Cathy Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Thought I'd throw this out there to see if anybody else has any experience with this or advice ... We've had our sibe Nik for years, and my other half Tim has had zero allergy problems with him. But when I adopted Dakota in April, it was soon clear that Tim was seriously allergic to him -- sneezing, wheezing, stuffy head, red, puffy eyes, you name it. So it was as if he were allergic to one dog and not the other! Well, rehoming Dakota is out of the question. I picked up a fleet of top-quality HEPA purifiers (one in each room where the dogs spend time) and got a top-quality HEPA vacuum (vacuum the whole house and furniture 2x week). We open up the house each morning to run the attic fan for about an hour before closing it back up to run the a/c. All of this seems to help some. But where we have seemed to gain the most ground in the past 8 weeks (and where I'm open to advice/suggestions) is in having changed Dakota's diet. I feed him TOTW now, and I add the skin/coat supplement made by Furminator (hey, the comb works great, why not give it a try ...). I've also committed tobrushing him daily (thankfully, he's good and loves it) and bathing him w/moisturizing shampoo about every 4-6 weeks. Tim's allergies to Dakota seem to be subsiding some, so we're encouraged -- any more advice or tips? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 has he tried anti histamines? They should help, just buy shops own brand its the same dtug as the more expensive ones.....also a hayfever allergy relif spray shud help too, my friend has a severe allergy to horses but hasnt had a problem since taking a hayfever spray,....got to be worth a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damrod Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 If you decide to keep a pet, bar it from the bedroom. You spend from one-third to one-half of your time there. Keep the bedroom door closed and clean the bedroom aggressively: * Because animal allergens are sticky, you must remove the animal's favorite furniture, remove wall-to-wall carpet and scrub the walls and woodwork. Keep surfaces throughout the home clean and uncluttered. Bare floors and walls are best. * If you must have carpet, select ones with a low pile and steam clean them frequently. Better yet, use throw rugs that can be washed in hot water. * Wear a dust mask to vacuum. Vacuum cleaners stir up allergens that have settled on carpet and make allergies worse. Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter if possible. * Forced-air heating and air-conditioning can spread allergens through the house. Cover bedroom vents with dense filtering material like cheesecloth. * Adding an air cleaner with a HEPA filter to central heating and air conditioning can help remove pet allergens from the air. The air cleaner should be used at least four hours per day. Another type of air cleaner that has an electrostatic filter will remove particles the size of animal allergens from the air. No air cleaner or filter will remove allergens stuck to surfaces, though. (See the Asthma and Allergy Answer factsheet on, "Air Filters.") * Washing the pet every week may reduce airborne allergens, but is of questionable value in reducing a person's symptoms. * Have someone without a pet allergy brush the pet outside to remove dander as well as clean the litter box or cage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damrod Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Nutritional Strategies * You can feed your pet essential vitamins, nutrients and fatty acid supplements with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to help the skin retain moisture. This often reduces shedding. * Poor skin health can result from feeding a lower quality food or food that contains something the dog may be allergic to. For example, typical foods sold in regular grocery stores contain fillers that can disagree with canine digestion and lead to increased shedding and skin flaking. So feed pets high quality food. Also, avoid foods filled with corn and wheat. * Also, if your pet has any skin problems, get your pet examined by vet. The cause could be a treatable hormonal or thyroid problem, or mange, or bacterial dermatitis, or fleas. Whatever the problem, you'll want to get it treated, since such conditions will hurt the dog's health while amping up the potency of the allergens in his dander, saliva and urine. http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Allergies.php I also take generic claritin every day because I am allegic to cats and wash my hands frequently when around them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 ummm not sure on this, i've never (touch wood) been allergic to anything so not had to look into it too much, great advice Damrod, added to rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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