Growing up I was never allergic to anything. My brother, OTOH, was allergic to air… well, bacteria in the air, and had to go through years of desensitization therapy, which really helped him. I had pets growing up, both dogs and cats, and never had any allergic reactions.
Flash forward to today. It’s been 20 years since I had a dog, although I have had cats on and off for the past 20 years. Still no allergic reactions, even to friend’s dogs.
Two weeks ago we got a 12 week old puppy, a Parson Russell Terrier, and within a few days I started noticing symptoms that seemed allergy related. I handle the puppy during the day, and while I sometimes get sneezy during the day, if I take an OTC allergy pill in the morning my day seems pretty normal. I go to bed about 10:30 pm and the puppy sleeps in a crate in a separate room at the other end of the house.
When I wake up in the morning, usually around 6:00 am, I am so plugged up I can’t breath through my nose at all. My chest isn’t too bad, but my sinuses are completed clogged. After blowing my nose a half dozen times I feel a little better, and once I take my allergy pill I am fine within a few hours. I thought about taking an allergy pill before I go to bed, but I’m told it will likely keep me awake, which would be a real problem.
So here are my questions:
Does this sound like a typical canine dander issue, or could it be coincidental to getting the dog?
Is it common for someone to suddenly become allergic to a substance they never were allergic to before?
Is there an OTC allergy medicine I can take that won’t keep me up at night, or should I see my doctor and get something prescribed?
IANAD, but I have some experience with allergies myself.
I take Singulair at night for asthma, and it also helps with nasal allergy symptoms, and it doesn’t keep me awake (in fact they recommend it be taken at night). There is a generic form of this drug, but I forget the name. Neither is OTC, but the generic one is pretty cheap if you can get a prescription.
I don’t know that there are “typical” dog dander allergy symptoms, but they often include respiratory issues (asthma, sneezing) and skin issues like itching. Sometimes dog saliva can also be an irritant.
I believe you can become sensitized at any age, so yes, it is possible. I think the only way to know for sure is to see an allergist and get a test.
Roddy
Thanks. I just left a message for my PCP and hopefully he will have time to see me and we can discuss options. I have no problem seeing an allergist, but I’m pretty sure this is your run-of-the-mill dog allergy. I will ask him about Singulair.
OTC allergy medications shouldn’t keep you awake unless they also have a decongestant, Allegra vs Allegra-D for example. The latter has a stimulant decongestant, pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, I can’t remember which, that could keep you awake at night.
All I would say is that you need to get a diagnosis from an actual allergist. Self-diagnosis of allergies is incredibly common, and extremely unreliable.