Can dogs have allergies?

Can you gain allergies to dogs? I just started working at an animal hospital and have been having issues...?

• I have two cats, and have had them for practically forever with no problems. I just started working at an animal hospital as a kennal attendent a few months ago and have been having issues. My eyes seem to CONSTANTLY be watering and they itch, i also have had more runny noses. I have friends and relatives who have dogs and have always been fine. Is it possible that just being around SO many different dogs SO much has given me an allergy? I'm still fine with my cats. Any thoughts?

• Answer:

  Long ... But worth the reading. I am a nurse with over 25 years experience in this area and I have seen a lot of people with various illnesses caused from chemicals and fragranced products as well as VOC’s in their homes, schools and workplace. This problem is growing as more and more chemicals are being introduced into the market and used on a daily basis. We are now seeing more and more children and adults with Chronic Headaches, Migraines, Asthma, Allergies, Hives, Eczema, sinus / respiratory illnesses and Hormone related disorders. I can not emphasize how important it is to educate yourself about MCS (do a websearch for MCS) and the harm you may be doing to your health by using chemicals and fragranced products. If you or a loved one suffers from Asthma, Allergies, Autism, chronic headaches, reproductive problems, Migraines, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus or Fibromyalgia, you need to read further and learn about the signs and symptoms of MCS - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Most doctors will not inform you about this because patients as a whole like to walk out of a doctors office with a prescription for some magical medicine and they do not want to be told that their expensive new perfume or newly installed carpet may be the culprit. So, the doctor will give you medications and many of these meds either do not work or cause other health problems. Chemicals and fragranced products are often the root of all evil when it comes to your health. Many of the below mentioned items are common triggers to sinus, asthma, itching, headaches, Migraines and allergy problems amongst other health issues. Get rid of them and your lungs will thank you and you will breathe easier. And, it is not only personal body or cleaning products causing havoc on your health….many people become ill after wearing brand new clothing, dry-cleaned clothes, installing new carpet, painting, buying a new mattress or after home renovations because of the Flame Retardants, Benzenes, Formaldehydes, etc. used in these products. So the answer is NO, you are not imagining that 2 weeks after your home, office or classroom got renovated you started to become ill, get dizzy or have headaches. This is happening more and more these days and adults as well as children are becoming sicker and sicker. Unfortunately, too many doctors compound the problem by prescribing chemical medications to try to alleviate the symptoms of an already chemical overloaded body and they rarely tell the patient to eliminate the chemical offenders. How many times have I seen people in the grocery store with Bounce, Glade Plug-Ins and Febreeze in their shopping cart along with a bottle of Benadryl , Migraine Excedrin and a box of Allergy Tablets ? Why don’t they make the connection? Here is a Brain Spect Scan Before and after a whiff of perfume: http://www.ourlittleplace.com/spect.html Keep in mind that your skin is the largest organ of your body and what you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body. Then ... well... then it has to be filtered by your organs which are already working real hard. BIG NO-NO’s No Bounce or dryer sheets - these are VERY toxic No Febreeze - your pets will even thank you for this No Glade Plug-ins - VERY toxic No scented candles No Fragranced Products on Body, Hair or Clothing No Smoke No Dander No Sprays And remember, it is NOT the smell it is the Chemicals that make up the smell. So, even if something is "Fragrance Free" these products often mask the smell with another chemical ! There are plenty of safe healthy products out there that work well and do not have added chemical fragrances. Look on MCS sites if you need help finding them. More and more workplaces & schools are creating “Fragrance Free Zones”… why do you think this is? Make the connection, your lungs and your health will thank you.