Anyone else allergic to dogs but still has them?

I can't take it anymore! My allergies have gotten worse...we tried finding a good home for them before....it didn't work and DH was really against the idea and promised he would keep up w/all the care of the dogs...well he works too much to do this so it either falls on me or I have to constantly lose the fight of dog hair

I am so frustrated, its a lose-lose situation for me



Thanks for letting me vent...I am just at a loss

Re: Anyone else allergic to dogs but still has them?

Ugh, I know that feeling. I'm not allergic exactly, but I have asthma and dander is a trigger. When we first took in our pit, Lucy, I was miserable. I was constantly using my pump and using and air purifier. I had to keep going back to the doctor and they kept bumping up my meds until one day, out of the blue, it was fine. I still take Advair daily, but I'm now on a lower dosage and rarely, if ever, get attacks from the dogs. I've found that with almost all the pets I've ever had, too. I seem to build up a resistance to it. But it is absolutely miserable when you can't be comfortable in your own house.

Re: Anyone else allergic to dogs but still has them?

My husband is very allergic to both dogs and cats. He can't tolerate any cats. They turn him up in the hospital because of the severe issues that it causes with his asthma.

Dogs --- well, there are some that he has been able to get used to.

Most larger breeds such as labs, shephards, huskies --- he just can not tolerate at all. He might be able to spend a few hours with them if he takes benadryl but he wouldn't be able to live with them.

A lot of smaller breeds have a different kind of fur .... I've heard it is more like hair and so they are considered "hypoallergenic." Now, I don't really believe that any dog can be completely hypoallergenic, but these dogs do have a smaller reaction on my husband.

Ours is a small terrier mix...we are not sure exactly what she is a mix of, maybe poodle and maltese yorkie or something like that. Really she's pretty scruffy but does have longer fur...and she bothered him for about the first 2 months that we had her, but then he got used to her.

You may want to consider googling "hypoallergenic dog breeds" for a list of breeds that people have less of a reaction to!

Re: Anyone else allergic to dogs but still has them?

I'm allergic to cats but have had them since i got married.
For ME- being exposed to the particular cat helps me build a tolerance to it.
So when I first bring the kitty home, I sneeze and suffer for about 2 weeks- I just take zyrtec every day.

Then- similar to allergy shots- where they inject you with the allergen- your body begins to build a tolerance to it- and it takes more and more dander to get you to have an attack.

So I will still sneeze around friends and families cats- just not my own.

It worked 3 times already - so bizzare!

Re: Anyone else allergic to dogs but still has them?