I'm allergic to my boys

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Hoggle*&*Ludo

Hoggle*&*Ludo

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It isn't the cage, hay, bedding etc...it's them. :(

Whenever I cuddle them, my neck goes spotty and itchy and my eye swells (the one on the side I hold them). I went to the Dr's last time it happened, about 2 weeks ago and they said I would never pin point exactly what was doing it cos I blamed make up, contact lenses. I haven't handled them much, if at all since then but did it last night and this morning, my eye has swollen again and my neck was itchy. :(

I have taken an anti-histamine, do you think cos I have taken it early on, it will improve because last time the swelling lasted nearly a week. :(

It isn't just the upset of not being able to hug them, it is so unsightly. I have a date coming up soon and it happened just the same last time I had a date. I am sick of this and don't know what to do.

Am I best re-homing them? :0:0:0:0
 
My sister has exactly the same problem as you with her 2 male guinea pigs.

She does handle them frequently still but is careful not to put them anywhere near her face or neck - she usually sits down with them on her lap. As soon as she's put them back in their cage she washes her hands and arms and any bare skin which has come into contact with them. This seems to do the trick and keep the swelling, redness, itching away. I think you can also buy anti - allergy pet wipes, they're really for dogs and cats, but I know of a few people who use them on guineas with apparently good results...............might be worth a try ?

Good luck and I really hope you dont have to resort to rehoming your piggies...............

Teresa xx
 
Hi i used to be the same with one of the boys i had, sadly i lost him earlier this year but i thought id give you my story in case it helps.

When i first got him all was fine, then all of a sudden after about 6 months i started and i was exactly the same as you and i had to stop handling him so much and cleaning them out was a nightmare. What i used to do was on the day i wanted to spend time with him (i had to limit it to about 3 times a week) i started taking piriton in the morning and took it all day long, then after handling i would wash and apply anti histamine cream and mostly it was ok.

About 3 months before he got sick, the allergy seemed to disappear and i could handle him a lot again, which was a godsend really as he was really poorly and he got lots of cuddles from his mummy.

I do feel for you as its such a horrible feeling, but it can be worked on, and it may change, you never know.

Good luck either way :{
 
Steven is allergic to Sookie who is an Abby and was also allergic to Cleo who was an Abby so I think with him it's just the piggies with longer fur. He comes up in hives which are itchy. Generally it's wherever the fur comes into contact with his skin they come up so wearing long sleeved tops helps and he takes his anti histamine tablets if it flares up which seems to help.

Try not to let them get close to your neck or face and cover up your arms with long sleeved tops. You could even try wearing gloves when handling them then see if doing all the above makes a difference. I know it's not ideal but if it works then hopefully you won't have to consider re-homing them.
 
I am on hay fever meds all year round now (but I was on them between January and November even before I had any piggies again!).

As a student, I used to come out in hives when I had to sleep in a room with piggies, which is the main reason why I do not want to have any permament piggies in my bedroom, even though I have no allergic reaction to the piggies themselves anymore!

Just keep their fur away from your face and just used your hands for playing and petting.
 
I'm allergic to pretty much anything, but similarly i can't put pigs by my neck or face without a rash and really itchy eyes and throat mallethead. Like everyone has said i don't put them up by my face, but they still get lots of cuddles. I also wash my hands immediately after handling so i don't touch my eyes etc. Like Wiebke i am also on anti-histamines all year round, but i consider it a necessary :)
 
I'm not sure if this will help, but I suffer with a condition called 'Hives' or 'skin writing' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatographic_urticaria

So I'm allegic to everything I touch, I take 1 anti histimeain a day which is also basically a hayfever table and altho my skin reacts (red bloches) it goes down fast and doesn't itch, try taking one a day (morning) and see if it makes a difference, if you don't wanna rehome your babies, there is always another answer, dosing up :)
 
I get itchy arms after handling any of my piggies, but funnily my hands aren't itchy at all!

I try and handle my piggies wearing a jumper so i don't get itchy.
 
Gems said:
Steven is allergic to Sookie who is an Abby and was also allergic to Cleo who was an Abby so I think with him it's just the piggies with longer fur. He comes up in hives which are itchy. Generally it's wherever the fur comes into contact with his skin they come up so wearing long sleeved tops helps and he takes his anti histamine tablets if it flares up which seems to help.
Click to expand...

Thart's really stange, as Simon has a reaction when he holds Boris (who is also an aby) but not the girls who are all smooth-haired.

Just thought it was him being odd but I guess it must be the different hair that causes a problem :{
 
i have suddenly become allergic to them too, my skin blotches up and itches like mad, but its only the skin on my forearms and neck and chest, everywhere else is ok, its funny how its only developed in the last few months!
I kissed little gold the other day and i had a little cut on my lip, and my lip swelled right up!
I'm just keeping them away from my irritateable parts! :(|)
 
I also get itchy swellings if I put a piggie near my face. So keep away from face and neck and dont touch your bare skin until you have washed your hands. Some piggies affect me more than others,and it was the same when I had cats . One I could be close to but her sister made my eyes itch if I touched my face after stroking her. Keep the Piriton to hand and take it perhaps once a day .
Sometimes these allergic reactions seem to "burn" themselves out.so I hope they do for you.
 
I get itchy and get spots on my arm when i cuddle romeo...none of the others just him. Its not serious though so I dont care.
I really feel for you hun. Hugs. its such a shame.
 
mu OH is also alergic to our boys but he wasn't as much with previous who were both short smooth haired. F&F are sheltie cross and rex and they get him really bad with the puffy eyes and runny nose. He gets blotchy skin if theirs paws touch his bare skin. I have advised him to wash his hands thoroughly after each handling and not to put them near his face.
 
All those with allergies mention piriton - have you tried other meds?.....piriton doesnt work for me (not allergy for piggies luckily but any type of insect bite gives me a massive reaction) .........however changing to zirtek is/has been fantabulous.....and it's also non-drowsy


Might be worth therefore trying other antihistamines (that don;t have the same ingredients as piriton)......

x
 
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