Pet Allergies?

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legendofzash

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I believe that I might be developing allergies to my pet chinchilla. I adopted him around July of last year. I noticed, at first, that I was having an adverse reaction do his bathing dust. After he would dust bathe, I would feel tension in the middle of my chest and my blood pressure would go up for two or three days. I switched him to Bathing Sand instead of Dust. This seemed to help a whole lot!

Around late Deceraber/Early January I noticed that he was shedding a lot. It became quite the chore to keep his cage clean/my room clean because of all of the hair. By February I'd noticed that I was having some difficulty taking deep breaths. I visited an urgent treatment center and they wrote it off as a sinus infection. After a couple of weeks, a round of antibiotics, and a round of steroiRAB, things still weren't getting any better... as a matter of fact, they were getting worse. I'd started developing chest discomfort/tightness so I returned to the UTC. This time, the doctor x-rayed my chest and said that nothing is wrong with my lungs or my heart (from what he could tell by the x-ray). He sent me home and suggested that I just try to ignore it... After another week (with the chest discomfort getting more and more noticeable) I returned to the UTC again. This time, the doctor noticed that my blood pressure had been high all three times I'd visited and put me on blood pressure medicine.

I have never had blood pressure issues in my life. It's always been 120/80 or lower until recently. It was, at this point, that I decided to see a family doctor to get a real diagnosis. He did a full blood workup and an EKG. Both came back fine. He changed my blood pressure medicine as well.

After still feeling the same, I returned to the family doctor. I suggested that I might be allergic to the chinchilla. He, however, seemed to completely discount that and changed my blood pressure medicine again. He said that if this is still an issue after another week, he would refer me to a cardiologist (as heart disease does run in my family).

This has been going on for 3 or 4 months and I'm so tired of feeling awful. I recently moved into a new house. I left my chinchilla at the old house for a week and stayed at minimum contact with him (stopping by to feed him/give him water). By the end of that week, I started feeling better (still not 100% but better). I stopped by the house on Friday to clean out his cage and brush out his loose hair. Within two or three hours of being around him, I started feeling pretty awful again.

Am I going crazy? Can such radical symptoms be caused from a pet allergy?
 
Allergies, to pets or other things, can cause a palpitating, racing, pounding or skipping heartbeat; labored or difficult breathing; higher blood pressure; indigestion; concentration problems; tingling extremities; sinus problems; fatigue; joint pain; etc.

If your blood pressure problems are being caused by your chinchilla allergy, it sure would be a shame for you to have to take blood pressure meRAB the rest of your life; with all of their side effects.

I experience similar symptoms from dogs and cats. In my case, I am sooooo sensitive to dogs or cats, if a dog or cat enters my home on the first floor, and I am on the third floor, I'll start to suffer. :dizzy:
 
Well I'm glad to know that I'm not going crazy. Do you guys have any recommendations to decontaminate my house and belongings? I've already replaced my bed sheets and pillows. Any other advice?

Also; is there anything I can do to feel better in the meantime? Thanks so much!
 
We tried everything. I kept our dog out of our bedroom. Even though my allergies, and other health problems improved after he slept in the living room, instead of the bedroom, I still continued to have problems. It was only after he passed away and was no longer in our home, did I improve. As soon as he was no longer here, I felt 10x better physically, although emotionally I greatly missed him and wished he was still here. :( I had no idea that I was that sensitive to my dog!

We didn't have to do any extraordinary cleaning, or take any other steps, after he was no longer here. As soon as he was no longer in our home, my health improved greatly, I had more energy and just felt much better. I had no idea that my reaction to my own dog was that bad! I've owned pets all my life and never knew that some of my health problems were coming from my beloved pets! Not fair, is it!? :( :mad:

Allergies are a killer! :eek:
 
Quite some time ago I moved into an apartment and ended up in the hospital with asthma, was later told there had been several cats there. Pretty place nice carpet etc. Doctor said move or strip out everything.

Same thing happened in a camp several years later, in hospital and found the former cook had had cats in the room I was sleeping in?

Now have to be very careful on airplanes with those silly little pet carriers people bring aboard. Always watch and try to make sure they are seated away from me. Several months ago saw one in the waiting area, checked with attendent and found it was at the other end of the aircraft from me, a little over an hour flight. Well was having a little trouble breathing, as I was deplaning realized there was another just two rows ahead!!! Got in some real trouble when I realized I had probably left my inhaler in the security area. Had a perscription, got cab who hurried me to drug store and then to hotel-whew.
Breath in, breath out and take care,
Nan
 
I've had allergies all my life. Because of that we had poodles, who don't shed. I read and was told that people are not allergic to poodles. I found out otherwise after decades of allergy problems!

Perhaps, the fact that my dog didn't shed was why we didn't have to clean carpets, furniture, etc., after he was gone?

I wonder if shipscook1 would have a residual problem with previous shedding, even if it was in a cage, after a pet chinchilla is gone? I wouldn't think so, but everyone's allergies can be somewhat different, either more sensitive or less sensitive. For me... just the odor from my dog effected my asthma! But once he was gone, my health immediately got better.
 
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