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female
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anonymous
writes: i have bad allergies when it comes to cats..it will affect my breathing for atleast a day and a half. Alot of people i know have them so it was hard to avoid. I have a poodle which doesn't shed and have no allergies at all.My brother and his family have two cats and a dog..a german shepard with a mix of something else. The dog does shed but I don't know if it is just the cats I am allergic to or the dog as well.It is bothering me because I am supposed to see a guy soon for a date and we might be in his area and he has two dogs. I am worried if i will be allergic or not. He has larger dogs..one is a german shepard i think as well so i am assuming they might be shedding. So i am wondering now if i will be allergic or maybe it is just specifically cat hair/dander I am allergic to.Does anyone have experience with this situation or have an opinion? I would hate when i am there and the date is ruined because i have allergies :( was wondering if other people have an allergy to cat hair but not dog hair. Is cat hair a little different from dog hair? I hope that just because i am allergic to cat hair , I am allergic to dogs that shed.Thanks! Reply to this Question
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female
reader, tennisstar88  +, writes (26 November 2010):
 The aunts are spot on..
In fact you sound just like me, deathly allergic to cats and long haired dogs that shed..But short haired dogs you're just fine. We should have been kept in giant bubbles as kids!
That German shepherd will shed like no other, in fact there may be some hair floating around his place unless he vacuumed the place from top to bottom. Just notify him of your allergy ahead of time, possibly ask him if he could keep the dogs in another room or outside while you're there. I also wouldn't stay to long at his home. Also keep your hands away from your eyes. If you touch the couch infested with dog hair and then touch your eyes or rub them then the pet dander gets in your system causing an allergic reaction.
So it's better to let him know ahead of time, than having an allergic reaction on the date possibly causing you to cut the date short.
A
female
reader, largentsgirl89 +, writes (26 November 2010):
 I am extremely allergic to cats. I can't even be in the same room with a cat or it's an emergency room trip.
Dogs on the other hand, I do just fine with.
For me it's cat dander/hair that I'm allergic to and that maybe the same for and sometimes it could be the length of the hair on the animal.
It sounds like it's the pet hair that you might be allergic too and if you want more information or want to know for sure what you are allergic too, you can get allergy tests done from your doctor.
Just let the guy you have the date with know about your allergy in advance, I'm sure he will more than understand. I hope this helps. Good luck. Keep me posted okay?
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female
reader, YouWish +, writes (26 November 2010):
 Actually, you might be surprised at why you're allergic to cats and not dogs. The truth is, you're not allergic to the actual cat's hair itself. What you're allergic to is either a chemical found in the cat's saliva, or their sebacious glands, which are the glands in all animals that keep the skin moist and healthy.
I'm guessing that for you, it's the former. Cats groom by licking their fur, and in so doing, their dander is permeated with their saliva. The allergic reactions in susceptible people range from swollen nasal passages to life-threatening breathing/hives issues.
Hope that helps! Dogs don't groom by licking every inch of their body, so you can see why you differ in reacting to dogs versus cats.
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