Someone I work allerginc to pets - reaction to "me"

gettingready

Oh dear,,,,

Is it possible?

One of the girls I work with is severely allergic to ALL pets.

All was good till today when she says she is feeling very unwell and thinks it is due to me having my dog/cats.

So I wonder....

I am NOT covered in cat/dog hair etc but is it possible that she can react like that? Can I be making her unwell somehow?

We work in a massive open plan office. Air conditioned etc. I never wear same clothes twice, everything goes in the wash every day. But still....

Realy worried if I could be making her ill?

Ruby_woo

Possible but if you're changing your clothes etc then unlikely. Is your coat near to her workstation as that's a possibility as not washed all the time?

You can't be the only one with animals at home.

Don't worry about it. X

tea_lover

Surely in a massive open plan office there's more than just you that has pets? Why has she singled you out as the cause??

gettingready

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - new guy who only just started has 2 cats. And he sits very close too. So perhaps it is not me?

Still, would like to know - if anyone is aware how to avoid causing problems to the poor girl?

gettingready

Thanks - was typing before seeing replies.

She is VERY reactive but for over 2 months there was no issyes, even she was surprised.

Only today she is not well, really not well.

And justr now I asked the new guy (started last week) if he has cats - he said he has two.

I am paranoid about washing my work clothes (jacket is leather so no hair on it) but..

Hmmmm

WestonDave

Surely if you've not caused a problem before (and have worked together and had animals for some time), its either something which has specifically changed today (i.e. got a coat out that the cat has been unknown to you, sleeping on, or your new colleague), or its a toss up as to whether its an allergic reaction or the start of a cold. Given the similarity in symptoms between allergic rhinitis and the common cold, its not impossible that she's just got the lurgy!

gettingready

Been wearing the same coat for a while now and cats do nt sleepon it as I hang it in the cupbaord with doors closed.

She was convinced it was me - till I asked the new guy if he got cats and he said "yes, I got 2"

I myself have 6 cats and a dog BUT as i said earlier - she had no reactions since I started here on 29th July so weird she would react now.

She is not sneezing etc, she gets astma like symptoms when exposed to cat/dog...

Weird....

Hmmmm

SmallL

I'm severely allergic to fur/dander but its generally a touch allergy unless someones been cuddling a furry then comes quite close to me so hair/dander can get onto me.

But my allergy is unusual as its due to eczema and is therefore a skin-centred auto-immune response rather than your typical hayfever symptoms

WestonDave

The other thing to bear in mind is that you can be more or less allergic to specific animals - so if she happens to be less allergic to yours, the problem wouldn't show until the new guy with cats she is more allergic to shows up. He may also not be as fastidious with cleaning his clothes etc or may pick the cats up for a cuddle just before he leaves in his work clothes.

For the time being I'd be inclined to conclude its not you as you've worked together without issue for a while. Also see if its a one off today or whether she struggles for the rest of the week.

jenhug

my friend was only allergic to one of my cats, not both. if she is only just reacting now i would be more inclined to think its the new guy.

Person_one

I've no idea if its you or the other guy causing her allergy, it sounds more like its him due to the timing, but yes it is very very possible!

Your flat will be absolutely thick with allergen (which isn't just fur) it will be on all your clothes, in your hair, in your car, on your skin. You won't even notice if there's a smaller amount of cat hair on you because you're so used to it being everywhere, but a severely allergic person would probably know within 5 minutes of standing near you that you have a lot of cats.

The best thing to do is to keep doing what you're doing and don't get too close or in a confined space with her!