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Allergic to Cats After All These Years??
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RavenCares
Joined: 25-Jul-2007
Posts: 197
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 07:56 pm
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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Has anybody heard of people developing allergies to their cats (or dogs, for that matter!) after being around them all their lives? I am in my early 60s, and I have always had cats around me. I currently have 4 indoor cats and a multitude of outside barn cats (I live on rural acreage). The past year or so, I have been developing rashes that come and go. And if my cats come up near my face, I start sneezing and my nose itches. If this is an allergy, what can I do for it? |
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Tags: cats , dander |
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Sissy
Joined: 18-Jul-2007
Posts: 256
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:20 pm
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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I have always been allergic to cats, but I have heard of people developing allegeries. Also allegeries that go away over years too. I did not know that you could develop food allegeries when you got older but learned that the hard way a couple of years ago.
Sissy |
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Sierra
Joined: 12-Aug-2007
Posts: 25
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 07:56 pm
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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Hi, Raven! Yep, you sure can develop allergies to things that you've been around before with no problem. For example, I became allergic to crabmeat several years ago after eating crab all my life. The same thing happened to my grandfather, who suddenly developed a life-threatening allergy to shellfish of any type when he was in his early 60s. I know people often become allergic to bee stings after they've been stung a few times. So I'm assuming that you can become allergic to cat dander after being around cats for years! Maybe you can get some allergy testing done and some allergy shots. |
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Cheerful
Joined: 14-Aug-2007
Posts: 123
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:05 pm
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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When I talked to my allergist, he said (and I hope I'm explaining this right!) that your body is always allergic to the same thing but you may not have symptoms at first. After a while your body can't fight it anymore and then you get a reaction. If you want to be sure if it's the cats that are causing the allergic reactin, they have a test they can do at the doctor's office. My general practitioner tried to say I was allergic to cats without doing any tests but I told him I wasn't going to get rid of my pets until they proved to me that I was allergic to cats! After all, our fury friends are an importnat part of our lives. As it turns out, I'm not allergic to cats at all! |
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Sparky
Joined: 15-Aug-2007
Posts: 13
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 03:06 am
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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I sure hope you aren't allergic to your kitties. It would be so sad to not have your loyal felines at your side! I have a wonderful Norwegian Forest Cat named Miss Molly. She is so affectionate and loving -- I don't know what I'd do without her! Fortunately I'm not allergic to her! |
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missD
Joined: 19-Aug-2007
Posts: 18
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:27 pm
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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Hello cat lovers -
I've heard of people developing allergies to things they were never allergic to before - like shellfish (crab, lobster, etc - too bad for them!). I wonder if anyone 'stops' being allergic to something they have previously been allergic too? Does anyone know?
I have several cats and I would hate to suddenly become allergic - |
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Klassy
Joined: 11-Aug-2007
Posts: 13
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:07 am
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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Maybe try a daily allegery medication and that way you wont have to worry with it. Have to love on your pets.
Klassy |
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Cheerful
Joined: 14-Aug-2007
Posts: 123
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:24 pm
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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I know that your allergist can slowly over time give you shots of whatever you're allergic to and somehow it builds up your immune system so that you wont have as extreme a reaction to whatever it is that you're allergic to. My little cousin is deathly allergic to nuts and they're doing this to make it better. He'll probably never beable to eat nuts but hopefully it will get to the point where he wont die if he accidentally ingests one. Ask your allergist about it. |
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sadielady
Joined: 26-Aug-2007
Posts: 42
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pljacobs39
Joined: 25-Aug-2007
Posts: 22
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:24 am
Post topic: Allergic to Cats After All These Years?? |
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That certainly is possible. I developed asthma and allergies after I turned 30. I have been tested by an allergist and was told that I don't have a specific allergy that I am sensitive to all things that are airborne, dust, pollen, pet dander, etc. The thing I find real difficult is that I am sensitive to the dust and am bothered being around dust but it also effects my breathing to be around the cleaning chemicals, so either way I get to feel the effects. Claritin is something you can try over the counter to see if it helps.. the allergists, insurance companies say that it is similar to Allegra which is a prescription allergy medication. |
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