2 Boxers--Many Tears--Advice please

[Cozy]

Hi...

I'm curled up on the couch with my two best friends....Hunter and Rocco....they are brothers. But I've also come to the realization that with my husband's worsening asthma...well, whats more important? The health of my husband or the joy of my boys? It's just hitting me now because my husband recently had a flare up due to the Dog-hair and my son raced to get his inhaler. Our home is small and I dont really have a way to keep it hair free, if you know what I mean. Hubby falls asleep many nights on the couch in the livingroom because he has trouble sleeping...and how can I get rid of the hair and dander in every area of the house? It's dawning on me that I seriously have to think about giving my babies up. Talk about babies...I was there when one of them was born!

Before I flip out and loose it, can anybody offer me some support or advice? I feel protected having my boys with me...and I get such joy from them, but I have to think as a mom and wife first. My husband quit smoking and has increased his cardio workouts and is very good shape....except for this problem.

Has anyone else gone thru this? I know you guys will understand. I think I need some support and friendship while I try and come to some decision.

Thanks

 

[Morgan3]

I have a son who is allergic to dogs and cats. We have 2 boxers and 2 cats. Now he does not asthma, but what I have done is:
Remove carpeting, replace with hardwood flooring. No mini blinds, roller shades only.
Bought a Dyson, expensive, but worth every penny for cleaning up animal hair. Dyson Animal it is called. Love it, works great. I vacumn every other day.
Wet dust. Dampen the cloth with water slightly and dust , so that it doesn't just fly around.
Keep the dogs off the furniture and out of the bedroom. Get a good air cleaner.
These are just some things you can do to ease the symptoms that trigger his asthma attacks.

How long have you had the dogs? Is it allergy related asthma? I really didn't know that people who had asthma couldn't be around dogs, unless of course it is allergy related asthma.

 

[DaisyPie]

Sorry, can't help but I wanted to wish you luck in whatever you choose to do. I have asthma too, but for some reason my dogs have never been a trigger. I know this is a very difficult decision, and we all know that you will do what is right for your family and your boys.

 

[Widges]

Remove carpeting, replace with hardwood flooring. No mini blinds, roller shades only. Bought a Dyson, expensive, but worth every penny for cleaning up animal hair. Dyson Animal it is called. Love it, works great. I vacumn every other day.Wet dust. Dampen the cloth with water slightly and dust , so that it doesn't just fly around.
Keep the dogs off the furniture and out of the bedroom. Get a good air cleaner.

My Dad developed a severe allergic reaction to dogs when our Irish setter was 12 years old, he was also diagnosed with chronic asthma. Now he refused to let my Mum give the dog away (even to a family member), he knew she would blame him even though it was his health that was on the line. We did all of the suggestions above and it all worked a treat. His asthma was then manageable which is the key. I also have asthma & every house we live in has the carpets ripped up, hardwood floors put down & curtains taken down replaced by wooden slat blinds that I wipe with a wet cloth when I see the dust/hair.

 

[apollocreed]

Hi, sorry to hear about your husband's problems with asthma. I have asthma as well, and had really bad allergies that trigger asthma attacks especially due to pet dander. Is your husband on any controlling medication? They can help a tremendous deal. I take a combination of singulair and claritin for my allergies, and flovent for asthma control and never experience any symptoms. I went from having to take my albuterol inhaler 2-3 times a day, to only taking it once ever few months because I missed a few doses or something. Good luck, and hope everything works out...

 

[Kota Bear]

This may sound crazy... but get your husband to a chiropractor. Adjustments help tremendously with asthma as well as many allergies!
Many insurance companies don't cover chiropractic care, so it could get pricey, but compared to money spend on inhalers and medications it's worth it!

 

[tesster]

Are there any drugs that he hasn't tried to help?

I also have a dyson animal and love it. It's 100% worth the expense, especially if pulling up all the carpet in your house isn't an option. Most allergists for people with severe allergies (don't know if this applies to asthma) recommend removing all the carpet. If that's an option. I recommend getting the mop products from act natural, especially the dry cloth.

Act Natural cloths are amazing. www.actnatural.net. They are made of microfiber and pick up so much dust and hair, it's unbelievable.

I hope you can work it out so that you can keep the dogs.

 

[Morgan3]

We did not rip up all the carpet. But did remove it from my son's room. The allergist said that the most important place to keep the animals out of are the bedroom.

So we removed the carpet, put down generic pergo, took down the miniblinds and put up roller shades and his room is off limit to the dogs. Works great.

Those dysons are the best, worth every penny. I love mine and my husband and I fight over who is going to vacumn, ...

There are many options for you and your husband to try before you have to lose your babies. Hang in there , try some of the suggestions here and see if any of it helps.

 

[EAO76]

I agree with all the previous suggestions. We have hardwood throughout and you’d be AMAZED at the difference it makes. Every few days I swiffer under the beds and furniture and I get clumps & clumps of dust, hair, etc. If I had carpet that dust would always be there because I wouldn’t be moving all the furniture every few days to vacuum under it. Also pergo is another option.

I also second the suggestion on the Dyson Animal. I vacuum my couch every few days with the upholstery attachment. You would not believe how much dust & hair accumulates on the couch in just a matter of a few days. The dyson is far superior to any other vacuum I have ever used.

Also you can make certain rooms off limits to the dogs. And a good air purifier helps.

Are you sure the dogs are what trigger his attacks? Has he been diagnosed with dog allergies? I just would hate to see you rehome your dogs and then in the end have them not even be the problem.

 

[TossBranAbi]

Stephen is allergic to the dogs and he doesn't have asthma but I would think the same things would apply.
His allergist suggested taking up all carpeting, getting all leather furniture, no curtains, vacuum with a hepa filter vac everyday and buy special shampoo and spray to use on the dogs. As well as buying a allergy matress cover and to not allow the dogs in the bedrom. To be honest, we haven't done any of that except vacuum everyday and I pay special attention to dusting now. Stephen wants the dogs in the bedroom and the matress cover would be pointless with the dogs in the room.

I do brush the dogs out every day with a kong zoom groom outside and make sure there is as little possible dog hair floating around. After he had the allergy test we found out he is allergic to the stupidest things and no matter what he would always have symptoms so now he is doing immunotherapy. Goes once a week to get alergy shots and will do so for the next year then after that he will give the shots to himself for another 2-4 years. If he wouldn't be doing the immunotherapy, we would have done what the allergist suggested above but with everything he is allergic to, there is no way we could improve the situation without doing the immunotherapy.

Good luck and I hope it doesn't come down to you having to give up your best friends.