Hygiene issue with dog and baby

[fluffyslippersplease]

I'm expecting a baby in October. Dh had the dog before we met 5 years ago. I really am not a dog person which Dh knew. The dog is quite old and seems to have chronic problems with skin, ears and particularly his eyes. We had his eyes operated on but the problems persist. It's constantly shedding skin and hair everywhere and its eyes are always filled with gunge. You clean them and apply drops and ten minutes later they're green again. Two vets have just said keep cleaning and use the drops. I'm very concerned about the hygiene aspects of having this dog around the baby, even around me. I've already had four miscarriages. I have suggested to dh that the dog should remain in the conservatory and the garden rather than coming into the main house. Dh is totally against this because he likes to spend time with the dogs and the conservatory, although it has tv, sofa etc, isn't as comfortable as the rest of the house. He acts like I'm Cruella Deville in this and just accuses me of not liking the dog. I don't dislike the dog. I feel sorry for it but I really don't like touching and stroking it because of its problems especially having a baby. We also have a youngish dc he had from a previous relationship that strokes the dog a lot and I worry about it touching the dog and then touching the baby.

How old is your step child? I assume they’ve grown up around the dog, even if not living with their dad full time.
If you’d asked for hints and tips to manage the dog’s symptoms and said you felt anxious and protective over the baby, you’d definitely have got a different response.
Using ‘it’ about any child, let alone a step child, is very detached.
Anyway, hopefully you’ve had some helpful tips regarding the dog. It sounds like managing his/her allergies and change of diet may improve matters.
Does dog have antihistamines? Is there a specialist vet hospital or teaching animal hospital near you? You may need a specialist rather than a general vet as things remain so severe.
Hope you can get it sorted out before your little onE arrives.

I will need to use the kitchen

Dogs (especially old ones with gunky eyes) and babies do not mix at all.

Your child comes first. But cross that bridge when the baby is born. Everything isn't easy at the moment. Wait until baby is here to have the conversation.The dog is probably keeping your hsuband happy at the moment and he'll come to the right decision when the baby is here.

I would try a different vet for a second opinion. I would also look at the food you’re giving the dog. Sometimes a wheat free one can help massively. It also helps with doggy farts too!

If there are already dog free rooms in the house for the baby there is no need to worry. If the dog is anything like my oap lab when our son was born he won’t be interested in the baby and will most likely sleep all day and want to be away from a crying baby.

The dog will only become interested when the little one starts lobbing finger foods around and will want to help you clean up the mess on the floor!

We have three dogs, one is old, stinks and sheds an incredible amount of hair! He belongs to my partner!
We have a new baby also!
It's clinically proven that babies brought up in house holds with pets are less likely to suffer with conditions like asthma!
As for the dogs eye try the tips as mentioned by previous posters and I'm also going to throw out there if it hasn't cleared up by time baby arrives try breast milk? Alternative but could be worth a try?

Gosh I have hygiene concerns around my dogs and baby but YABU

The baby will be fine as long as you practice normal hygiene procedures ie wash your hands after stroking dog, keep floors clean once baby crawling etc.

The dogs will naturally feel pushed out once the baby comes along anyway so please let the dog live comfortably in the house - don’t confine the poor thing to the conservatory with no contact - that is very cruel.

I’ve got baby gates to keep my dogs / toddler separate for short periods of time but it’s mainly to give my dogs a bit of safe space ie not getting their tails pulled etc whilst I’m trying to cool the tea

Please have a bit of compassion for the poor dog

it's really not a small space. It's actually the size of our two downstairs living areas because it spans across them

You're missing the point, OP. Dogs are social animals, and they become attached to the humans they live with.

Not letting the dog share space with the rest of the family is really unkind.

Also a dog feeling crap with potentially dodgy eyesight might not have the best temperament or any threshold for change so may be so much happier with a dedicated space of his own but you really need to get a second opinion and get some better veterinarian advice

Honestly, just because it’s a big room doesn’t make it less cruel. Although I sympathise with your anxiety, as I’m pregnant myself. Firstly look at a second opinion from the vets, and try another practice, then food, @fluffyslippersplease forthglade with a couple of tins of sardines a week, some peanut butter as a treat and some veggies should clear up the coat. Harrington’s isn’t great.
Also what about penning off an area in your open plan living section for ddog too? You could pop their bed in there, and baby would be nice and safe, you’d feel better etc.
You could have designated time with ddog as a family fairly soon after they’ve been cleaned.

It’s really important not to isolate the dog when you have a new baby, it can create negative behaviour and jealousy/attachment issues. How far gone are you, because that will massively impact the amount you can change for the dog without damaging them and making your life 47 times harder.
I would have shutting her in one room as a complete last resort because it’s cruel. But hopefully we can help you figure something out

First of all, have you been given reasons/explanations for what has caused your previous losses? I think if you knew what caused them (if possible), that might make you less likely to be worrying about the dog.

Secondly, ask the vet if there is an infection and if so, what it is and why there hasn't been any antibiotics prescribed. If it's due to the breed causing issues with eyelashes rubbing against the eyes then it's impossible for that to pose any risk to you or your pregnancy.

Other than that, I don't think you need to banish the dog - which is what it will feel like to the poor thing - even if you want to anyway.

It already doesn't come upstairs or the front front room. It's only the open plan kitchen/ living room that it would lose.

This is a bit unfair. Poor dog is basically losing it's comfy home because he's got some health issues.
When I had my first baby I had a dog and a pretty grim elderly cat who shed fur and was sick everywhere. Not once did I consider confining the poor cat, I was just very vigilant on the hygiene front.
These pets don't just rely on us for food and water but also for physical and emotional comfort.

@OliviaPopeRules

Megan2018 did you read the op had 4 miscarriages and is having he first baby or do you just not have any empathy that you think is acceptable to post something as vile as you have.

Of course going through 4 miscarriages is horrible and the OP has every bit of my symoathy for how difficult that is. However, that isn't relevant to her concern now as the dog's hygiene doesn't pose a risk of miscarriage nor does her medical history give her the right to confine a dog to one room of the house. She asked if she is being unreasonable and most have said yes, nothing is wrong with people being honest to her.

@fluffyslippersplease your baby will not be safer as your baby is not in danger from the dog (unless vet comes back and says the eye infection is highly contagious and you then smear the eye gunk over your baby )

You can’t stop your DH and step child giving the dog attention and affection it’s cruel - you can only enforce excellent hand hygiene which given CV should be a lot easier to do.

All you are going to do is alienate your DH and cut off your nose to spite your face by limited the dog and by extension your DH to one room in your house (as he will have to spend evenings with the dog otherwise it is just completely neglected if I presume he works and you won’t go near the dog once the baby arrives).

OP, it sounds as if you need to improve your overall hygiene if you are so concerned about this risk. Do you struggle generally with keeping your home clean? Many people have dogs - including elderly ones with specific conditions - and young babies together without problems because they are meticulous about hygiene. You knew your dog was a part of the family when you decided to have your baby.

I think @HyunJiEun might be elaborately trolling the OP..?

@Boomclaps the pen thing is a good idea. I do get it. I just didn't think it was a huge deal to stop the dog going in the kitchen/ living area. Clearly it is!

Get a second opinion on your dogs eye issues, sounds like trachoma infections have caused the eyelashes curl in and rub against the eyeball. That is irritating and painful and starts a vicious circle of irritation and infection. Surgery may be the solution.

If your dog already isn’t allowed to be in the ‘front front room’ that becomes where baby can crawl. How old is your SC? Even my 4yo will wash her hand after touch our dog before touching/ holding younger family members.

You need to take the dog to a different vet and I agree you should go and discuss your concerns. I've got a fair idea what the vet will say however you'll get a balanced opinion from an expert and be able to discuss options.

OP I’m with you on this. If the dog’s infections aren’t sorted out then I wouldn’t want it anywhere near my newborn. Surely people get that a baby’s health is the most important thing (or not, judging by this thread!) Hopefully an alternative vet will have a better suggestion for treatment.

What’s the point of having dogs that don’t live as part of the family?

I’ve worked with dogs for over 20 years, most of them very sick with god knows what and I’ve never knowingly caught anything from them. Wash your hands, clean frequently and you’ll be fine.

@1frenchfoodie the dog had had that operation already. It also had a second operation when it developed a huge cyst that covered its eye. The vet said he could drain but it would just come back.

[quote fluffyslippersplease]@Boomclaps the pen thing is a good idea. I do get it. I just didn't think it was a huge deal to stop the dog going in the kitchen/ living area. Clearly it is! [/quote]
Well it's not that is it, you are suggesting keeping the dog out of every single room of the house except the conservatory. Do you know understand how cruel it is for a dog to be seperated from family like that? They are social animals and will be miserable locked away in a room by themselves regardless of how large the room is.

It’s quite the opposite re: hygiene issues with dogs and babies. There’s more and more evidence emerging that exposure to pets, hair, dust, etc drastically increase the microbiome in children and directly contributes to preventing allergies.

Here’s one example article: scholar.google.com/scholar?rlz=1CDGOYI_enGB902GB902&hl=en-GB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&lr&q=related:UzDjwsPZIQVTLM:scholar.google.com/#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DpGMe5BVSBS8J

I hiighly recommend you also watch Netflix’s series ‘Babies’, watch ep. 2 ‘first food’ it explains what I’m talking about. Really interesting.

Also worth noting, babies don’t usually get sick from a dog in the house. YABU in this instance but I understand your concern, hopefully some of what I’ve said will make you feel better.

@Somerandomshittyname how does a dogs eye infection impact a newborns health precisely?

@fluffyslippersplease they’re such social animals, and your new baby will be such a change in the dynamic at home that if anything the dog will need a little extra fuss to keep them feeling even not the opposite.
If you’ve got a few months minimum I would look at getting a room divider, moving it into a pen and and looking up “crate training” (don’t use a crate though as if you’re going to expect prolonged use a crates too small)
You can leave access to the penned area as free flow at first and leave treats in there to encourage the dog to go there. Then you progress. Hopefully by the time baby comes the penned area will be where ddog wants to be