Son with Asthma

Devi

Just found out my son has asthma, so in shock when I found out never even thought to ask the doctor about the dogs n birds till I got home. Please someone tell me I dont have to rid of my dogs

godtabh

Depends on what dogs.

If they shed you could be in trouble.

My gf had bad asthma as a kid but had a poddle as the hair type didnt affect her. Some with a westie.

Devi

godtabh wrote: »

Depends on what dogs.

If they shed you could be in trouble.

My gf had bad asthma as a kid but had a poddle as the hair type didnt affect her. Some with a westie.

Lab and rottie, yea both shed like mad and there both house dogs.

mymo

No you don't, just keep everything clean and dust free, groom them regularly and open all windows wherever possible.
I have known lots of people with asthma and pets, you just need to be that bit more strict about dust and cleaning.
Washing and grooming dogs regularly reduces dander, don't forget to clean brushes and combs too, wash all bedding and blankets too, wood floors or tiles make it easier to keep things under control.
Google asthma and pets and you should find info. Just bear in mind there is a lot of bad info too.

Devi

mymo wrote: »

No you don't, just keep everything clean and dust free, groom them regularly and open all windows wherever possible.
I have known lots of people with asthma and pets, you just need to be that bit more strict about dust and cleaning.
Washing and grooming dogs regularly reduces dander, don't forget to clean brushes and combs too, wash all bedding and blankets too, wood floors or tiles make it easier to keep things under control.
Google asthma and pets and you should find info. Just bear in mind there is a lot of bad info too.

We are real strict with the cleaning as it is. They dont go upstairs, floor hoovered every day, window opened first thing in the morning, blankets are shaken out everyday outside and changed 3 times a week. Dogs get washed once a month, brushed everyday. No carpet downstairs.

The Sweeper

Ask your GP to run a proper allergy test on your child and find out precisely what is triggering his reactions. It would be a terrible pity to get rid of your pets only to discover your son's asthma doesn't disappear.

You do need to take his asthma very seriously, but you also need to know precisely what you're up against. If he's allergic to the pets it'll be a totally different approach than if he's allergic to something else.

(For example, mymo's advice above is excellent if your son is allergic to your pets - but if he's not, and is allergic to pollen instead, the action of throwing open the windows at every possible opportunity may trigger his asthma as the pollen flows into the house on the fresh air.)

Dublinstiofán

I have asthma and have dogs for my whole life. In saying that it really depends
on what breed of dog it is.

My advice:

• Get your son on his preventative medication asap for about a month and get his
  symptoms under control.

• The following month monitor his Peak Flow every day with the dogs in the house.
  
  
• Try and get a friend to take the dogs for a week or two (or put them in a kennel)
  and monitor his peak flow while the dogs are not in the house.

• If there is a marginal improvement i wouldn't worry about getting rid of the dogs.
  If there is a sizeable improvement in the readings you should definitely consider
  getting rid of them.

• Allergy testing is important too, you should try and get this done asap to see what
  he is and is not allergic to. You may be surprised. When i had it done i was told i'm
  (somewhat) allergic to cats but not at all allergic to dogs or horses. Its very random
  like that!

Sassy58

I have bad asthma and have cats and dogs (8 altogether).

You mentioned in your post you have birds - what type of birds - for me I can't have birds as they trigger my asthma its their feathers that affect me.

In relation to the peak-flow that is not a clear indication you also have to take into account your son's activities for that week the climate as that can have a huge impact on someones asthma.

No one's asthma is the same you will find different things affect your son and you will learn to adjust.

barbiegirl

My hubbie has asthma, cats set it off like mad, and when we first got the dogs each one set him off slightly for a week or two, but he persevered and now he's absolutely fine.

piperh

Have to agree with other posters don't rush into getting rid of your dogs. My son has really bad asthma(3 seperate inhalers and a steroid spray a day) and we have a lab/rottie x and wheaten pups and these replaced a dog we lost after having her for 5yrs. Proper management such as handwashing, thorough cleaning and wooden flooring in bedrooms all help keeping the symptoms under control.

Devi

Sassy58 wrote: »

I have bad asthma and have cats and dogs (8 altogether).

You mentioned in your post you have birds - what type of birds - for me I can't have birds as they trigger my asthma its their feathers that affect me.

In relation to the peak-flow that is not a clear indication you also have to take into account your son's activities for that week the climate as that can have a huge impact on someones asthma.

No one's asthma is the same you will find different things affect your son and you will learn to adjust.

Budgie's. Funny enough I think his cough's started not long after getting the bird, but I could be wrong. At one stage he was getting cold/cough every month, I did say it to the doctor, I asked them numerous times was it asthma, told him we had a bird and dogs, and they said no it was just a cold and now all of a sudden they have decided that it is asthma.

tk123

OP I mentioned in another thread there - I had asthma symptoms for months and my GP referred me to a specialist. I don't have asthma - the probem is my sinuses getting irratated and dripping down irrating my lungs - I had chronic bronchitis for 4 months.. Anyhoos my GP suggested it was my darling Golden Retriever that was the prob(!) but I knew he was wrong lol and the first thing specialist did was sent me for allergy tests to see if the symptoms were being caused by an allergy and the only thing it came back positive for was cat dander. When my cat was alive I'd get allergic to him but it was easily sorted by regular grooming and hoovering/brushing the hairs up off the (wooden) floor. Also floor wipes are very good as they don't lift distrub the hairs like a brush.
The specialist was brilliant -he gave me 2 perscriptions - Plan A and Plan B if I needed some extra help lol and did them for 12 months to save me "wasting money at the GPs". :pac:

Zombienosh

Hoover regularly and try to keep the dogs resricted to certain rooms, dont let them in his bedroom.

Sassy58

I love Budgies but cannot have them in the house - the feathers and the grains get all over the place and in the air and this is what triggers my asthma big time.

I would get in touch with the Asthma Association of Ireland they are great - but I would not be in a rush to get rid of the dogs.

My mother for years told me it was the cats and dogs hair in the house and to get rid of them.....last time I collapsed with my asthma the hospital ran blood allergy tests and when I got the results back when I went back as an out patient surprise surprise it wasn't I am allergic to dust, pollen and certain items in smoke affect mine (thankfully I don't smoke)....was great to show my mother....I think if you are exposed to things your body learns to cope better.

You can do simple things like getting a mattress protection so that to stop any dust etc from his mattress. Also open his bedroom window even on cold days and pull the duvet back so as to let the mattress breath. If you have carpet in his bedroom look at getting lino (vinyl if your posh ) wash it down with hotwater and a mild detergent once a week - cut down on the amount of cuddle toys he has near him at night - there are all simple things but they make the air in his room cleaner. Also I was told that duck and down feather pillows are not good for people who suffer from asthma

Sigma Force

Bird wise there are some options if he is reacting to them, 1. is invest in an air filter Argos sell them, clean the bird housing daily using a hoover just a quick once over with the brush/apholstery attachment and when it's warm spray the birds with warm water once or twice a week to keep down the dander. There are sprays you can get I think on northern parrots website to help with dander.

The other option is to build an aviary outside for the birds..budgies are hardy and will be fine outside provided they have a secure aviary but in the depths of winter they will need heating because winters are so severe now so an aviary with a heated shed is a must, or heated large box type housing.

The dogs could also be housed outside if all else fails and as an alternative to rehoming them a heat lamp for winter will help keep them warm, both breeds are pretty tough so can handle outdoor life or outdoors during the day and in the kitchen at night might work. If you have a garage you could use that to house an aviary or the dogs.

It's not ideal but as long as the animals still get plenty of attention etc. it beats having to part with them.

Do you have carpets upstairs or in the childs bedroom? If so get rid asap my kid has allergies thankfully not asthma but we took the carpets out of her room and it made a huge difference, same with other people I know with it wood floors are much better or some washable flooring even lino would do in his room for now just to get rid of the carpet.

The only carpet we have now are a couple of door mats it's amazing how much dust and dog hair gets on them so a large area of carpet is a nightmare for anyone with allergies.

Fluffy couch cushions etc. can be irratating too and fabric couches etc. leather couches/chairs can help too with keeping dog hair to a minumum.

See how you go with the changes obviously if his reaction is severe you might have to think of the aviary or rehoming the budgies and the dogs but lots of people with asthma can keep their pets with a bit of adjustment.

EGAR

The lady who runs the EGAR cat branch has asthma and at present 40 cats and 4 dogs. She has no problem as long as she hoovers every day, lets in fresh air and keeps the cats groomed.

Devi

Thanks for all the replies guys. I’m going to read them all again and take it all in.

I think the first port of call is to the doctor to get an allergy test done, no point in making any decisions until I have the answers to that. Then maybe do up a cleaning rota. Look into getting new pillows n stuff.

Feeling more positive today, yesterday I was in shock about it, thinking the worst. Thanks all.