Oh no! Allergies!!

[danna]

So, my husband and I got rats in June.  He has been struggling with allergies ever since.  He hasn't been able to go near them and they are in a special "rat" room.  I still didn't believe he was allergic, so he went to the allergist and had a test.  Well, the test ranks from 1 to 4, 4 being the worst, and the doc said he ranked 5 on rats!!!!!!!!!!  AHHHH!!!!  I love my ratties and don't want to give them away, so I guess they will just stay in the guest bedroom away from the rest of the house.    I don't think that is fair to them, but I don't know what else to do.  Does anyone here have severe allergies to rats?  If so, how do you deal?  Another reason I don't want to give them away is because I don't trust anyone else to love them as much as me!!!!    Most people don't know rats need daily attention, love, etc.

HELP!  

[killersmom]

well, he can go to the dr and get shots, or take medicine.  It would be a shame to have to get rid of him becouse of his allergies   (just kidding)  Check into those routes.  my friend is allergic to cats, and she has two.  she is getting the shots, and takes meds.....  

Otherwise, your best bet, is to keep them in a seperate room, perhaps, do your playing with them, take a shower aftewards.... Maybe look into baths for them?  tho, what a person is usually allergic to is the dander or the spit of the animal cleaning themselves.  And our ratties are so known to be clean animals....

I wish you luck.  I know what you mean, nobody can care for a rat as well as YOU can.  Thats how I feel about my crew as well.  (tho Im sure several on this board would do a fine job...)

[meowy]

Oh no  


Allergies is my domain!  (Go me!)  


If he's not allergic to Zyrtec, that may help!  (It's about 35$ for a month supply, prescription only).  Flonase is a nasal spray that might help as well (also prescription only, but there is Nasalcrom that's over the counter).   However keep in mind it takes at least a couple weeks (much longer in my case) to build up before any noticable changes are seen.

I had to stop taking the flonase and just deal with a stuffy nose due to all my allergies since it burned too badly to tolerate.  My eyes felt like they were on fire every time I took a dose (Yeah yeah, I sprayed it up my nose not in my eye hahaha)  But so far the Zyrtec is doing wonders with all my other allergies (food/animals/life in general ahaha), but it did take a quite a long while to see any improvement for me.  When I ran out and missed one dose, I could tell a HUGE difference.

Claratin is over the counter (much cheaper too) but I don't know how that'd work on ratty allergies, I'm very allergic to it and had to stop it after two weeks back when it was prescription only *laughs*

I'm a doctor's nightmare as far as allergies go   Allergy shots don't even begin to make a dent in my allergies.. took them for 5 years, every two weeks.. not a single change.

If you have central air/heat, you might want to consider having the ducts cleaned if that hasn't been done in a while.  Get the floors scrubbed, furniture cleaned (not just vaccuum, that'll just stir the dander up), and wipe down walls/doors/windows inside too).  Change out filters on your air/heat vent and also you might consider investing in some of the air cleaners that use HEPA-Filters and change those out when the box says to.

Hmm that's about all I can think of at the moment.

[flambled]

A HEPA filter helps tons.  I am highly allergic to ratties too.  I have noticed that different beddings effect me differently.  I guess maybe I am allergic to the bedding and ratties.  So it might not hurt to try different beddings to see if that helps too.  Also meds like meowy said help too.  

Good luck.

[kicki]

It really depends on his problems... I'm allergic to rats but I didn't realize it until I'd had them for 4months or so, since I'm on medication all spring+summer anyway and my antihistamines works fine for rat too - so now I just take them all year. I get rashes from contact on arms and neck, runny nose and itching eyes, no respitory problems. I would imagine the situation being a tad different if I had...

[danna]

Well, he is currently taking medicine, and we have a HEPA filter, and we are using Carefresh bedding b/c he is also allergic to lots of the other beddings.  

I guess I will just keep them seperated and wash after I play with the rats.  I just feel bad b/c they are kind of isolated and not "part of the family."  I still love them as much as I always did, but they are alone more b/c they aren't in a room I go in unless I go specifically to see them.    Darn allergies.  Maybe I should put my husband up for adoption!!    Nobody else has a problem with the ratties.  

Thanks for your help.

[kicki]

have you tried keeping your husband isolated in a separate room and not allowing the ratties to go there?  

[Rose]

Can you keep your husband outside?  

I currently use Zyrtec and it seems to work a bit better than the Claritin for me.  If he has other allergens, he should work on eliminating those as well.

Try bathing your ratties often, too.

[menagerie]

Are they boys or girls? Some people are less allergic to girls. I'm not allergic to rats, but I am to most other animals; dogs (I have 2), cats, horses, goats, rabbits. I've been on allergy medication in one form or another for 30 years, I currently take Clarinex. I took the shots for 2 years but they didn't work for me.

I used to be deathly allergic to cats (my thoat would close up and I couldn't breathe), but have built up antibodies over the years and now they don't bother me unless I get scratched. With any luck your husband will be able to control his allergies with medication and building antibodies.

[PrUnKz]

Do you have any rexes?  They are less allergenic...  (Reason for GGMR!)  *lol*
I agree you should put your husband up for adoption!

[JillyBeanSalad]

im allergic to all my furry friends... lol luckily not my scaley or feathered ones, I'm really allergic to my raccoon... but he is soo sweet and loves to wrestle, so I wrestle, take allergy meds (after because it's never planned that we are gonna wrestle.. he starts it everytime...) clean all the scratches- they ALWAYS happen...  take a shower, and then proceed to sneeze, itch and be stuffed up until the meds take affect.

But i just love him so much i cant refuse a good game of wrestle... basically it's all about priorities... do you wanna breathe, or do you wanna have fun...   The answer is clear to me... lol

[ratfriend]

I'm very allergic to my rats, too--so bad I have asthma attacks--and so far they are the ONLY animals I've been around that affect me this way. I take allegra in the morning and half a zyrtec at night (can't a whole one--it makes me extremely tired--so tired I fall asleep driving!) I used to use flonase, but it gave me nose bleeds. I also use asthmacort for my asthma and always have an inhaler ready. Other than meds, I wash my hands after I touch them (else I'll get swollen and itchy eyes) and don't let them on my bed unless I put down my rat comforter to cover my bedding.