Getting rid of feathering etc - what to ask for?

[Geordietyke]

I posted a short while ago that my dad had become allergic to Odie after more than 18 months of having him.  It's meant that he can't visit our house and we can't bring Odie to my parents' house.  It's tricky as they live 40 mins round trip and I can only leave Odie around 4 hours so my daughters don't spend much time with nanna and granda.  He has tried all the available inhalers via his local asthma clinic but they've not had any effect

It's frustrating because he's been stroking as many dogs as possible on his local field - including cockers and even one exactly like Odie and he's not had any symptoms afterwards

Anyway, my mam said that the only difference with the golden cocker on the field and Odie was that it had been cut very short (ie. no blonde feathering etc).

My question (eventually!) is what do I ask for at the groomers if I want to try this type of cut?  I know he'll not look like a traditional show cocker but I have to give it a go to see if it makes any difference.  Thanks, Lesley

[Holly Berry]

Just a thought before you get him cut, before your Dad comes bath him, brushing and combing him in the bath, you'll be suprised how much dead hair comesout. Then when he's dried and brushed again put him in an equafleece like this http://www.equafleece.co.uk/store/T-shirt_Dog_Suits.html that has front and back legs. Hopefully that will stop the hair flying around, and give the same effect as cutting off his feathers 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I've just had Charlie cut and I just asked for a short cut (he's a mud magnet). The lady at the groomers showed me a photo when I said it to make sure and I was sure

[bajoleth]

In all honesty I really don't think that getting his hair cut is going to solve the problem What is different when he meets the other dogs is that he is out in the open, when outside the hair or dander that he is allergic too gets blown away  very different to being in the house. I would try the above suggestion first , bath him , brush him with a stripping tool, Mars or a groomit to get rid of as much loose hair that you can and see if that makes a difference. When you visit is there an outside space he would be comfortable to spend time in or a separate room? Odie that is not your Dad

[Geordietyke]

Hi, thanks for those.

Holly Berry - he's got a 4 legged Equafleece but a lot of fur pokes out from the bottom still. 



I tried the brush/bath/brush and strip thing the last time but same reaction

The last time my dad touched Odie it was outside in the street, for about 10 seconds only (a quick pat on the head) so that doesn't tally with why the reaction with Odie outside and not any other dog

He spends a little time in the garden with his cousin Charlie whippet when we visit but of course, like any other cocker, he prefers inside

[bajoleth]

Just searched online, lots of articles which say much the same thing, regular bathing to reduce build up of dander, thorough brushing, using vacuums with Hepa filtration and a also wiping the dog down with a pet 'wet wipe' type thing before going into your Dads will inhibit the dander becoming airborne. HTH  

[Pisky]

I found I was allergic to Pippa when we first had her (I'm asthmatic too) - but no way was I sending her back! Even being with her in the garden would set me off.

One thing I found was when we switched her onto Burns puppy food my allergy got better - it was actually something in her food I was allergic too. Was having a clear out of the panty a few months later and when I was moving the remains of the old food out I became wheezy again...

[bajoleth]

Sorry Lesley I posted the same time as you, did you mean that he had a reaction from a 10 second meeting in the street???
Thats a really extreme reaction and unfortunately shaving completely from head to toe won't combat that type of extreme allergy. I don't know what to suggest??? I know this sounds silly but is it def Odie its not your perfume or any spray you put on Odie???

[bajoleth]

I found I was allergic to Pippa when we first had her (I'm asthmatic too) - but no way was I sending her back! Even being with her in the garden would set me off.

One thing I found was when we switched her onto Burns puppy food my allergy got better - it was actually something in her food I was allergic too. Was having a clear out of the panty a few months later and when I was moving the remains of the old food out I became wheezy again...

Could be worth looking into, does your Dad have allergies to anything else???

[bajoleth]

This could be quite informative to you,
http://allergies.about.com/od/specificallergens/a/dogallergy.htm

[Geordietyke]

Dad's def not allergic to me or my perfume, before I got Odie I used to spend most weekends at their house and of course prior to getting married I spent 20 years living with him   I use the same body spray/deodourant all the time and he has no reaction to anything when me and the kids visit. 

Odie doesn't have any spray etc.  My mam told me his reaction was on the evening (ie. at least 7-8 hours AFTER touching Odie).  As I don't know how asthma/allergies work, I wasn't sure if that could be right or not?  Surely the reaction would be almost immediate (or at least within an hour or so?).  No symptoms occurred during the day because he was helping my husband all day.

I've recently changed Odie to JWB but as I've been keeping both of them separate for weeks now, he hadn't started that food the last time they met.  Prior to that, he'd been on the same food as his own dog eats so I know he hasn't a problem with the food.

He is only allergic to cats/horses and certain dogs it seems. 

[bajoleth]

Mmmm the above link may be onto something, it could be the saliva rather than the fur as if it were the fur he would have a reaction as soon as he breathed in the allergen, whereas if its the saliva then the reaction would take longer???
I really hope you can come to some sort of solution to this as its obviously affecting you all If I come up with anything else I will let you know. Maybe someone with a similar problem on here will have a solution for you

[Geordietyke]

Thanks for links and advice Jo , it does seem that the saliva may be to blame but he's had the same spit for 2 years so I still don't understand why it's affecting him all of a sudden when he's just having very limited contact

Previous to these problems, we'd be at their house every weekend (and some overnight stays too) and no problems occurred for 18 months.  TBH I can't really see what can be done which is a shame as we'll be moving into our newly built house (hopefully later this year) and he won't be able to visit us.

[bajoleth]

I copied and pasted this for you, it may explain why he is allergic now but not before?

All allergies are developed, no one is born with them. It's just that some allergies develop earlier than others. Here's what happens during an allergic reaction. We'll use peanuts as an example. The first exposure to the allergen (in this case the peanut) will not produce an allergic reaction. At this point the body looks at the peanut and says ... "hmm, I don't like this peanut. I think I will make lots of antibodies to attack it if I ever see it again, but since I don't have antibodies for it now, I can't do anything". The next time the person eats a peanut, the body sends out all the antibodies it made to protect itself, and this causes an allergic reaction. If the allergy is one that is life threatening (anaphylaxis), it will always occur on the second exposure to the allergen. Less severe allergies work a little different. In a skin- allergy (i.e. hives), the body may not like something, but only makes a few antibodies at a time. On the next exposure it makes a few more, and on the next a few more, and on the next a few more. You can be exposed to something many times before there's actually enough antibodies to provoke a reaction. A reaction only occurs when there's enough antibodies to the allergen to cause a reaction. This is why some allergies develop later in life, and why some seem to be apparent from birth.

Not sure how it helps you though, really wish I could think of something constructive 

[bajoleth]

This is quite a helpful site
http://www.webmd.boots.com/allergies/dog-allergies
Sorry I am bombarding you now