Dogs And Asthma

[BarbedWire]

I have had trouble with asthma over recent years and I am wondering if my dogs hair could be contributing. ATM my asthma is bad and I may need to go to hospital. My query is what can I do around the house to eliminate dog hair? It seems to be everywhere. The dogs do sleep in my room but in their own beds and I close the room up during the day. Yesterday I vacuumed the room completely even pulling the bed out but last night when I got into bed I am sure there were hairs in my bed. Should they be sleeping in another room altogether? They are both scruffers with longish hair but do not need clipping. I wash them myself and I brush them regularly but should I (can I) have them washed and groomed professionally anyway? (Sorry if I sound embarrassingly ignorant but my chosen breed is short-haired.) I always thought groomers were only for clipping.

[Diva]

I think developing an allergic response to dogs later in life if you haven't had one previously is probably uncommon, and it is the dog saliva etc that causes the problem generally rather than hair itself. You can get tested to find out if it is dogs causing it and if your asthma is bad that would probably be worth it so you really know what you are dealing with. I am asthmatic from a family of asthmatics, it is a dangerous disease you need to manage carefully as it can flip from inconvenient to life threatening, as one of my family found out.

This spring is going to be very bad for allergies with all the grass growth. Often the small fine grass pollens are big culprits. Or dust mites.

To manage hair I vacuum or sweep daily. I have mine sleep in the house but not in the bedroom.

Yes groomers will just wash, brush and blow dry if you want- my oldest girl has a very big coat now and I get her done periodically to keep the shedding down. Easier on my back too.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Diva

[BarbedWire]

Thank you Diva. Asthma is in my family too. My children have allergies - grass, dust mites, cat hair. I had one bad attack as a child but was okay until I had open heart surgery. I had asthma after that and have had problems since. I thought it was the cold because it is worse in winter and I was trying to avoid that so I try to avoid going out in the early morning. The asthma is bad this year though and I worry about my oxygen levels. I take flixotide and ventolin but it is not controlling it although it is always worse early in the morning and is now settling a bit. I wonder if it is the grass this year. Thank you.

[JulesP]

I developed asthma later in life but did have other allergy issues as a baby. I ended up with quite a bad allergy to my indoor cats after having outside moggies for 20 years.

My dogs choose to be outside during the day, they sleep in the laundry and don't go on furniture. I vacuum every day. I do notice allergy issues if I visit someone's house and they have dogs inside all the time and allow them on furniture.

Have you tried taking an anti-histamine?

[BarbedWire]

JulesP Cat hair and scruffer hair seem to cling. My earlier dogs (boxers) did shed but it was more like horse hair. My dogs are allowed on one couch which is where I sit mostly because I like having them close. It does have a rug over it though which is regularly washed. I will see my doctor asap and ask for more medical advice as I know I shouldn't be asking for medical advice on a dog forum.

Diva how often does your dog go to the groomer and if you don't mind saying which groomer is it? As from tonight my dogs will be sleeping in another room. It does worry me though because one of them has seizures and she had one yesterday and if she is in another room I may not hear it.

[JulesP]

Going to the Drs is a good idea. Last time I had 'asthma' it wasn't! Make sure you tell them the medicine isn't working. Although if it is worse in the mornings that does sound like asthma.

I can still hear my dogs in the laundry room. Can you put yours in a room were you can still hear them?

[BarbedWire]

Going to the Drs is a good idea. Last time I had 'asthma' it wasn't! Make sure you tell them the medicine isn't working. Although if it is worse in the mornings that does sound like asthma.

I can still hear my dogs in the laundry room. Can you put yours in a room were you can still hear them?

Thanks Jules for the suggestion but I have a hearing loss. My dogs mostly hear for me.

[Rascalmyshadow]

Hi my son is a bad asthmatic has been since he was three, my mum has it, so does my husband and my grandma died from an asthma attack so I have been around people with it my whole life.

If you are worried go the doctor ASAP we are having an extremely bad allergy season this year, you might need antihistamines and possibly prednisolone (or similar).

I would be bathing and properly blow drying your dogs once a week to keep down the fur and skin particles around the house, also if you want them in your room perhaps let them sleep in crates on human pillows, get a few cheap pillow cases and change them daily so there is no build up.

Have you got a good vacuum like a Dyson, this is better than sweeping since its picks up the hair with less chance of causing it to float around like sweeping does.

Hope you get on top of it, it is a horrible thing to have to deal with.

Oh also if you get the dogs washed weekly it cuts down the grasses, pollens etc they could be carrying in their fur.

Edited October 26, 2016 by Rascalmyshadow

[persephone]

Sars- consider your anxiety levels if/when you put your dogs in another room .... The extra worry may not help you ...esp if you can't hear them ..

if you can , get allergy tested , and update your asthma meds first ? I know folks whose asthma worsens with their anxiety ...we have a lot of asthma in our family tree

Do your dogs lick you ? It is most often the proteins in saliva which people are sensitive to ..not the hair itself ...

How do you wash/handle their bowls etc ?

It's a beast of a thing, asthma , - make sure your GP is very thorough , and doesn't just fob you off with a new puffer or something ...

[mita]

My children have allergies - grass, dust mites, cat hair. I had one bad attack as a child but was okay until I had open heart surgery. I had asthma after that and have had problems since. I thought it was the cold because it is worse in winter and I was trying to avoid that so I try to avoid going out in the early morning. The asthma is bad this year though and I worry about my oxygen levels. I take flixotide and ventolin but it is not controlling it although it is always worse early in the morning and is now settling a bit. I wonder if it is the grass this year. Thank you.

Sorry to hear of this, sars. I had some nocturnal (only at night) asthma when very young. But it disappeared. Then I also had open heart surgery & one night in the days after, I got an asthma attack. But it stopped there for a couple of years, until I got a bacterial chest infection...& then followed the asthma from hell. It was like being smothered with a pillow. for a couple of months. But again only at night. Weird thing when I'd go to the doctor's office in the day, nothing would show. Finally went to emergency at the hospital. Doctors told me, lungs get hypersensitive from coughing & irritation after a virus or infection is long gone & that triggers asthma. She said the more coughing can be controlled, the less this cycle rolls on. I was lucky, some emergency prednisone & valium beat it within 36 hours. Followed by the full morning/evening dose of flixotide. Which takes care of prevention. Have you been tried with some emergency, short-term prednisone?

I found winter worse, too, because the cold air seems to irritate the lungs. Kept wishing there was a mask that would just allow breathing in warm air! Also like you, a certain time was worse...me middle of the night & you early morning. I honestly don't think my tibbies' hair is a major cause in my case. They weren't with me in hospital!

If mine hadn't been controlled, the next step was a respiratory specialist. I agree with Diva, it would help tremendously to suss out your particular triggers.

Best wishes, I know what it's like.

[mowgliandme]

One of these can get rid of dead/undercoat hair and reduce the amount thats sheds over the house? :)

http://marsgroomingproducts.com.au/mars-coat-king.html

[JulesP]

Do you have one of those spacer things? I found that was heaps better in getting the medicine into my lungs.

[mita]

Agree, too, about the spacer delivering the meds more efficiently to your lungs. You likely use one already, sars, but just in case...

Edited October 26, 2016 by mita

[JulesP]

Agree, too, about the spacer delivering the meds more efficiently to your lungs. You likely use one already, sars, but just in case...

I wasn't. I thought they were just for kids. Wasn't until I used one at the Drs office that I realised how good they were. No Dr had told me to get one!

[mita]

Agree, too, about the spacer delivering the meds more efficiently to your lungs. You likely use one already, sars, but just in case...

I wasn't. I thought they were just for kids. Wasn't until I used one at the Drs office that I realised how good they were. No Dr had told me to get one!

I was lucky that the hospital emergency doctor specified a spacer and gave me the brochure which explains why it's good & how to use. Otherwise, I'd have thought just a puffer was the norm for adults, too.

[BarbedWire]

Hi my son is a bad asthmatic has been since he was three, my mum has it, so does my husband and my grandma died from an asthma attack so I have been around people with it my whole life.If you are worried go the doctor ASAP we are having an extremely bad allergy season this year, you might need antihistamines and possibly prednisolone (or similar).I would be bathing and properly blow drying your dogs once a week to keep down the fur and skin particles around the house, also if you want them in your room perhaps let them sleep in crates on human pillows, get a few cheap pillow cases and change them daily so there is no build up.Have you got a good vacuum like a Dyson, this is better than sweeping since its picks up the hair with less chance of causing it to float around like sweeping does.Hope you get on top of it, it is a horrible thing to have to deal with.Oh also if you get the dogs washed weekly it cuts down the grasses, pollens etc they could be carrying in their fur.

Thanks for your advice. I will try to wash them more often. I do have a good vacuum and I know from my children having asthma not to sweep but to vacuum. I also dust with a wet cloth.

Sars- consider your anxiety levels if/when you put your dogs in another room .... The extra worry may not help you ...esp if you can't hear them ..if you can , get allergy tested , and update your asthma meds first ? I know folks whose asthma worsens with their anxiety ...we have a lot of asthma in our family tree Do your dogs lick you ? It is most often the proteins in saliva which people are sensitive to ..not the hair itself ...How do you wash/handle their bowls etc ? It's a beast of a thing, asthma , - make sure your GP is very thorough , and doesn't just fob you off with a new puffer or something ...

You are right Pers. Not having my dogs in my room with me at night will make me anxious. I will leave them with me tonight and tomorrow when I see the doctor I will ask to have allergy tests done to see if it is the dogs causing my asthma.

My children have allergies - grass, dust mites, cat hair. I had one bad attack as a child but was okay until I had open heart surgery. I had asthma after that and have had problems since. I thought it was the cold because it is worse in winter and I was trying to avoid that so I try to avoid going out in the early morning. The asthma is bad this year though and I worry about my oxygen levels. I take flixotide and ventolin but it is not controlling it although it is always worse early in the morning and is now settling a bit. I wonder if it is the grass this year. Thank you.

Sorry to hear of this, sars. I had some nocturnal (only at night) asthma when very young. But it disappeared. Then I also had open heart surgery & one night in the days after, I got an asthma attack. But it stopped there for a couple of years, until I got a bacterial chest infection...& then followed the asthma from hell. It was like being smothered with a pillow. for a couple of months. But again only at night. Weird thing when I'd go to the doctor's office in the day, nothing would show. Finally went to emergency at the hospital. Doctors told me, lungs get hypersensitive from coughing & irritation after a virus or infection is long gone & that triggers asthma. She said the more coughing can be controlled, the less this cycle rolls on. I was lucky, some emergency prednisone & valium beat it within 36 hours. Followed by the full morning/evening dose of flixotide. Which takes care of prevention. Have you been tried with some emergency, short-term prednisone?I found winter worse, too, because the cold air seems to irritate the lungs. Kept wishing there was a mask that would just allow breathing in warm air! Also like you, a certain time was worse...me middle of the night & you early morning. I honestly don't think my tibbies' hair is a major cause in my case. They weren't with me in hospital! If mine hadn't been controlled, the next step was a respiratory specialist. I agree with Diva, it would help tremendously to suss out your particular triggers.Best wishes, I know what it's like.

Your post is interesting Mita. When I told the cardiologist recently that I had had asthma since my surgery he laughed (that doctor patronising laugh which I felt was suggesting that I was a silly woman) and said that he had never heard of that one before. You are right too that it may not be the hair. I just know though that the first thing a doctor will ask is if I have any pets and I remember another specialist I consulted for my balance problems saying that the first thing I should do was to get rid of my dogs so I guess I am pre-empting them. I will ask for allergy testing tomorrow. (Sorry for overusing 'thing'. My brain is a bit stressed. We have just had a power outage and I am worried that it might go again so I am hurrying my post.)

One of these can get rid of dead/undercoat hair and reduce the amount thats sheds over the house? :) http://marsgroomingproducts.com.au/mars-coat-king.html

I actually have one of these which I have had for some years and I did not know what it is called. The one I have is on page 3 of that website. They seem to me to cut the hair away and I don't want to make her bald, but I will think about using it again although her coat is not as thick as it once was.

[BarbedWire]

Mita and Jules I do use a spacer. It was given to me after I had a lung function test done. I also thought they were for children but I use it too when I am at home and it helps, but it is too bulky to carry in my handbag so I just take a puffer with me when I go out.

[mita]

sars, you may not be alone. Toowoomba Chronicle article about a Caloundra lady who says she didn't get asthma until after having open-heart surgery.

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/asthma-spikes-in-wild-weather/1787528/

You're right about some doctors tending to go straight in after pets. But maybe testing for triggers can either verify or rule out.

Interesting, too, how the article hones in on weather. My trigger is when it's cold & wet. No problem with our pets!

[Diva]

Diva how often does your dog go to the groomer and if you don't mind saying which groomer is it? As from tonight my dogs will be sleeping in another room. It does worry me though because one of them has seizures and she had one yesterday and if she is in another room I may not hear it.

She only goes when I think she is dropping a lot of coat, so a few times a year. I do her myself the rest of the time. I am using Isabel's in Phillip.

[JayGee]

Sars, all great advice above. You may also need to revisit your asthma prevention plan with your doctor , GP or Specialist. Raise with them how many puffs per day you are taking of your preventative. I use Seratide, two puffs morning, two puffs nightly. If I'm sick, I increase to include two puffs at lunch time. Prednisone is an asthmatic's lifesaver. Not sure if you're on that at the moment, but if I'm a "bit far gone" , it's my next go to drug. I'm quite allergic to a lot of things, including dogs and cats. I have a doberman and two cats in the house, one being a fluffy ragdoll. I have found a quick vacuum over each day makes my breathing better controlled. I have one of those rechargeable stick vacs for this. I couldn't have a dog on the bed, eyes would get so puffy and close over, never mind the breathing. It's not a good look! ☺ I heard at an Asthma Foundation lecture some years ago, that a greater amount of medication gets to where needed when using a spacer. I'm a big fan of them. A nebuliser is a great investment too. Can you crate the dogs in your room, so that their hair isn't on your bed? Good luck, hope you can find a way to manage both your health and the dogs.