheWonderPuppies]

i use flonase and flovent for my allergies wich is part of the ingredients in advair since im allergic to serevent

 

[TheWonderPuppies]

and get a good vacumn

 

[krisykris]

I know this is an old thread that I started, but I just want to say that I started Advair 100/50 a week ago and it has worked WONDERS on my asthma. I'm doing so great with it and haven't had to use a rescue inhaler at all in this past week even while working out. I just wanted to post this in case anyone else is dealing with allergic asthma issues.

 

[Amalthea]

I've had asthma most of my life too. Keep a rescue inhaler (like albuterol, or primatine mist if you don't have a prescription) just in case...and you asked about Advair; I take this and I think it does work, but you have to keep taking it long-term generally if you've had lifelong asthma problems, and it is pretty expensive. My doctor gave me a few months supply in free sample packs and so maybe you could get your dr. to do that