Toddler with Allergies - I Need Some Suggestions!

Talk to her doctor about an allergy medicine or shot. A friend of mine gets a shot every 3 months but I don't know if they'll do that with kids. Also, keep the dog out of her room and off her things, brush the dog regularly to help with shedding and that should help. Good luck!

Keeping the dog out of your daughters room, off beds, furniture and vaccuum regularly even daily. Make sure your daughter washes her hands anytime she comes in contact with your dog.

I am a Veterinary Technician and in my clinic probably one of the only ones who is not allergic to animals!!! I am sure with some work on your part she will be ablet to live fine in the house with the dog!!!! I am really glad to hear you are looking for a solution and not just trying to get rid of your dog.....

I would recommend an air purifier that kills pet dander and other indoor pollutants. If you would like more info, let me know.
J.

I think you'll find its not the dog but the dog's dander that your child is allergic to. So, either give the dog a bath two or three times a week or get an allergy medicine that your little girl can handle. I'd go with teaching puppy to take a bath with special shampoo to control its dander!!!! Should be able to find something like this at your vet's or a pet shop. Yes, it is a little more expensive; but, if you are wanting to keep the dog it will be worth it. Good luck!

Hi S....let's hope you can find another option and not have to give the dog up. I have two four-legged boys and cannot imagine having to give them up. We thought our daugther might have an allergy to them and had started looking into an air purifier (can get expensive) and there is an awesome vacuum made by Dyson for pets. I think it's purple. It's expensive too (at least for my budget), but is supposed to pick up tons of hair/dander, etc. that's left all over. I am saving up to buy it. Our neighbors have the regular yellow Dyson and say it's wonderful and picks up so much more than their old one. In fact, they used their old one and then went around with the Dyson to see how much more stuff got picked up....they were grossed out. I was trying to see if that combination would help my daughter but she seems to be doing better. I am still going to save for that vacuum though since she's on the floor all the time with the boys. Good luck and I hope you can find an alternative solution. :-)

I am 44 and have allergy induced asthma. I am allergic to both cats and dogs, but haven't given them up yet. I've found the best way to reduce reactions is to remove the carpet and go with throw rugs that can be washed. The dogs shouldn't sleep in the beds or use couch or throw pillows. Regular bathing helps, too. Bathing a big dog often can be a little messy, but we take the Catahoula in the shower (only one of us at a time, ha-ha)where we wash and rinse her first then finish our shower and let her shake off while we get dressed. Regular grooming to get rid of loose hair is helpful.

There are soaps made to negate the allergens on the dog, but I've not used them.

I've heard of many others who did the groom, bath, no-carpet thing, and they had good luck. Of course there was the guy who couldn't even breath after walking into a room with a cat....

I hope you can keep your Lab. They are like kids, too!

We also had the problem with our son and when I started using Melaleuca Products on our dog she not only looked better but did not itch as much so less licking and fur flying around and no shots for our son.
Let me know if you want more info.
M.

I don't know if it works with dogs or not, but I have an allergy to cats and my children insist on having one, lol. Someone told me to bathe the cat in MY shampoo and it would cut down on the allergy factor. Not sure why, but it works.

we had a cat before i had my son, when he was one he started having problems with allergies. we took him to the doc & she put him on zyrtec, it didn't work, then she switched him to claritin, it didn't work so well either. we had him tested for different allergies & that's when we found out he was allergic to dang near everything. as soon as we got home, i packed up the cat & gave her away. my sons health's more important than a pet. he was 5 before he finally outgrew his allergies, now we have a small little farm going on & we let him pick out the animals we have.

Lots of great advice!
Just want to add that allergies are an imbalance in our systems. Our bodies and immune systems try to keep everything working properly, however, they dont' always succeed.
I work with a food-science company that researchs and develops patented products that give the body what it needs on a cellular level so that it can start functioning properly. The same thing has different results for different people. For instance, my mom no longer deals with allergies, my brother got off his ADHD medication, and I no longer deal with severe PMS issues.
There are several parents that I could get you in contact with to discuss how their children no longer deal with allergies, and are medication free, and they'd be happy to share this hope with you, too, so that you wouldnt' have to ditch the doggy. Let me know if you're interested in learning more, and if not, I hope that the other ideas work for you and for your little one's sake!

Some people do allergy shots that usually take 3 years to ge them all done. The other option is with an osteopath. They do non-invasive treatments through accupressure or accupuncture. I go to one near Cleveland. There has to be one in your area. My doctor has a website at Integrative Wellness. Maybe if you email her she may know one in your area. I have two kids ann myself go to her.

People are actually allergic to dog saliva - not dog hair. The reason we're bothered by the hair is because dogs lick themselves. So, bathing your dog regularly will help. Pet stores also sell products to put on your dog's coat that help reduce the allergens.

Many allergy shots are steroid-based, so I would be cautious about them. Prescription Allegra works great for my daughter.

Two options......see Dr. Fuller at Fuller Chiropractic in Brownsburg. She does an allergy treatment in which it only takes 1 or 2 and you never have them again. She did this for a grandson about the same age as your child and same allergy. He no longer has them.

Or....see Dr. Karen Marshall who deals LARGELY with allergies & asthma. She has an office in both Carmel and Noblesville, I believe.

You didn't mention where you live.

You could try allergy medication that does not make her tired or go to a allergist and start the bi-weekly shots and soon enough she should no longer be allergic to the dog.It desencitizes your system to the allergy by inserting a small amount every visit.
Good luck.
My Dr. said I was allergic to my cats but I still have them all and they do NOT make me cough sneeze or wheeze any more.

We have 2 dogs, which we've had for 13 and 8 years. So our kids have always been around them. I found out a few months ago that over the past year, I've developed a pretty intense allergy to dogs. I had an allergy test a little over a year ago and was definately not allergic. So anyways...

We started taking our dogs to the groomers every 6-8 weeks for a bath (they use hyperallergenic shampoo) and thorough grooming. They use a rake thingy to remove all the undercoat, which is where the dander tends to build up. We also have them shave our long-hair dog (lab/border collie mix) down to 1/2 inch. I sweep the kitchen floor twice a day, vacuum the family room and our bedroom (where the dogs spend more their time) once a day and the rest of teh house every few days. That seems to really help. I also take Claritin once a day. It used to not work and I'd still feel miserable however once we started doing the above it was managable enough for Claritin to be effective.

www.naet.com

check it out to learn about an allergy elimination technique that is not invasive or expensive. I know people personally who have been "cured" of their food, pet or seasonal allergies and I have an appt for my 5 year old in a couple of weeks. you may be able to locate someone in your area who practices the technique.

If you would like to try a natural product that will keep her allergies at bay, and you can keep the dog. It is called OPC-3, it is a liquid and she can drink it in the morning, only 2 ounces and has a slightly tart grape taste.

You can order it online. www.marketamerica.com/W. and you can e-mail me if you have any questions. ____@____.com I have been using and selling the OPC-3 for 10 years and I always offer a money back guarentee.

Also, You will want to bathe your dog weekly, and not let her sleep in your daughters room or on the furniture. It is actully the dog's dander she is allergic to.

Ready to help, if you need it!

Yep - what everyone else is saying. Vacuum the house and brush the dog regularly, bathe at least weekly and maybe try some non-drowsy allergy medicine or see an allergist.

Taking the dog to a groomers can add up over time so I'd try finding a shampoo to use yourself and I highly, highly recommend the Furminator brush. http://www.furminator.com/ It's a bit expensive up front (I got the medium one for my black lab (and cats) at my vet's office and I think it was like $40 or so) but it is AMAZING and gets all the undercoat and dander that builds up there. Totally worth the money... especially if the dog is a big shedder. (And from my experience yellow labs shed more than black ones) You may be able to find a used one cheaper on CraigsList or Ebay or something.

Good luck!

Dear S.,

What a shame that your daughter is allergic to dogs!

Wheat is known to cause allergic reactions, even to other allergens, to increase. If your daughter's allergies are somewhat manageable, you could try withholding wheat from her diet to see how she does. Dairy is also a culprit here, since dairy is known to cause congestion. Try Ezekiel bread instead of standard breads, and soy or almond milk in place of dairy.

About a year and a half ago, I stopped eating all dairy and grains (except oats) and it has made a huge difference in my allergic reactions.

It's the animal's dander and saliva that contain allergens, so you should vacuum frequently with a hepa filter if possible. Try to keep the dog out of your daughter's room to reduce allergens in her environment. Febreeze makes an excellent allergen reducing spray, too.

Just yesterday I received an e-mail with great tips for reducing pet allergens in the home, so I'm going to go search for it to see if I can send you a link.

Good luck! It would be terrible if you had to re-home your best friend!

I just found this wonderful link that you might find interesting:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-benefits-of-pets-for...