mcdonald24364

Are any of you allergic to rats and still keep them? And do you have
any asthma?

I've been crying all day, might have to give my 6 rats away. I do not
wish to. They are really affecting to me and my little boy and we're
getting worse. We had to go to ER today. We're still sick.

I just moved the rats in the family room out of my room. Just to see
how I am doing without them in the same sleeping room. I am very sad.

I'm wheezing horrible, a monsterous wheeze that made my dog tilted her
head and barked at my chest. I've never had that problem before and
that scares me. I cough real bad than my kid. I could not hold the
rats anymore or else I get welts and blotches on my hands and that
itches bad. It'll go all over my arms if not wearing long sleeves. But
after handling them, I washed my hands real good. It don't matter,
because I'm breathing and it goes into my lungs. I hate that. I don't
ever want to give them away. I'm afraid someone might seperate them in
different homes. I'm giving away six 7 months old males include the
cage and assessories. Boo hoo
Please pray that our health clears up real soon so that way I won't have
to give them away.

TJ

tracey

I'm sorry to hear this. I am allegic to my rats also, but it's more of a
skin allergy than sneezing, wheezing. I have many other allergies that do
effect my breathing and if I get them bad enough can have asthma attacks, so
I take anti-histamine tablets daily and also a nasal spray which prevents
this. The tablets don't prevent my skin allergy to the rats though but
that's something I can put up with as the rash only lasts about ten minutes
or so.

Does your dog effect your breathing too? I have a friend who has a very bad
allergy to all animal fur but she still manages to keep a cat and house
rabbit. Like me she keeps her allergies in check with anti-histamine
tablets. Perhaps you could give anti-histamines a try. You can buy some
over the counter at the chemist or go and see your doctor who will prescribe
some.

Please let us know how you get on.

Tracey

supagirl to the rescue!

Awww, my bf suffers from Asthma, and i keep a rat, why not put them in a
room no one uses, and see if you get better,

msjdoolittle

I'm so sorry to hear your ratties are causing you respiratory problems.
Hopefully you can find a way to control your asthma, as more than just the
rat dander can trigger attacks.Are you and your son under a physicans care
for your asthma?

I have asthma and allergies, but take prescription medicines to control it.
With the addition of Singulair I have NO symptoms, unless encountering a
VERY dusty situation. This also hleps control the allergies.

Good luck. I hope you can find a way to keep your boys. If not, I hope
you're able to find a way to rehome them together.

Julia
Piper, Laurie, Zoe, Lovie, Harriet II, Kadrat, Chibi, Stella, Quixter, and
Albert

dawnikus

I tried singular and I guess there is something in the products chemical
make up that I am allergic to. I broke out in hives all over my body. I
thought it was something else but they tested me and it was Singular. Not
that I mind cuz I seem to be more allergic to my Chinchilla having his dust
bath and cats more than rats. Meri my hairy does give me the sniffles a bit
but I have other people in my household that can hold her so I dont have to
so much. I found I wasnt allergic to hairless' and my double rex hairless so
much because they dont have alot of fur, and dont seem to have as much a
dander. You would think they would have more *shrugs*. Anyway sorry to hear
you and yer boy are allergic to yer family of 6. I hope you can find
something that works for you.

Hugs from the ooxgirls and me!

joanne

I'm allergic to my rats and my husband and one of my son's have asthma.
I was starting the wheezing until I got Singular. Singular worked great
for me. I still have the red itchy skin when they climb all over me but
I don't care.

Joanne

meghan

Unbelieveably, I found out I am allergic to almost ALL animals. I actually
went to an allergy doctor and had the skin test, and it came back positive
for cats and dogs (I guess they don't do skin tests for rats!) Well, I have
5 cats and they're not going anywhere, much to the chagrin of the allergy
doctor, who thinks I'm insane. Well, at that time (about 2 years ago) I was
having sneezing fits every morning and he prescribed a nasal spray, and eye
drops. I used them for a few months, and that part of it seemed to go away
for me, which was great!

Now, my allergies mostly just manifest as skin allergies - i.e. when any cat
nails, or rat nails or bird nails (I just found this one out last week)
touch me, my skin turns into a giant itchy mosquito bite. It's annoying but
I live with it. Sometimes I get hives too, but a benedryl will usually take
care of it.

I guess what I'm saying is that my allergies aren't life threatening so I
choose to just grin and bear it, although most people who aren't "animal
people" think I'm nuts. We know different!

Meghan

mcdonald24364

No, I'm not allergic to my dog. I've had dogs all my life and the same
with cats. I was allergic to cats until my husband taught me to fight
beat my allergies of cats. I've never had any problems until I got
rats. I tried so hard to fight the allergies, but failed. I have
tried the anti-histamine tablets a very long time ago, but that gave me
a real bad stuffy nose. The same with nasal sprays. So I quit those
two months later. And because those stuff did gave me insomnia. But I
will try it again and see what happens. Will get some next week.
Thank you.

TJ

mcdonald24364

My son is doing a lot better than me. I'm half way better. My wheezing
has gotten down. I can breathe much better w/o the rats in my room
since I moved them in the family room. As soon as I get as close to
them, I could feel my breathing trigger. I moved back up a little and
just with my arm stretch out to give them a little petting. I feel so
bad for them and I miss playing with them. I gave them two of my shirts
that I wore so they can snuggle in. I don't care if they ruin my
shirts. Last night I gave them a twinkie for the first time they ever
had. Because I felt bad for them. And today I gave them a bowl of
oatmeal. They wanted out and to greet me. I just couldn't let them.
Makes me sad.

The doctor told me he would like to do a chest x-ray but said that my
insurance won't cover it. And he said it sounds bad that I should be
admitting in a room near ICU and said the insurance won't pay for it
either. So he can't do nothing and prescribed antibiotic for me and my
son. I don't have an insurance anymore since last November. It was
cut. A big mess for americans with insurance. But I'm ok and as long
as I'm not in the same room as the rats. I think they will do ok in the
family room for as long as we don't get sick again. I miss watching
them playing and chittering. I will try asking the doctor for some
Singulair. Thanks.

TJ

tracey

Sometimes you have to try different ones to find one that suits you most.
Some anti-histamines can make you a little bit drowsy (although they never
effect me this way, being an insomniac!), if so take them in the evening
before bed. Otherwise take them in the morning after breakfast. I've found
the nasal spray I use now (have used others in the past that were pretty
rubbish) is good it's called Beconase/Beclometasone Dipropionate, I have it
on prescription but I think you can buy it over the counter from the
pharmacist. If I take just a spray or just tablets I still suffer with
allergies quite a bit, but using both in combination works a treat.

Tracey