[Erin524]

Does anyone know if allergies can make MS worse?

I'm not exactly talking about seasonal allergies, but constant exposure to allergens like animal dander.

I am seriously considering getting a dog. (an adorable little chocolate colored poodle puppy)

I may be allergic to dogs tho. I never thought I was before, but when I had my last dog (a very LARGE Bouvier des Flandres named TinyMonsters) I had a lot of problems with food allergies and the usual seasonal allergies. The food allergies seemed to improve or disappear when Tiny died.

About a week after Tiny died, we tried to adopt a Yorkie Terrier. Took the poor little guy back within 24hrs when I had a major allergy attack (worst one I'd had) My lips swelled up, eyes swelled up, felt like I wasnt able to breathe well. (that was fun, driving 40 miles with the puppy, at night, at the beginning of a blizzard to return the puppy to the breeder)

I never thought that my allergy problem could have been caused by the dog. I just thought I had weird food allergies. I've wondered since then if TinyMonsters had some sort of weird compounding effect on me. His allergens + mild food sensitivies = worse food sensitivies and seasonal allergies.

That puppy had been bathed with a scented shampoo. I dont know if it was the shampoo or the dog that I reacted to. (there was a chance that I could have been so depressed about TinyMonsters' death that I somehow worked myself up to something that looked like an allergy attack)

It's been two years now, and I've been auditioning dogs lately, because my mother really wants to get a new dog. I found the poodle puppy today and he was really begging me to buy him. (cant buy him without my dad's permission, since it's my parents house)

My only worry is allergies. I couldnt stay around this dog for very long because the pet store owner spritzed the dog with "puppy perfume" to make him smell good. (I have scent allergies that have never improved) and I had to leave.

I would really like to have a new dog after being dogless for 2yrs. My big hesitation about getting one is the weirdness and uncertainty of the MS...and the possibility of an allergy.

Does anyone know if being around a possible allergen constantly can exacerbate MS?

Also, does anyone think that it would be rude of me to call the pet store, explain to them about the scent allergy, and ask them if they'd scrub the little guy up before I come down to visit and for them to not spritz him with the stinky stuff before I get there???

I never did understand why some people and pet stores put perfume on a dog. It's a dog! They dont like to be stinked up with stuff that smells good. They want to roll around in poo and mud and anything that smells disgusting to humans.

Not that I want any dog I'm potentially going to buy smelling like poo (been there done that, I had a 150 pound dog that had...issues with gaseous emissions) I just want the dog to smell like a dog, not like the perfume department at Von Maur.

My dad and I talked about this puppy tonight. My dad is not willing to buy the dog if I have an allergy to it. He will if I'm not allergic and if I can find out if allergies will not cause me problems with the MS. We'd be getting the puppy to be a companion for my mom (trying to keep her mind active, plus she misses having a dog pretty terribly) but this dog will potentially end up being my dog, since I'm the one experienced with dog training, and of course, I'll be the one going to puppy school with him.


I am a teeny bit reluctant to get the dog because I remember how much work TinyMonsters was. He was a 100+ pound toddler with fur and teeth. Getting into trouble, and driving me batty, but I adored him. Best dog I ever had. I actually think my major grief over his death is what might have triggered my first two MS exacerbations (2 weeks after he died, my right thigh went numb, and a few months after that I got optic neuritis)

I'm calling my neuro in the morning to ask him if he knows if allergies can exacerbate MS symptoms, and then I'm calling my dog's former vet to see what he thinks of the dogs at that pet store (he's the vet that examines all their dogs. If he thinks the store is reputable and the dogs they sell are generally healthy, I might have a new puppy soon)

If I can get my answers answered, and get that puppy, his name is going to be Chee Chako 3.0 My dad had a wolf/dog hybrid that he got from the backwoods of Alaska in the 60s that he named Chee Chako, and the poodle that I had before TinyMonsters was also named Chee Chako. I refuse to name any other potential dog TinyMonsters. There was only one Tiny and I dont think I'll ever find another dog worthy of that name.

It's either name the puppy Chako, or I'll be naming it Indiana Jones. ("We named THE DOG Indiana!" Henry Jones Sr: Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade)

[FinLady]

I'm not sure about the allergies themselves, but an unchecked sinus infection can cause havoc with symptoms. Learned that the hard way earlier this year.

I have two kitties 'cuz I'm allergic to dogs, but have considered getting one anyways. It would be interesting to find out what others think as well.

[soxmom]

I think that poodles are a non-allergenic dog. They have hair not fur.
My cousin who had severe allergies/asthma has poodles growing up.

[tkrik]

Soxmom is right about the poodles. I love, love dogs but am allergic to them. At one point I did do some searches on the internet about dog breeds and allergies. There were several dogs that are like poodles. I don't remember all of them but I do remember certain poodles being in that group.

DDs dad decided to get them a dog. When he brought DDs home one day, in comes this little cute, cute puppy. I couldn't resist, argue or anything as she was so adorable. She was a poodle/terrier mix that they got at the pound. She had been fixed and despite her recovering for surgery she was quite playful.

After we had her for a day or so my allergies went nuts. I had a friend of mine take her for a day or so to see if that was the problem with the allergies. It was the problem, but not the dog. It was the flea dip that they used on her. I bathed her and never had a problem with her after that (except for going through 5 pairs of pumps which she chewed the heal on, 1 screen window she put a hole in while we gone - school & work-, etc.)

As for allergies irritating symptoms, for ME definitely. Every allergy season the MS symptoms act up. I recently learned, from experimenting, that as long as I take my allergy meds regularly I don't have any problems with the MS symptoms.

I wish you luck and hope that you will be able to get this little puppy. Let us know what you decide.

[beautytransforming]

Poodles are good dogs for people with allegies.

As far as allergies execerbating MS. I am on 3 allergy meds at all times because I have severe allergies (that happened when I moved to Mississippi). I also have a slight allergy to cats, and I have 4 of them! The reason I first went on allergy meds is because I break out in rashes. I have urticaria. I have found out though, that this can be cause by MS.

Good luck. Hope you get your puppy and you are able to live allergy free at the same time. Animals really enhance your life!

[Erin524]

Argh!!!

I called the pet store to ask about the dog, and they were generally unhelpful.

I wanted to know about the puppy's parentage, she couldnt tell me. Couldnt tell me anything about the breeder other than that they've sold her puppies for years. Wouldnt give me her name or phone number so I can call to ask about the parents.

I called the vet's office to ask if they know anything. They told me that the puppies the store sells are not puppy mill dogs, that they're a good pet store, and that generally all of the dogs are healthy.

The pet store lady refused to hose the puppy down. She told me that they wont spritz him if I come back to see him again, all I have to do is ask. My problem is that he's apparently been drowned in the perfume, and so he'll have leftover stench on him from previous stinkage.

My scent allergies are pretty strong. I might just have to go look at a puppy somewhere else, since the entire puppy area of the store smelled like baaaaaaad French perfume. Pepe' Le Pew probably smells better.

There's a pet store next to the craft store that I used to work at. I havent looked at their puppies yet. I might go out there and see what they've got.

I just cant believe the pet store people who have that poodle would be unwilling to let me see the puppy with the stink washed off. My dad and I are willing to get the dog if my allergies arent a factor. (my lazy-ness is probably a bigger factor in getting a dog. Not sure if I want to do all the work of training)

I do know that even dogs that are considered to be hypoallergenic can still trigger allergies. It's not just the type of fur/hair they have. The dog's saliva is another factor.

It just bugs me. That puppy was cute, and seemed to be a fairly decent example of poodle-ness. I like to think that I'm a good judge of dog quality. His ears were clean, he was clean except for the dog perfume and some crusty toes where he might have stepped on something. His eyes were clear, and he looked happy and looked right at me when I was talking to him. He was playful and seemed happy that someone was paying attention to him. I just wish they hadnt soaked him in stinky stuff.

[SallyC]

Yes They Can And Do..

(((((erin)))))

[Erin524]

Originally Posted by SallyC

Yes They Can And Do..

(((((erin)))))

I've been thinking about this puppy since I called the pet store about hoping they could de-stinkify the puppy so I could have a decent attempt to spend some time with it to see if I'm allergic. (that lady was rude in my opinion)

I'm thinking I probably wont get it. I would LOVE to get a dog, but if I get him and he doesnt set off my allergies for a few days, what happens then? By that point my parents would have bonded with him and I probably would have too...what if I had to give it up after that because of allergies.

Not that fair to the dog is it?

What I'll have to do if I want a dog is probably visit an allergist and get the official word on the allergy from someone who can actually show me what I'm allergic to.

and then find a private breeder who might be willing to let me spend quite a bit of time with a potential puppy before deciding on one.

I think I really just like that poodle puppy at the pet store because he looks so much like my poodle that I got when I was 11yrs old. It's the nostalgia of the poodle, and probably not the poodle himself.

I still might go back and look at him, but I might not. I need to talk to my dad about it some more. It's a good thing my dad and I are not telling my mom about this puppy. She would demand we get it and she would not give a crap if I'm allergic or not, she just wants a little doggy to play with. I do too, but not if it's going to make me sick.

I'm also not so sure about raising another dog. It really sucks when you realize that they dont live forever...actually poodles do live forever, my childhood poodle lived so long (18yrs, his brother lived almost 20. He belonged to my aunt) that he was blind, senile and incontinent and got lost in corners. We had to put him down when TinyMonsters came along, because Tiny was a bully to the old guy and that poodle was no longer enjoying being a dog.

Then there are the "joys" of dog ownership...poo...pee...dog vomit (Tiny was good at puking), and the ever fun and exciting genetic abnormalities. My poodle was epileptic (he had some impressive grand mal seizures), the yorkie I had before him was blind, TinyMonsters had problems with pre-bloat (bloat is another term for gastric torsion, which is where the dogs stomach twists and is potentially fatal. Tiny never got past pre-bloat stages tho) Tiny also had thyroid problems, allergies (ironic, isnt it?) and when Tiny died, he had kidney problems.

Argh...I want a dog...just not too sure I want to deal with the Real Life stuff that happens with dogs. Maybe I'll get a RoboDog instead?