My Husband Wants Me To Re-home Ollie

[Guest belgian.blue]

ignore me :D

Edited November 11, 2010 by belgian.blue

[HugUrPup]

Ollie is woolly. The absolute last resort would be to shave him, I'd consider that before re-homing, but as already said, it won't stop the shedding and if the allergies are from him, then it won't stop that either.

[Kirty]

As well as brushing, you could wipe him down with a damp cloth a few times a day. That will pick up any loose hairs. Also, perhaps consider something like a furminator that will really strip the hair out. Not sure how they work on short haired dogs, but worth looking into.

[ish]

I'd look into getting a dryer for him - then you could bath him and give his coat a really good blow out regularly to get rid of it quicker

[SpotTheDog]

I sympathise. I'm allergic to my pets and suffer from asthma, and I persist.

However be very careful - asthma is a different kettle of fish to just hayfever-type allergies. Yes you can medicate for allergies, but over the longer term your own body should do some adjusting so the reaction becomes less severe. You may still react to a strange dog or cat, but you'll acclimatise ssomewhat to your own.

The major 'but' is that you absolutely need to keep your asthma under control - if you need a stronger preventative inhaler talk to your GP. You shouldn't be using your curative inhaler more than two or three times a week. If you need it a couple of times a day just to function your asthma is out of control.

Asthma that remains poorly controlled over a long period of time will do permanent damage to your respiratory system in a condition called 'airway remodeling'.

I was pretty lax about my asthma, and had accepted the idea that during some months my reactions will be worse than others. When I found out about airway remodeling it scared the bejesus out of me. My allergies are quite well controlled around my pets, through a combination of cleaning, no pets in the bedroom, nasal sprays, acupuncture (worked for me), and a routine of washing face and hands after stroking the pets, wrestling with them and so on. However now I make very sure to take my preventative asthma medication properly and consult my GP if I find myself hanging out of my blue inhaler regularly. I get one HELL of a lecture from my doctor about having the pets mind, but it's better in my mind to wear the lecture and get the right treatment.

[poochmad]

Wow, I did not know Pugs shed that much.

My husband is allergic to dogs, but for some reason our dogs don't bother him. It seems that the more he's lived with them the allergy has lessoned. He would get skin irritations, sore eyes and itchy throat. I'm wondering if over the years he has developed an immunity to it as the previous dogs we had lived outside whereas our dogs are now inside?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I have asthma (and 2 weeks ago had to call myself an ambulance and was diagnosed with pneumonia) and allergies.

I also have shedding dogs inc foxies - they shed a lot of hair too.

I haven't recently had tests to see if I'm allergic to their hair but previously I wasn't. I don't believe that their hair causes or worsens my conditions but it would be important for both you and your son to get tested. The only time I've had an asthmatic/allergic reaction to a pet is a friend's cat, everytime he comes near me I get a reaction.

I've just had to have my asthma medication changed and dosage increased since my pneumonia which is apparently worse when you have asthma. I didn't really take it seriously before but have had a near death scare now so will not be so careless again - I waited hours to call the ambulance, far too long.

[HugUrPup]

I had pneumonia around 2-3 months ago and the asthma has gotten worse since then. It was ok 2 weeks ago, but then the warmer weather came and the shedding tripled and now I am using the inhaler several times a day.

It feels like I have his fur in my chest tickling and causing the cough.. but I cough and cough and it's unproductive (unlike the pneumonia) and then I can't breath and I start dry heaving and gagging. It's pretty unpleasant.

My son gets eczema on his top lip and it spreads up to his nose. He's constantly having to put balm on his dry lips to stop them bleeding.

I have a furminator, I constantly vacuum and he gets bathed every 1-2 weeks (the dog, not the kid lol)

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

until you get a diagnosis you dont know what is causing the reaction. it may not nbe the dog it may be something that grows flowers at this time of year.

i believe you need to get the allergies/asthma assessed before you know whether it is the pugs fault

[dancinbcs]

You never really know what causes allergies until you get tested. I get asthma and have been allergy tested twice with the same results. I am allergic to pretty much most plants but have very severe reactions to grasses. I am slightly allergic to cats but not to dogs or horses and strangely I am one of very few people that are not at all allergic to the most common allergen - dust mites.

There may not be anything you can do about Ollie's coat but I suggest trying Dr Ann Neville at Sth Rd Animal Health in Bentleigh. She is a vet that does Chinese Medicine as well and uses hair analysis in doing a diagnosis. If there is a deficiency causing the excess shedding she will be able to work out what it is.

I have BCs and can live with their shedding, but having owned a Lab, I will never again own any dog with a short dense double coat. That level of shedding drives me insane.

[HugUrPup]

Thanks for that dancinbcs, I'll get an appointment asap.

[curlygirl]

Do you bath him in a hydrobath? I find the hydrobaths get out a lot of the dead fur. Nothing else to add that others havent suggested.

[HugUrPup]

I bath him in my laundry sink usually, but occasionally I get in a groomer who hydrobaths him.

[casowner]

Definately recommend the dr re allergy testing or you can do what I did - OH tells me to rehome something instead I get more - that taught him to be more accepting real quick

[HugUrPup]

Yeh I'll get a camel that'll teach him.

[Ons]

what a sad situation

and I didn't know that pugs shedded that much

apart from allergy testing could you board Ollie for a couple of weeks because that may determine whether Ollie is the problem or not. all the very best for the decision you have to make

[Andisa]

I bath him in my laundry sink usually, but occasionally I get in a groomer who hydrobaths him.

Its really worth having him done properly - nothing beats a hydrobath and turbo dry.

I am pretty slack with my own dogs but when they are moulting bad they can be in the tub weekly until they are under control, then back to when ever.

[casowner]

Yeh I'll get a camel that'll teach him.

or 3 and he doesn't know there will be more

[Danois]

Definitely look at proper testing.

As for rehoming - should you not go back to the breeder in the first instance?

[waffle]

That's terrible. I hope everything ends up ok. I would hate to be in your position.

But as someone mentioned before maybe you should look at getting injections? i am currently on them and wish i had started earlier. Look up allergen immunotherapy. You will basically be getting injected with a small amount of what you are allergic to and will slowly become desensitised. Even if you do have to rehome ollie i think it might be a good idea to look into immunotherapy. It will definitely be useful if your son loves dogs as it would be terrible if he has to suffer the same thing when he grows up and gets dogs of his own.