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I don't want to rehome my dogs

Hi All

Does anyone know anything about allergies? For the past year I have been having recurrent chest infections, asthma attacks, havyfever symptoms, rashes and cold/flu symptoms. There have been other symptoms too but I won't go into detail.

I've been to the doctor several times claiming my immune system is knackered and she has concluded I have an allergy, most likely to my pet dogs.

I don't understand this as I've been arouind dogs all my life and never had these problems - my dogs are schnauzers too which dont malt

At the mo I take a steriod inhaler, steriod nose spray, antihistamines, chesty cough medicine and I'm just getting worse and worse all the time - earlier this year i got a perforated ear drum through coughing and lost my hearing for nearly three weeks. I also keep getting tinitus through pressure on my ear drums :(

Have asked the doc for an allergy test but she said they take a long time and are not always conclusive as they often show mulitple triggers

Does anyone know anything about allergies and if there is something else I can do/take to alleviate the symptoms a bit?

I really do not want to have to rehome my dogs but the symptoms are making my life a misery at the moment
I am a Mortgage Adviser

You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
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Comments

  • Bean_Counter
    Bean_Counter Posts: 1,496 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Do you find that the symptoms get a little better when, for example, you might be on holiday and the dogs are in kennels?

    Maybe an allergy to bulls? Or farms? (seriously)
    Today is the first day of the rest of your life
  • absolutebounder
    absolutebounder Posts: 20,305 Forumite
    Allergies are on the increase but not always caused by what you think you are allergic to. Best thing to do is go awy for a few days or send the woofers away and see if things improve. If they dont come back for further advice. Have you been on anti biotics?
    Who I am is not important. What I do is.
  • Psykicpup
    Psykicpup Posts: 1,398 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Hi All

    Does anyone know anything about allergies? For the past year I have been having recurrent chest infections, asthma attacks, havyfever symptoms, rashes and cold/flu symptoms. There have been other symptoms too but I won't go into detail.

    I've been to the doctor several times claiming my immune system is knackered and she has concluded I have an allergy, most likely to my pet dogs.

    I don't understand this as I've been arouind dogs all my life and never had these problems - my dogs are schnauzers too which dont malt

    At the mo I take a steriod inhaler, steriod nose spray, antihistamines, chesty cough medicine and I'm just getting worse and worse all the time - earlier this year i got a perforated ear drum through coughing and lost my hearing for nearly three weeks. I also keep getting tinitus through pressure on my ear drums :(

    Have asked the doc for an allergy test but she said they take a long time and are not always conclusive as they often show mulitple triggers

    Does anyone know anything about allergies and if there is something else I can do/take to alleviate the symptoms a bit?

    I really do not want to have to rehome my dogs but the symptoms are making my life a misery at the moment

    Its rare but not unusual for someone to become allergic to something they have been around all thier lives so it is possible that you have become allergic to your dogs.. but I would want a second opinion in this case.
    I'm not sure why your doctor is so reluctant to do an allergy test - I remember having tests when I was little.. they were 'scratch tests' & took about 1/2hr maybe an hour (although not all tests were that quick) & yes they do show multiple triggers but surely only if you are allergic to more than one thing....mine are:- grass pollens, mould pollens,housedust mite, dog hair, cat hair & horse hair - there where other minors.
    Is there any reason your doctor thinks it is the dogs:confused: ?
    and lastly are you stressed at all the moment? that can affect your imune system too - are you eating well?
    I THINK is a whole sentence, not a replacement for I Know



    Supermarket Rebel No 19:T
  • MortgageMamma
    MortgageMamma Posts: 6,686 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I am always well stressed because of my job and family responsibilities. I dont think its bulls or farms as I've had these symptoms over a year now and they are progressively getting worse. I've not been on antibiotics and I have a reasonably good diet and I take vitamin supplements, garlic capsules and korean ginseng almost daily and when I'm really knackered I take high potency B vitamins.

    I do want a second opinion, but deep down I fear Dr is right. I go away on business every now and then and every time I go away the symptoms reduce, but I am only ever away for 1 or 2 days at a time max so they never totally disappear.

    DH suggests I go to see a chinese herbalist or look for some alternative remedys but I am reluctant to do that because I don't want them reacting with the concoction the Dr has already given me.

    I have seen some dog runs/pens in argos which are like giant rabbit hutches with runs on them. I thought about buying one of them but to me it seems inhumane to keep dogs in one of them all the time - we cant let them run free because they chase the cattle and eat sheep poo which gives them worms :(
    I am a Mortgage Adviser

    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • saxy1
    saxy1 Posts: 453 Forumite
    Saw a spray in our local pet shop, which is supposed to help with allergies, you spray the animals with it once a week, might be worth a try.

    Will see if I can find out the name of it.
  • saxy1
    saxy1 Posts: 453 Forumite
    Found a link!! -
  • twink
    twink Posts: 3,826 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    not sure if it does dogs but petalcleanse is very good, works on cats, you just smooth it over their fur
  • Bun
    Bun Posts: 872 Forumite
    sorry you are feeling so stressed an poorly.

    I really would get the allergy tests done - yes you are feeling better when away from your dogs, BUT you are also feeling better away from everything in your house. If it helps, I have cats and was terrified that I was going to have to get rid of them when I developed skin allergies, excema, rhinitis, and asthma. I had tests at hospital due to the worsening of the asthma, and all of them came back clear. I was actually diagnosed once the asthma had got a grip, and what tipped it was a respiritary infection. Every time I have a cold or chest infection I have to be very careful as everything can flare up. Now my asthma is under control I still have the skin problems and excema occasionally but it appears over time to be the way my body deals with stress and unwelcome change -maybe you are the same? It's more sensitivity than allergies I believe, and the more run down, low or stressed out I am the worse it is. I can now pre-empt it a bit and it is liveable with. Good luck, but I would press to be referred or maybe do it privately if you can afford to? They may not tell you what you are allergic to, but they'll show you what you aren't.
    Annabeth Charlotte arrived on 7th February 2008, 2.5 weeks early :D
  • MortgageMamma
    MortgageMamma Posts: 6,686 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks Bun

    I can sympathise with your symptoms. I had skin problems too but I managed to get them under control with aqeuos cream -- when I was a kid my mum said I was allergic to cows milk, so this is the first thing I;m going to cut out of my diet to see if its a reoccurance of that, but I cant see how that would give me chest infections and those sort of symptoms but its worth a try. I'm also going to kennel the dogs for a week just to see if it really is them and in that time have all the carpets and upholstery clean

    I suppose I could just about afford to go private but we'd have to forego a holiday this year. I'm giong to press for that second opinion, my dr obviously is not an animal lover
    I am a Mortgage Adviser

    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • Justie
    Justie Posts: 1,768 Forumite
    cow's milk is often associated with chest allergies and asthma so it's quite possible that it's at least a contributor to your allergies even if it's not the cause.

    it may be that there's no one trigger but that the combination of lots of environmental factors are over loading your system and causing the allergies and infections.

    I would get the allergy tests done so you at least know. I'd also do things like ban the dogs from the bedroom (if they're not already) and up your cleaning efforts. You may find that a deionizer helps the symptoms too. Make sure that you don't have feather pillows etc as even if you weren't allergic before they harbour more dustmites etc so can make allergies worse. I would also really pare back your toileteries etc and either use no washing powder or the absolute minimum (or use soap nuts) just so that your body has fewer chemicals to cope with.
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