Please help - beloved dog and children's allergies

[Cococrumble]

Sorry, this is a big post but we are at our wits end. Please can someone suggest something that we haven't thought of yet.

We have a two year old pei who is the most wonderful dog I've ever had the pleasure of owning. However we also have a ten week old daughter who we believe is allergic to him.

When we are at home she comes out in nasty hives, her eyes get sore, watery and she has "allergy bruises". Her breathing is very raspy and she scratches at her throat. She also has a whole host of other related symptoms. She is clearly in distress. All of these dissipate when we leave the same environment as the dog. Not sure if it's of relevance but she is on a prescription formula due to an intolerance to lactose.

Obviously our GP has pinned this allergy on the dog. However our surgery is refusing to refer us for an allergy test as they believe RAST testing is too much of an ordeal for an infant when the reaction is not being caused by a food, and they won't refer for a blood test either. We have been refused any sort of antihistamines due to our daughter being so young. The reaction is quite intense so they're unsure if this is just a phase or not.

I have just spent two weeks at my parents with DD as they have no pets, and all of her symptoms completely disappeared.

We are currently trying;

Segregating the dog and the baby as much as possible. We have baby gates to keep them apart
HEPA air filters
Special animal dander reduction shampoo for the dog
Had the house intensively cleaned by an external company, all cushions and rugs have been removed.
Saline nose drops for DD
Furminating the dog regularly
Keeping DD out of the house as much as physically possible.
Doggy bibs for ddog as he is a slobbery little monster!

Unfortunately none of these are having an effect and we feel we are being cornered by the medical profession to rehome our lovely fur baby, which we really REALLY don't want to do. Logically we know that we may have to do this, but emotionally we're in denial and are breaking our hearts to find a solution that keeps him here with us. We have no one able to take him in for us until DD hopefully grows out of this and when I am approaching our vets and dog trainer for advice they are really sceptical as it must be such a common excuse used when people get rid of their dogs.

Ddog would not cope at all with being housed outside in a kennel. He's not coping very well with the baby gates!

Please can anyone suggest something we haven't thought of that may help us keep our wonderful boy with us without affecting our baby's health.

[Somerville]

You've tried taking baby to live in another house, and allergy subsided, right? So next test seems to me, to be taking the dog out of the house, giving it a massive clean, and checking the allergy subsides again. Because at the moment it could be something else in home environment. (Or have you tried this?)
Can your parents have the dog for a few weeks?

[Cococrumble]

Hi somerville, sorry in my ramble I forgot to mention that he spent ten days with my parents in law after we had the cleaners in ( we are meticulous with it anyway but wanted absolutely everything scrubbed to make sure it was him) and she was completely clear the whole time he was gone.

Such a stressful situation.

[AlmostNQT]

Don't really have an answer, but as a volunteer for a dog rescue charity who has foster dogs and has seen a lot of dogs thrown out the house at the first baby sniffle, I just want to tell you how bloody wonderful and amazing you are for trying your best to make it work. You've gone above and beyond and considered what's best for human AND fur baby! Sending you lots of positive paws that it all works out! ❤

[BiteyShark]

Well it sounds like you have tried just about everything so have no idea what else you can do. Hope someone comes along soon with some other suggestions.

[Somerville]

Ah

One of my children is badly asthmatic but doesn't react to our dog thankfully. I have to use a lot of strategies to stay on top of dust though, and only use particular cleaning products. How bad she gets when I let things slip is really scary, and I think you do need to get on top of this for all your sakes.

If you think vet and dog trainer etc... might be able to offer any help then I would show some photos of your DD at her worst, and make it clear that your GP has confirmed that it is a genuine - and severe - allergy.

I wonder if you could find some kind of doggy foster parent through a rescue, to see if your daughter outgrows her allergy? Would you be prepared to say the area of the country you are in in case anyone knows of something?

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Our son's severe eczema improved significantly on a 2 week holiday which led us to question if it was an allergy to our cat. As he was 4 years old we did have him tested and turned out he was allergic to cats dogs and pollen. However we were able to control the ezcema through a combination of topical creams. The consultant did say they can have a level of tolerance towards animals they have always been around.
Aged 7 he has now outgrown all of his allergies and his ezcema.
I don't know how I'd feel in your position, it certainly sounds like a severe reaction and the breathing difficulties above all else would worry me. She's too little to have any tolerance yet and it would take time for her to build it up. The thing with an animal allergy is that the dander is everywhere. No matter how hard you try, there will always be some in the air. I think in your position I'd be looking at rehoming, sorry

[prettywhiteguitar]

I think you will just have to bite the bullet and rehome the dog, take photos of your daughter and visit the breeder you bought him from, perhaps they will help rehome him.

[piginboots]

Ah that really sucks.

Unfortunately I think you are going to have to bite the bullet and rehome him, either through the breeder or through a charity.

I guess you could try to find a long term foster to see if your daughter outgrows the issue but tbh I've never heard of a charity doing that. You could ask, of course, or do it privately with someone you know and trust.

If you can say what area you're in pps might be able to recommend rescues.

[gamerchick]

She may not develop a resistance that's the problem. How long do you wait and see?

I wasn't allergic to the cat when she came here but it developed and is getting increasingly worse despite anti histamines. But I'm an adult and choose to suffer until my own personal cut off point and then I'll reassess. She's a baby with no choice, no idea what's happening and not being treated for it.

I understand I really do, but you may have to discuss rehoming. Could the dog go to a family member for long term fostering? It may not have to be forever.

[Cococrumble]

Deep down I knew this would be the case but it's always worth an ask

We are speaking with a lovely local rescue about him going to a foster home until we find him the perfect new family for his needs, poor little mutt. He's got such a lovely temperament but I think the moulting and slobbering are going to put a lot of people off!

Absolutely hate this whole shitty situation. Thank you all though for the sympathy!

[BigApple11]

She's allergic to your dog.

[ShizerMinelli]

Have you tried antihistamine ? DS was allergic to our cats, dust, and had hay fever in his first 6 months - he's gradually grown out of it (is a summer baby- and first 6 months inc summer were just awful) - and now he's out the other side (19months).

If it's cleared by the DR it is ok to use. Obviously we couldn't prevent his hay fever so was probably deemed necessary for him to have it, depends how your GP is as to whether they'd give it to you for something that's preventable.

Awful situation - really feel for you. Good luck OP x

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Huge sympathies OP, what a rotten decision you have to make.

[9GreenBottles]

You say you use special animal dander reduction shampoo - is it Petalcleanse? I've had some great results with our cats and my partner and his son who are both allergic. Try both the lotion and the spray if you haven't already.

Good luck, you are in a position that I would never want to be in

[ScoobyDoosTinklyLaugh]

Really sad situation but you need to rehome the dog. I'm allergic to some animals but if I dose myself up on anti histamines it's bearable. It's really unpleasant without treatment and feels like I'm suffocating. The thought of a tiny baby going through that who has no understanding of how and why they're struggling to breath and their face is swelling up is awful. I'd be one of those terrible owners who got rid at the first sniffle.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

Hello CoCo,
I'm sorry to hear of your predicament.
I wanted you to know, that there is actually a product on the market, called Petal Cleanse. It has been used to good effect, on cats and dogs. You spray it onto their coats. Please google it.
You can buy it at your nearest branch of the RSPCA, over the counter, on reception.
Really hope this helps.

[Giddyaunt18]

Ahh my sympathies OP. It might just be that she will become tolerant but her reaction sounds quite severe. My DD is allergic to most dogs but not ours!! We didn't get the dog until she was 15 on a temporary basis just in case her allergy flared but it never did. I think given her age and the possible nasty reaction and her breathing etc, you have to put her first. So sorry, but don't give up hope of sharing the house with another dog in the future, some breeds are better(ours is a cockapoo)

[georgedawes]

What am awful situation but rehoming seems like it might be for the best :( Would your dog's breeder not have your boy back?

[Phillpot12]

We did some allergy testing with my daughter, kinesiology so non invasive and is fine through an adult with children. Sounds very strange I know and my husband was v sceptical but she identified allergies causing hives in our child and no problems since. She also said most animal allergies can be overcome, think that might be homeopathy type stuff which I know is medically unproven, before everyone shouts it down! It maybe worth a shot before rehomjng...

[Cococrumble]

Thank you for the suggestions of petal cleanse, I've ordered some this morning. Unfortunately our breeder has retired abroad so isn't in the position to have him back. Our dog trainer is coming out to see us again over the weekend and I think we're going to have to put things in place for rehoming. Poor poor dog.

Obviously DD will 100% come first, but I would feel absolutely awful if we didn't try absolutely everything we could for the dog. He's an anxious dog at the best of times and the thought of him being somewhere else with no idea where we've gone or why breaks my heart. We just want to do our best by both of them.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

CoCo, I'm so sorry that you are in such a hard place.
If you decide to rehome your boy, please look towards Breed Rescue, who will find him a suitable and knowledgable home. This kind of dog can so easily be snapped up, by unscrupulous people.
You are exploring every avenue OP, rest easy, you'll get there. 💐

[georgedawes]

What about contacting the stud dog owner? No decent breeder would want their dog in rescue. Even if they can't take him they may be a key to help.