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Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

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Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby lzver » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:24 pm

I'm just curious. Is anyone else allergic to your birds or any other pet you have? After handling my Senegal I always break out in red bumps that are itchy.

Not that it really matters. I wash my hands really well after handling him and if its really bothering me I take an allergy pill.

Just curious if anyone else has the same problem.

Laura
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby Michael » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:27 pm

Wow. No, not from birds. I know I'm allergic to cats and I wonder if a really dusty bird would give me allergies but nothing from my Senegal.

However, I have heard that it's actually possible to develop an allergy to something that you handle a lot and come in contact with that you would not have normally had an allergy to.
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby MandyG » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:09 am

I'm not allergic to anything, but like Michael said, you can develop new allergies. That's actually one of my biggest fears, becoming allergic to my bird or my dogs :?
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby lzver » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:38 am

It's actually taken me a few months to figure it out ... if it is an allergy, it started about 6 months ago. Which would mean it is a new allergy that I've developed since getting the birds because I've had Jessie and Lucy for almost 4 years.

It's not severe by any means, so I can live with it. Just hope it doesn't get worse over time.

Laura
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby entrancedbymyGCC » Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:56 pm

Are you using anything different in the cage -- different litter, cleaner or disinfectant -- or on the bird (bath spray, mite treatment)? It is possible the bird is getting something on his or her feet or feathers and that's what is causing you to break out?

I've heard of people being allergic to the powder down some birds (e.g., cockatoos) create, but those are primarily respiratory symptoms. Yours sounds more like a contact dermatitis.

It is definitely possible to acquire or even lose allergies without any discernible cause.
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby issy » Thu Mar 25, 2010 5:52 pm

I don't think I'm allergic to animals but I do get sneezey around them.
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby lzver » Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:13 pm

entrancedbymyGCC wrote:Are you using anything different in the cage -- different litter, cleaner or disinfectant -- or on the bird (bath spray, mite treatment)? It is possible the bird is getting something on his or her feet or feathers and that's what is causing you to break out?


Not that I can think of.

I have developed a few other allergies and asthma over the past few years, so I assume they are just later onset of allergies.

Laura
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Kylie - Meyers
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby Suzzique » Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:21 am

I have skin allergies so what you discribe is deffinitly that. It really sounds like something that the bird is touching with his feet is what is doing it. I found that the only way to figure out what it is, is to change one thing at a time. So maybe start with what you use to clean the cage. If you use something like poop-off switch to vinager and water. Cleaners tend to make me brake out more often than natrul stuff. But even food can make your skin brake out even if eatting it doesn't bother you. Something in raw chicken skin makes my hands itch really bad. So I have to wear plastic gloves if I'm going to be removing skin before I cook the meat.
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby Michael » Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:02 am

If you really want to test this out and see if it's the bird or not, take the bird over to someone else's house to visit for about a day. Perhaps shower the bird when you get there to make sure anything it brought over from home is gone. And then see if touching the bird gives you any reaction. If not, you know the problem is at home. If yes, you probably have to look no further.
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Re: Is anyone else allergic to their pets/birds?

Postby lzver » Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:48 am

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll start with trial and error to see if I can pin down what it is.

Laura
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Laura's Bird World Blog - http://laurasbirdworld.blogspot.com/
Jessie - Senegal
Lucy - Red Bellied
Kylie - Meyers
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Location: Guelph, ON
Number of Birds Owned: 3
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