Should we get rid of the dog?

[melbj]

My daughter is 5 1/2. She had allergy testing a few years ago and determined she had a severe reaction to dogs, and dogs only.

On top of that her allergic reaction will trigger her asthma. Her only asthma triggers are dogs (mainly), respiratory sickness, and sometimes cold air (not often though.) Her asthma is virtually non-existent in the Summer even if she has been around dogs.

My question is this:

What are your thoughts on someone becoming immune to a dog that is in their home?

[Machaon]

I have asthma and my worst allergy is to dogs. So, we figured that poodles wouldn't be too bad for allergies, so for the post 30 years we've had at least one poodle in our home. During that time, I fought all kinds of health problems, not just my asthma.

We just put our last poodle pet to sleep. We are dog free in our home, and I am nearing age 70. A lot of my health problems have disappeared. I am no longer sluggish, I have much more energy than I have had for decades, and I just feel GREAT. I feel more lively, more attentive, more clearer thinking and just better all over.

I never thought that my body could feel this good. If I had only known that the dog was not just effecting my Asthma, but my overall health, I would never, EVER have had a pet anywhere near my home.

At least it isn't too late for me to enjoy this second chance at a quality existence!

Is your daughter showing any other signs of health problems, sluggishness, sleeplessness, etc., or are the symptoms just limited to breathing problems?

[Titchou]

What meds is she on? Have they helped? what kind of dog? Lots of questions. I'm extremely allergic to cats but have a long haired one. Took injections, take Zyrtec, Flovent and do very well.

[Misty800]

My vote is "YES" get rid of the dog. Your daughter's life is more important. Give the dog to someone that loves pets and does not have allergy problems.

We should always put our childrens health above pets.

My newborn grandson was allergic to cats, had rapid breathing, obviously struggling for his little life. My son took way too long to get rid of the cat in my opinion. However, as soon as the cat was gone and everything cleaned well his breathing returned to normal and he is now a vivacious 3 year old. I took care of him for couple weeks when he was 4 weeks old. It broke my heart to see him struggle with rapid breathing and his little heart racing. I had to keep track of his breathing, that is, count his breaths per minute and report to his dad off and on during the day so his dad could consult with the doctor.

The old saying that says every child should have a pet is not true, some children simply cannot survive with a pet around.

[Machaon]

Originally Posted by Misty800

My vote is "YES" get rid of the dog. Your daughter's life is more important. Give the dog to someone that loves pets and does not have allergy problems.

We should always put our childrens health above pets.

Well said!

If there is one chance out of a thousand that the child's health is at risk, or her quality of life is lessened, then serious consideration should be given in favor of the child over the dog.

I also wouldn't want to take the chance of getting a cat, to replace the dog. Allergies to both dogs and cats are very common, regardless of the test results.

Needless to say, sometimes parting with a pet can be emotionally devastating and take a long time to get over.