Allergies

[Leaflyn]

Hi, today was the day that I adopted two of my first ever guinea pigs. I adopted a mother and a daughter from what I thought was a good place, but when I got there 3 hours drive later, noticed it looked pretty dumpy, the animals there seemed fine. On the ride home, I started to get hives, and a little cough. I have asthma (not bad) and I have gotten some allergies from animals I wasn't used to before. I was wondering if anyone else has allergies with cavies or knows of ways that lessens them, because I desperately do not want to give them away.

[Weatherlight]

http://www.cavyspirit.com/allergies.htm

[Leaflyn]

I already read that. I was hoping for some member advice or solutions they may have.

[Weatherlight]

Ah, sorry. I've never dealt with it myself, nor have I searched for anecdotes on any forums. Did you try any tips on that page so far? From what I know of allergies to other animals, it looks like solid advice to me.

[GuineaAddict]

I think I'm slightly allergic to guinea pigs too. They like to crawl up under my chin and almost immediately I get red where they were sitting and it itches. It's not really too bad and I love my guinea pigs so I just ignore it.

[Leaflyn]

I feel so miserable right now. And not because of my allergies, but because this is the second doctor that has told me to give my pigs away. I'm in distress! I just got back from getting an inhaler, and i'm hoping that will help. I don't know why I have to have allergies like this and asthma to boot.

[Sammy and Peanut]

Well, I don't know if this helps, but my brother took medications so he could have a cat. Maybe they have some so you can have a guinea pig without allergies.

[Leaflyn]

They have specific medications? or was it just allergy medicine like Allegra or inhalers? And did they tell your brother to get rid of the cat?

[fourboys4now]

I wonder if it could be the bedding you use. I have heard of some people being allergic to shavings. If that is the problem, fleece could be used as bedding instead.

[Leaflyn]

Instead of using shavings I used cozy comfort, a KAYTEE brand, because that's all I could find in my area at the time. I haven't used any shavings. I also thought it could be partly the hay's problem, but not all of it because I don't doubt that I have some reaction to the pigs. But, i'm going to be ordering Bluegrass soon, because I've learned on this forum that it's a great alternative for people with timothy allergies.

[fourboys4now]

I would definitely consider every possible scenario before they have to be rehomed or returned to rescue. I would be crushed if that happened to me. I love my 7 boys dearly and would hate to be miserably sick while around them.

[Toadies]

Leaflyn, I got my piggs in May and didn't realize that I was allergic to them until the following December (after I was deeply in love with them) but my reaction was a heavy chest feeling. I actually thought that I might have asthma. My solution was to do what I needed to do with them (play, clean the cage, do the hay thing, etc) at night then take Benadryl and go to bed. Maybe the timing of your inhaler would have some effect, like trying it before you care for them then another time after, to see what works best. One of my boys has a real touchy respiratory system and when I get a cold, I wear a surgical mask to protect him. Something like that might help you keep the allergen exposure down. I use a surgical mask because it is softer and more comfortable than the other, more rigid kind. There is also a product called Aller/C that you wipe your cats down with to remove saliva and dander. I think that it is safe for small animals. You should be able to get it from your vet or from a pet supply online. Use the one for cats because it's formulated for creatures that groom themselves. You also might consider a bedding that is not loose like Carefresh, but flat, like towels etc. I hope that you find something that works for you.

[Leaflyn]

Thank you for your advice! I was reading about fleece and I think I just might try that instead. I'll also check out that "Aller/C" you mentioned. I think part of the problem with the cozy comfort bedding is that when they scurry around, they kick up a lot of the allergens into the air. Hmmm.. the answers i'm receiving are starting to make me feel better.

[GuineaAddict]

Originally Posted by Leaflyn

I was reading about fleece and I think I just might try that instead.

Once you switch to the fleece, I can almost gaurantee you're going to love it. Even if it doesn't help the allergies as much it's just such a great and fun thing to use.

[cavyinhawaii]

You might want to wash or have someone wash your pigs. That way you won't be reacting to something that might be in their hair. Hay, bedding or food from the place you got them. That way you can tell what it is exactally you are allergic to, Might not even be the pigs.Don't forget hay is a grass and bedding is made from trees. You may have to try different kinds to see what you are ok with having in your home.

[rua8420]

Hi!
I know exactly what you are going through. I am very allergic to anything with fur including guinea pigs. I went through life not being able to have any pets or even go to a persons house that had pets. I met our little guy and knew that I had to take him home. That first night my allergies were very bad. I decided to try a new allergy pill that is on the market . It works amazingly! I have almost no problems anymore. I have a little problem when he is climbing on me, I get little hives where ever he touches but they are not very bad and they go away about 20 minutes after I am done playing with him. Make sure you wash your hands and arms and anywhere else they may have touched as well. From my experience, I would say try It worked amazingly for me. Good luck!!

[Susan9608]

Just want to remind everyone to be cautious when offering any advice that could be taken as medical advice. That includes suggesting specific medications to other people. Offering medical advice goes beyond the scope of this forum.

No one should take any medication, prescription, over the counter, herbal, or vitamin, without first discussing it with their doctor.

Thank you for your cooperation.