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Allergic To Guinea Pigs Or Hay

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tasante

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Hi, We recently adopted two beautiful cavies (it hasn't even been a week). My 8 year old son began coughing within a day of their arrival and has gotten progressively worse. Since visiting the emergency the Dr. has recommended finding a home for the guinea pigs for a few days to see if it makes a difference before we make any final decisions.
My daughter is very distraught and we're all upset that we might need to lose our new pets. So I'm looking for options. My son has seasonal and airborn allergies and allergies to cats. We thought he would be OK with the cavies as we initially went to a pet store and had him hold them and rub his face in their fur and no reaction. We even stored hay in his sister's room for a week and nothing happened - so this extreme asthmatic reaction was a surprise.

If its a hay allergy I'm wondering if they can survive without hay. I read one article that indicated that the Oxbow Hay Company Cavy Cuisine pellets could be substituted for hay as its made from 100% Timothy hay - any opinions on that would be great

Currently the cavies are locked in my daughter's room and my son is not allowed in or to touch them but they are right across from each other. We're looking at an air purifier but the Dr. says that if he's allergic to them it won't make enough of a difference. He's currently on a puffer and allergy medicine but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Any suggestions would be helpful regarding the hay or ways to keep the dander down - we also switched over to fleece liners with towels as absorbers to decrease the fibre and airborn stuff.

We would love to keep our piggies but I have to put my son's health first. Thanks for your help.
 
I'm afraid I can't help you much but I can say that hay is the most vital part of their diet and is important for their teeth as well as their guts so I can't imagine there is ever any suitable substitute.

There is a company called dustfreehay that sells dust extracted hay - personally I don't use them as it is a little more pricey and there's no allergies here to worry about, but others have said it is very good - maybe worth a try?
 
There is no way they can live without hay. I am allergic to my piggies and take an antihistamine daily which helps. I do not know if that is possible for your son.
 
I don't know where you're based, but could you consider housing your pigs outside in a well bit hutch; with a move into a shed or an extra well insulated and sheltered hutch for the winter months?

My husband turned out to be extremely allergic to our Rex pig - (major asthma attack when greeting him after we'd returned from a week's holiday where OH had been wheeze free). I'd had the boys for several months then and was determined to keep them. So they moved outside permanently into a sheltered and well insulated hutch. Their bedding also lives outside as the hay can also make OH wheeze a bit.

Hubby is very fond of the boys, and as they don't live inside he can interact with them without them making him ill. It's been quite entertaining some summers to see Hubby outside on a blanket on the lawn with a cup of tea chatting away to two burbling chaps who were out in the run begging for just one more dandelion leaf.
 
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I take a daily antihistamine, too. Hay is an inevitable part of a piggy's diet so can't be avoided.
 
Nicola_ said:
I'm afraid I can't help you much but I can say that hay is the most vital part of their diet and is important for their teeth as well as their guts so I can't imagine there is ever any suitable substitute.

There is a company called dustfreehay that sells dust extracted hay - personally I don't use them as it is a little more pricey and there's no allergies here to worry about, but others have said it is very good - maybe worth a try?
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I am allergic and I buy the dust extracted timothy from dustfreehay.co.uk it def makes my allergies easier. You will find if your son has seasonal allergies it will prob be both, due to the way your histamine reacts in your body, the piggies and the hay. When my skinny pigs hairy noses touch my skin or they scratch me I get hives and cough and itchy eyes. When I fill their hay I sneeze and cough. I take Piriton 2 a day and it relives alot although spring is coming and I always suffer with hayfever so to be honest I am used to it.I also use an air purifier. .have this in your sons room, it will help xx
 
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