Allergies - Paw Talk

Nikki6496 · #1 05-11-2005, 10:25 AM

Does anyone know of allergies to guinea pigs? I used to have one for awhile and I found that I was sneezing and had itchy water eyes more often than before I got him. Luckily my friend took him in and gave him a good home.

I saw something on tv awhile back saying that you can't be allergic to guinea pigs but maybe their dried urine and if you keep it clean it wouldn't be as bad.

I'm just wondering if it was the guinea or if it was the shavings or something else I was allergic to?

Any ideas? Does anyone know if you can get allergies to guineas?

***Jade*** · #2 05-11-2005, 02:10 PM

You can basically have an allergy to any protein. For example, it isn't cats people are allergic to, it's the certain protein in their dander. The only way to know for sure is to be tested by an allergy doctor.

Nikki6496 · #3 05-11-2005, 03:18 PM

I was!

I'm allergic to all the good things! Kitties, horses, trees, leaves, grasses, weeds, dust. I'm a mess. It got really bad with the guinea pig, thats why I had to give him up

. I just thought maybe if it was something I could change I could get another one. (Not that Ken would let me or anything) I was getting allergy shots for the longest time and I believe they did help a lot with the cats especially. They never mentioned guinea pigs though, so I'm sure I didn't get a shot for that!

oh well wishful thinking I guess.

lilchris_28 · #4 05-12-2005, 12:52 AM

We use to have a rabbit and my mom was allergic to him. Her eyes would water and her nose would be stuffy all the time and when she held him she'd break out in hives. I'm allergic to my mice. When they crawl around on my shoulders, my neck always breaks out in hives. Neither one of us are allergic to the guinea pigs and we have three. I was, however, highly allergic to the wood shavings that I used a couple years ago. We thought it was the GP. I used pine (before I knew better) and aspen and both of them bothered my mom, me, and my GP.

ratty_ratkins · #5 05-13-2005, 12:25 PM

i am allergic to my pets and have to get shots and i take 3 prescriptions that dont even seem to work. but i still have all my pets. after a while its something you have to learn to deal with. however now i have asthma (SP) and the rats are expected to be the blame. (i am VERY allergic to them, and living with them for 6 years probably caused me to have asthma)

TNSWfan80 · #6 05-13-2005, 06:12 PM

i got a rash, REALLY itchy watery eyes, and sneezed alot, then changed his bedding to klin dried wood with LOW dust.......a bit better now....unless he gets to running around alot

it may also be from his piddle too.

Kazerieth · #7 05-25-2005, 04:07 PM

Hi, my boyfriend is seriously allergic to our rabbit. He currently lives indoors (the rabbit!) and is so friendly with loads of character. Unfortunately because of my boyfriend he is having to go outside, oh well he is having a huge hutch and the run of the garden as often as poss!

TNSWfan80 · #8 05-26-2005, 12:20 AM

" He currently lives indoors (the rabbit!)"

LOL thanks for clarifying