Allergies to cat and dog hair

I’d really suggest heading to the doctor to get everything checked out—but here’s my advice: don’t lead with the fact that you just got this dog ten days ago. Honestly, I learned that the hard way when they almost completely misled me! It’s just too easy for them to write it off as a simple allergy to a pet. You want them to dig deeper and run all the tests possible.
Fingers crossed for you!🙂

Got a kitten about two weeks ago and turns out I'm allergic as hell. Classic stuff too—sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, the whole deal. My doctor put me on Telfast every day, but I’m still feeling pretty congested and coughing. Looks like my only move left is getting tested for shots. Anyone else dealt with this? How did you handle it? btw the cat is staying, no way am I giving up the little guy. Thanks in advance

Mine cleared up super fast, basically just went away on its own. I didn't even bother seeing my doctor. Both my cats had the exact same thing happen. Fingers crossed yours goes just as quick. 😁

How long did you have to deal with that? For me, the worst part is the coughing; it feels like I can't even breathe sometimes. It’s not hitting me that hard right now, but still... this isn't a joke. I'm honestly terrified I might end up with asthma. And if that happens, what the hell is going to happen to my cat?

People into macrobiotics swear by Green Magma, especially for dealing with allergies. It might be worth looking into. A friend of mine struggles with pollen—everything from the early budding stage through the peak bloom—plus he’s allergic to dogs and cats. Since I have four cats and a dog at home, I'd probably break out in hives just trying to pet them. He started using this powder and says his respiratory issues have improved quite a bit, though they haven't vanished completely.
Wishing you all the best with your health journey.

Alright, I’ve got a question about allergies.
Since I got my cat, I’ve been dealing with some really weird health stuff. The first day was honestly the absolute worst. I had this intense itching, my face started swelling up a bit, redness everywhere, and this constant, nasty sensation like her fur was stuck in my throat, making me feel like I was suffocating. After a few days, things seemed to chill out a little whenever I stayed away from her, but now I'm hitting a new wall with symptoms that just won't quit: that same choking feeling in my throat and a totally stuffed-up nose. Even when I head outside for some fresh air for a while, I can't catch my breath better—which used to actually help. It isn't life-threateningly bad right now, but I can tell it's getting progressively worse every couple of days. Can I seriously blame all of this on a cat hair allergy? And what happens if I just ignore these symptoms and keep hanging out with her without getting anything treated? Also, just a heads-up, my immune system is pretty weak to begin with. thanks.

Hang in there, buddy!
If you just ignore those symptoms, breathing is going to become a total nightmare. I don't know how you'll handle that feeling—it's like having a hundred stray hairs stuck in the back of your throat. Honestly, that’s exactly how I feel whenever I spend too much time around cats. Plus, the itching? That's just going to get worse and worse.
You really need to head to the doctor and get some allergy meds.
Look, there's no deep philosophy behind this; if you're allergic to cats, the simplest fix is just to stay away from them for good.

electricmoose8 said:So... I have a question regarding allergies.
Since getting my cat, I've been experiencing strange health symptoms. The first day was the worst: itching, slight facial swelling, redness, and a sensation in my throat like it's full of fur and "choking" me. After a few days, things eased up slightly when I stayed away from her, but now new persistent symptoms have emerged: that same throat sensation and nasal congestion. Even stepping outside for a while doesn't help my breathing anymore, which used to work. It isn't extreme yet, but I notice it worsening every few days. I'm wondering if I can attribute this to a cat hair allergy, and what happens if I ignore these symptoms and continue being near her without treatment... also, my immune system is generally weaker... thanks.

In any case, you have plenty of reason to suspect an allergy. Your best course of action is to see your doctor so they can determine exactly what is happening.

I am allergic to cats myself. When I'm near one, I experience symptoms similar to yours. For me, it manifests as itching in my ears, palate, and nose, along with redness, a runny nose, stinging eyes, and constant sneezing. Allergy symptoms are highly individual, so you don't necessarily need to experience all of mine.

There are various medications available to help, though effectiveness varies by person. Of the ones I have tried, only Letizen (Niagara Falls) works for me. Others do nothing, whereas this one eliminates all my symptoms within 30 minutes. You might find relief with a different medication.

That said, medication isn't always the ideal solution. I noticed over the past year that my sensitivity to cats has decreased significantly, which coincided with changes to my diet. I changed several things, but I suspect the key was increasing my omega-3 fatty acids.

Allergy medications do not cure the allergy itself; they merely mitigate the symptoms. The consequence of "not treating" an allergy is simply a diminished quality of life. I am unaware of other specific consequences. Allergies certainly strain the immune system, though I am unsure if medication can improve that, given they only address the symptoms. On the other hand, a proper diet will likely help. If at all possible, try to avoid contact with the cat.

That is my take on it. I am not a doctor, but that is based on my own experience and reasoning.

Hypoallergenic cats coming soon
The biotechnology company Allerca out of Los Angeles is aiming to roll out cats that won't trigger allergies by 2007.
By messing with the cats' RNA, scientists want to basically "silence" the specific gene that controls the protein responsible for those allergic reactions.
We've already seen this kind of RNA modification being used to develop new drugs and better crop varieties.
The company expects to move about 200,000 of these genetically modified cats annually—and just so we're clear, they won't be able to breed with regular cats.
Scientists aren't anticipating any red tape when it comes to getting their "product" approved, since obviously, nobody is planning on eating these cats.
In the USA, you can expect these genetically modified cats to set you back around $3,500.

sourced from http://www.plivazdravlje.com

electricmoose8 said:So... I've got a question about allergies.
Ever since I got my cat, things have been getting weird health-wise. The first day was the absolute worst—itching, some swelling in my face, redness, and this constant feeling like my throat is stuffed with fur and just... choking me. After a few days, it calmed down a bit if I stayed away from her, but now these new symptoms have kicked in and won't quit: that same throat sensation and a totally stuffed nose. Even when I head outside for a bit, I don't get any relief (which used to work before). It’s not life-threatening yet, but I can tell it's slowly getting worse... maybe every other day or so. Can I actually blame this on a cat allergy? And what happens if I just ignore it and keep hanging out with her without treating anything... plus, my immune system isn't exactly top-tier to begin with... thanks.

Look, I'm allergic to cats on top of all my usual seasonal stuff. I deal with it using this one nasal spray—it's all-natural and doesn't have those nasty side effects. Since I started using it, I can live with my cat just fine. My doctor told me straight up that once she found out about the allergy, I had to get rid of the cat... but with this stuff, everything's back to normal and I don't have to run away from her anymore.😍

granitedrifter41 said:So, I’ve always dealt with allergies—not just the usual seasonal stuff, but cats too... which was a bit of a problem for me. For a while there, my doctor actually told me that if I wanted to stay healthy, I’d have to get rid of my cat entirely. It was such a bummer, honestly. But then I started using this one specific nasal spray—it's all-natural and doesn't have those harsh side effects you usually worry about—and it has been a total game changer. Since I started using it, everything has changed... I can finally hang out with my cat without any issues, and I don't feel like I have to run for the hills whenever she walks into the room anymore!😍

So, wait—what's the actual name of that medication?

Hey,

Found this old thread because I’ve got a cat allergy kicking my butt right now and figured I’d just bump this instead of starting a whole new thing...

About a year and a half ago, my skin started breaking out in this constant rash and redness, and honestly, it hasn't stopped since. It all lined up right around when I went vegetarian (still eat fish, though), so I thought maybe that was the culprit. But my blood work is totally fine, everything looks normal, and I'm being pretty careful with my diet—so unless my body is somehow "detoxing" through my skin because I'm eating better, I don't see the connection.🤷 - I mean, I deal with atopic dermatitis and dry skin, and I've had eczema before, but nothing ever hit me this hard...

I finally bit the bullet and did some allergy testing recently. Turns out I'm allergic to pollen (which I already knew, but it never messed with my skin like this) and cat dander. I have a cat living with me, but I find it hard to believe that's the main issue since I had two cats years before this started, and even had a dog in my apartment for seven years prior... so, who knows, really....

Is it actually possible for an allergy to just show up out of nowhere like this? I'm not sneezing or getting watery eyes (except when there's pollen in the air), but my skin is just incredibly itchy and red...
And no, I'm not getting rid of the cat. I've already lost three of them in freak accidents, and there's no way I'm letting this one go...😢
Oh, also, I started taking Letizen a few days ago and the rash and itching have basically vanished.

Look, you can definitely develop an allergy even if you never had one before. I used to have a cat that slept in my bed for 16 years and I was totally fine. But after she passed away and we got a new kitty, the allergies started creeping up on me. Now I’ve got two cats at home and I am officially allergic. I think I even developed allergic asthma, but only when they sleep in my bed. I haven't sought treatment yet, so it's become a massive issue because I can't even sleep in my own house anymore. Everything is fine when I just hang out with them for a few hours, but if I'm around too long—like all day and night—the coughing starts. It used to be okay, just itchy eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing, which is annoying but way better than when it hits your lungs. Then it wakes you up in the middle of the night and you're coughing and hacking until morning, struggling to breathe. I'm not giving up my cat, but I'm lucky enough to have another apartment I can sleep in, so it works out. My advice? Don't let her in the bedroom, especially not on the bed—I know that sucks. Also, try bathing her more often. You don't need fancy shampoo; just plain water is fine so you don't ruin her skin, but it helps wash off those proteins from her saliva that get stuck in her fur.
Good luck!!

Sean Chavez said:Unfortunately, you can definitely develop an allergy...

It could also be a dust mite allergy; the symptoms are identical, especially when paired with allergic asthma.

Hey there, fellow allergy sufferers 🙂
So, look, I’m starting to suspect I might have a cat hair allergy too. I haven't actually gone in for official testing yet, though I fully intend to very soon 🙂
I noticed that whenever I step into my friend's apartment—she has two cats—I start sneezing so violently and my eyes itch so intensely that it feels like her entire place is filled with ragweed (which I am definitely allergic to, for sure).
The real issue here is that I'm studying veterinary medicine, so I'm planning on being around cats constantly throughout my career... Up until now, it hasn't been much of an issue when there's just one cat in the clinic; I can pet them and administer treatment without feeling a thing, but while I was assisting on a surgery for a feline patient recently, by the end of the procedure I could already feel the symptoms kicking in, making me restless at night and causing that familiar eye itch...
I don't have a cat at home right now, but I've actually been considering getting one specifically to see if I can desensitize myself. Do you all think that's a rational move? Is there a genuine chance I could resolve the allergy this way and prevent it from getting worse over time?
I suppose I’ve already conducted a bit of an accidental experiment; a stray wandered in and stayed with us for a little while, and during those first few days, I was sneezing like crazy, but then somehow things seemed to settle down... Based on that, I'm hoping it's actually possible to build up immunity like that, but I'm still skeptical because after about a month, the owners showed up and we returned the cat, and since I wasn't in contact with him for a while, the sneezing returned immediately whenever I came into contact with any other cat.
I'm really interested to hear your thoughts or perhaps some personal experiences 😁