Can someone with severe allergies own a pet?

Question

Severe as in allergic to trees, grass, weed, mites, dust, cockroaches, dogs, cats, etc.

Answer 1

wow, can you go outside at all?

there are allergy friendly breeds of dogs and cats, or if youre looking for something else there are many pets that dont trigger allergic reactions like fish, hermit crabs, reptiles, are you allergic to birds?

Answer 2

Depends.  Check the website.  I would be nervous about it though

Answer 3

I love my pet rock!

Answer 4

That would depend on how severely allergic you are and how much you want to suffer to have a pet.

The first poster is incorrect as there is no such thing as a truely hypoallergenic dog/cat.  When someone is allergic to an animal such as a dog or cat, it is the protein in the animal's salivia and dander (skin flakes) that causes the reaction, NOT the fur itself.

If you have an allergist, you may be able to inquire as to whether or not you can have allergy shots.  For some people these may lessen the sensitivity enough that you can have a dog/cat and manage the allergy with meds, etc.

Answer 5

yeah certain animals are hypoallergenic like dogs that don't shed  

Answer 6

Poodles are generally hypoallergenic, though you should probably hang out with one for a while first.  Likewise, hairless sphinx cats tend to be hypoallergenic.  It all depends on what the person is allergic to.  My best suggestion (other than fish and other pets-as-furniture) would be to decide on the type of pet (reptile, mammal, bird) then see what people have to say about hypoallergenic varieties.  I suggested the two best known from the cat/dog selections because that's what MOST people seem to mean when they say "pet"...but I would think iguanas would be fairly hypoallergenic if kept clean. NB: iguanas require a lot of care and are not easy to keep healthy.  This is NOT a pet for a young person (under 12) unless they're supervised and very dedicated.

Answer 7

I guess you could get a snake or fish.

Answer 8

yes... pets that are hypoallergenic. for ex. the american eskimo dog.

Answer 9

yes if u wanna die

Answer 10

yes , im living proof of that. If you are taking allergy shots weekly, you will not suffer the affects of pet dander. Also, if you get pets, the first little while will be hard and full of allergic reactions, but the more time you spend with them, your body builds up a tolerance to the dander and you dont suffer any of the allergic affects anymore.  

Answer 11

yes, i know someone who is allergic to dogs and they still have one. he gets shots from his doctor for the allergies to help the symptoms. you might also look into dogs that do not shed cause you may not be allergic to them

good luck!

Answer 12

Yes of course you can.  There are a couple of options.  The first thing you have to do is to determine what kind of alergies you have.  Cats and Dogs, you may be alergic to one type and not to another.  Go to your local Humane Society and spend some time with a pet you like.  It usualy only takes 30 mins or so to find out if you start itching.

In an extreem case they now breed hypoalergenic cats.  They cost around $4000 last I heard, so be prepared.

Answer 13

I have severe allergies and I own a Shih Tzu dog.  I've had her for 3 years now.  If you should research on Shih Tzu's they are referred to as Hypo-allergentic

Answer 14

you can get shots every two weeks for them or you can just get immune to them. i have cats...i WAS allergic to them until i just hung around them enough to get the hang of their hair and dust...but just make sure you have tissues around; )

Answer 15

You can get a fish tank, turtles or maybe even birds.  

Answer 16

I had this problem when growing up. If it was green and grew, or had fur or feathers. I took shots for years.

Quite possibly you could get a short haired dog such as a beagle or Labrador. Absolutely stay away from ANY cats or long haired dogs.

I eventually grew out of it at about 30 years of age except for cats.

Answer 17

some dogs dont shed

mine doesnt and he is mixed poodle

all poodle breeds are great for allergies because my sister has it bad

Answer 18

Definitely. There are many dogs out there that do not shed or shed very little, the breeder of the dog will usually tell you if the dog is hypoallergenic. Some cats, like the Sphynx, have almost no hair except for the ears and a few other places. There's also small animals, some guinea pigs have little/no hair. And if all goes wrong, you could get a fish! (Make sure you're not allergic to the food :P)