Allergic to animals?

[skittles12]

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I'm just curious as to whether anyone here is allergic to animals. I've always been allergic to horses (which is ironic, since they are one of the loves of my life). I had a frightening allergic reaction in a horse production class in the spring, so I went to the doctor only to find out I'm at least mildly allergic to everything with fur! It's being managed now, but has anyone else ever had the same misfortune?

 

[twelvetigers]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=708303

There are definitely vets out there with allergies. You'll have to manage it with medicine and common sense (like lots of hand washing, don't rub your nose, etc.) but it seems manageable.

 

[Braki]

I'm allergic to animals but it generally gets better with exposure. When I got my first cat, I was allergic to him or a week or two, but now I don't get any allergic reactions from cats. I still get reactions from dogs, especially in the summer because it aggravates my hay fever, but I keep it at bay with Reactine, and I know it'll get better eventually.

 

[thearsonist]

I have an allergy to ferrets. 😳

 

[Jamr0ckin]

My allergist told me I was in the wrong profession. I'm allergic to pretty much everything, but manage it with medication.
I had an anaphylactic reaction to an allergy injection after spending the day at the horse barn (being around horses and hay, 2 high allergens).

When you're passionate enough, nothing will stop you. And that is how I feel about my allergies.

 

[iheartmeowcow]

Im deathly allergic to the strangest things like watermelon. But yes, very allergic to anything with fur or feathers aka most animals, but the veterinarian that I work with said he was once deathly allergic to animals, took him all through veterinary school to build up an immunity but he seems fine now

 

[milkmaid]

Out of the 7 vets I worked with last summer, three were extremely allergic to animals and had been since before starting vet school. They made it work out and they all loved their job.

 

[skittles12]

My allergist told me I was in the wrong profession. I'm allergic to pretty much everything, but manage it with medication.
I had an anaphylactic reaction to an allergy injection after spending the day at the horse barn (being around horses and hay, 2 high allergens).

When you're passionate enough, nothing will stop you. And that is how I feel about my allergies.

That's terrible! My allergist was very supportive, and said that he sees several vets who come in for allergy injections.

 

[LadyEsmerelda]

I'm at least allergic to cats and rodents that I know of, but I live with two cats and work with mice all day. I just am constantly on allergy meds, but it's totally managable!

 

[StartingoverVet]

cats.... and i have one.

Do dust mites count? that is the killer for me....

 

[NStarz]

Slightly OT, but...

I'm allergic to only 3 things: my rabbit's litter (RIP), surgical tape (pic lines were super fun when I was in the hospital), and safrinin (yes, the freaking stuff you use in gram stains...really?!?!). Thankfully, no animal allergies (yet!)

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Do dust mites count? that is the killer for me....

Oh yes... it counts. When I had my last test, the dust mite place continued to react long after they read the results. I had a welt the size of my hand (not fist... hand) on my back and I was MISERABLE.

 

[ginger17317]

I'm allergic to anything with fur or pollen - but I definitely am not going to let that stop me... eventually I'm going to suck it up and put aside my needle phobia and actually get allergy tested.... eventually. haha.

 

[PocoCalypsoQH]

I'm mildly allergic to all bovines, and my focus is food animal, so...I take some OTC allergy meds before I go out for the day and deal with it.😀

 

[ATX00]

I'm very allergic to everything with fur or pollen. I just started allergy shots a few months ago. In the meantime, I use a steroid nasal spray every day, which has been a miracle for me. I get a bunch of tiny hives if an animal scratches me or slobbers on me, but whatever, I'm used to it. 🙄

For those of you with serious allergies, go see an allergist if you haven't! I didn't until I'd been dealing with this crap for 23 years, and I really wish I had gone sooner.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Antibiotics. Every one I've ever taken. So I became a professional cat wrangler. Also known as the only line of work where being allergic to most antibiotics actually poses a potentially serious risk. I've been incredibly lucky that none of the innumerable bites I have received has ever become seriously infected.

 

[Willowhand]

Antibiotics. Every one I've ever taken.

Have you had your doctor make sure you're a eukaryote?

 

[VeganSoprano]

LOL! I think you're on to something there. The real question is, am I Gram positive or Gram negative? ;-)

 

[NStarz]

Have you had your doctor make sure you're a eukaryote?

ROFL! 🤣

 

[goldnretrivrgrl]

Really glad that other people have the same problems! When I was younger and working at my vet's office I was kind of ashamed of my sneezing and general allergy yuckiness. Now, Xyzal and some steroidal nasal spray cover most of the respiratory symptoms and when I get hives from being scratched I just slap on some benadryl cream and pretend I don't notice the look of horror my mom gives me when I come home. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." *itch, itch*. "They'll go down in like 20 minutes" *itch, itch*

 

[thedogisgreen]

Medium and long hair cats definitely beat me up when I'm at work. I start sneezing, eyes watering, all that fun stuff, and then when I'm distracted by my allergies while restraining them, they manage to scratch me the second I sneeze. Double whammy from them, get to my allergies and then attack! Still love em tho, and no choice but to deal with it.
I don't want to take allergy meds every day, so just keep OTC meds with me and take em when it gets really bad. Maybe should get into the habit of taking them daily so I don't constantly look like I'm either crying or sick.

 

[Llama Slug]

Cats... and i have two. One of which sleeps in my bed more than i do (you should see the awful morning face it gives me). Also, and this is much worse than cats, all of the pollen in the mid-Atlantic states. After four years and numerous bad respiratory infections in Virginia I finally got used to it but when I visited Pennsylvania a few weeks ago (after three years in the west) my allergies flared up like nobody's business and now--- i have a horrible respiratory infection again, complete with horrendous throat ulcers.... and the cat allergies flare up (or something around here does) and give me respiratory infections/ asthma symptoms about twice a year.

For those with allergists/ allergy shots. How costly are they, will student insurance cover them? Im really really poor... but allergies have been resulting in respiratory infections for me since I left my home in AZ in 2003 and im really sick of being sick all the time. And poofy in the face all the time. Would poor man's student insurance even begin to cover something like that or am i stuck until I find a sponsor or a large income???

Sorry to rant---maybe this belongs in a different thread--- im just sick of being sick (and am really sick right now) and no allergy meds have ever seemed to help my allergies at all. Blegh.

P.S. my allergies are a pain but won't stop me from being a vet or a devoted owner to my pets

 

[skittles12]

For those with allergists/ allergy shots. How costly are they, will student insurance cover them? Im really really poor... but allergies have been resulting in respiratory infections for me since I left my home in AZ in 2003 and im really sick of being sick all the time. And poofy in the face all the time. Would poor man's student insurance even begin to cover something like that or am i stuck until I find a sponsor or a large income???

I'm not going to lie--the shots I get aren't cheap. They're $22 (I get two shots at each visit), twice a week for the next month. My insurance plan covers a whopping $6 of that until I meet my deductible. The insurance did cover the extract for the shots, which was $800! 😱
Even if you can't afford the shots, maybe you could still see an allergist? I know that just taking several medicines daily helped me tremendously.

 

[missmt]

I am allergic to some cats, generally the medium or long haired once but not always it seems. I have learned to deal with it by taking OTC allergic medicine every morning. Taking it every morning can be a pain but after a while it becomes habit; I don't even have to remind myself anymore. For me the medicine takes a little bit to kick in and it doesn't work that well until I have sneezed and cleared out my system it seems (since I am allergic to one of my cats). Also, my vet said some people in her class were highly allergic to animals but they were still able to make it through just fine.

 

[BlacKAT33]

I did the shots for 1 year because my insurance at the time was amazing and i only had to pay 5$ per shot! It helped decrease my most severe symptoms (swelling, sneezing attacks) but I still needed to take my Zyrtec every day. I honestly dont think i'll ever be able to go off meds so I stopped doing the allergy shots because I think I reached a point where they cant do more for me. I also lost my amazing insurance once I stopped working haha

So yea, i take Zyrtec every day. Sucks but I gotta do it to keep my baby! 🙂

I was recently prescribed Fluticasone (Flonase) 50 mcg. It has helped so much! I have only had it one week so far. Basically, before this, I was using tissues about 2 hrs in the morning (before meds kicked in) and then at night time once my meds were wearing off. I go through tissues so fast, we buy a huge stock from Costco. But now, i think i've only used 2 tissues today!! it is a miracle!!! And i still kiss my kitty and let her rub against my face haha I would definitely recommend trying this. Especially if your symptoms seems to start with your nose, sometimes just a little irritation in my nose would make me sneeze for hrs and then blowing my nose would make it worse because it would itch and if i rubbed my nose to get the itch away it would just become inflamed and feel horrible.

 

[breenie]

When I was 7, I got a cat. When I was 12, the allergist told me I was allergic to cats. That was news to me.

When I was 18 and poor at the beginning of college and volunteered myself as a lab rat for the asthma/allergy research folks, they informed me I was no longer allergic to cats. Cool.

Still really allergic to hay. I like long sleeves.

 

[Maddiegirl]

I am also allergic to everything! All animals, grasses, pollens, dust, etc. I don't let it bother me though, I manage with OTC meds and hand washing. If I handle my horses or cat, I do not touch my face under any circumstances or it's ON.... the sneezing, wheezing, itching, etc. The meds definitely help with the symptoms, but I will probably get allergy shots to be on the safe side before I get into vet school. I'd hate to be in a surgical setting and have a sneezing fit, kill my patient and get kicked out of vet school! (ok, so not likely, but I tend to think in worst case scenarios....)

 

[FutureDVM2016]

I am also allergic to everything! All animals, grasses, pollens, dust, etc. I don't let it bother me though, I manage with OTC meds and hand washing. If I handle my horses or cat, I do not touch my face under any circumstances or it's ON.... the sneezing, wheezing, itching, etc. The meds definitely help with the symptoms, but I will probably get allergy shots to be on the safe side before I get into vet school. I'd hate to be in a surgical setting and have a sneezing fit, kill my patient and get kicked out of vet school! (ok, so not likely, but I tend to think in worst case scenarios....)

If you can handle this... you can handle a schedule like mine 😉

(sorry, not to hijack) Please resume 😀

 

[Ausrural]

Flea bites. yup