Allergic to cats \ dogs, need pet suggestion
 

So while I am a cat person by nature, I am allergic to cats to the point where even though I can surpress the hay-fever type symptoms, I get eczema and other skin reactions.

Now my son, who is 10, is getting worse around cats and dogs.

The problem is, I have always had pets, usually cats, and a couple dogs in the mix. We have to re-home our 3 cats but I don't want to be without a family play pal.

So far, I've considered;
- Skunks (wife says no way)
- hairless cats (again, wife says no)
- pot bellied pigs (they whine too much)
- hairless dogs (wife says no)
- Bishon Freise (I say no, based on looks alone, haven't met \ played with one yet)


Anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks!

Jason

How about an iguana?

http://www.thepetprofessor.com/secAr...and-people.asp
http://www.ask-the-vet.com/dogs-for-...-allergies.htm

there starting to sell genetically altered cats and dogs for allergic people somewhere... i think i heard it on ccn.com

Thanks for the links, maleficent...

I am going to look into the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers. :thumbsup:

Psycho Dad - Iguana's are cool.. but not really a play pal sort of pet.

Jason

Ok... I don't know if that's cool or creepy... :confused: :hmm

I call bullshit on that one based on the dog hair in my AC filter.

Both you and your son need to spend some time with whatever pet you choose before you get committed (and attached). If your son has asthma, I would really consider a non mammal (ie no fur). I am allergic to cats and I used to get some runny nose and my face would itch around my sister's golden retriever. Fortunately I have no symptoms with my two greyhounds (retired racers) as they have very little fur and shedding is minimal. Look for a greyhound rescue group near you. Many have "meet and greets" at Petsmarts and similar stores on Saturdays.

How bout a rabbit?

Son's non-ashmatic, so thats good, risk is slightly lower. I still agree that time around is important before commiting. Have to make sure to get off the Allegra before hand to get the full effect.

Greytone - how are the greyhounds around kids? Are they high energy? (I assume they are, but you never know) We don't usually have time to walk the dog daily, nevermind 2 or 3 times a day. A buddy of mine has a Weimaraner and he's a great dog, but requires a LOT of exercise.

Bunnies haven't been ruled out, though I hear they stink. I've never owned one... anyone have any first hand experience?

Full-size poodles are nothing like the tiny shake-and-piss-dogs most people associate with the name. They are good natured and generally decent (though they look stupid as Hell).

I used to have two rabbits and they don't stink. They are super good natured too and really good around small kids.

How about one of these critters?

My niece has one and it is pretty neat actually.

If you want something friendly, boa constrictors are known for their ability to hug.

Good idea. And you could feed it anything you are allergic to.

:lol: Oh, that just made my day!

Guinea pigs! Cute, fun, and hypoallergenic! Depending how broad your allergies are, you may or may not be able to get a rabbit as well, without having any issues. Ohh! Chinchillas too.

I'm glad I came in this thread, another thanks to maleficent for the link. Oh, and how about a ferret?

Hamsters are great....we always had one (along with cats and dogs) when I was growing up.

One of my friends just got one, its black....Id never seen a black one before, its so cute.

Bearded Dragons are cool too....and they play as well

What about fish? get a nice big salt water aquarium...very cool in my book.

be careful about the sugar gliders... they can get mad if you dont have a ton of time to spend with em... a buddy of mine had one and whenever he let it out of the cage and crawl around his room while he was away for lunch when he came back it would jump on his face and claw at him... it was bizarre...


look into reptile pets... ive got a leopard gecko... they're small and easy to take care of... and they can handle being handled on a daily basis

bearded dragons can be really friendly and you can let em run around the house some...

here are some caresheets for a bunch of different reptile pets.... http://www.reptilerooms.com/Sections+main.html

get a ferret.. they don't stink like people say they do.. and they are fun

Friend of mine has a greyhound, that was a former racing dog. Baldur is as sweet as anything, a great big wimp (afraid of thunder and UPS trucks - FedEx he's OK with), and loves to run... but not long term running, will just take off - then stop. He's well trained, only runs in the backyard. And is great with a frisbee. The only problem with him, and I don't know if it's specific to the dog or to the breed, he's got no concept of taking it easy on really hot days. On a really hot humid day, he'll just run his blessed heart out, then get overheated and have to lay down in his doggie pool and get a cold water bath to cool him off, otherwise he gets sick. But he's a sweet, affectionate dog.

Are you allergic to all animals with fur? If not, there's always a bunny.

Rats can make good pets, as well as rabbits and ferrets. I've tried gerbils and hamsters and found them foul tempered. I guess it depends on the temperment of the individual animal.

Fish is the best solution and if you get pretty ones they look good hairless.

ok, heres my two cents

i have two relatives with a bishon. dont get one. i love playing with animals, but these guys are just annoying. if all of your attention is not directed towards them, they flip a shit. one of them knocks over anything he can find: glasses, food containers, small tables, christmas trees...the other one just pisses when you dont pet him.

greyhounds are absolutely amazing, but they do shed some.

parrots are awesome, they really connect with their owners and huge bonds are usually formed...but you cant 'play' with them too much, necessarily. its kinds hard to wrestly with a bird, or chase one around the house.

so here is my main suggestion. my neighbour once had a cat, i dont think it was hairless, it was more 'curly-haired.' i think it was egyptian or something. ugliest thing i had ever laid eyes on (except for the actual hairless ones), but hopefully thats not what matters to you. he was the most fun cat id ever seen in my life. i would enter a room, and when he was in it, he would stay dead quiet and sneak up on me. he would find a dresser or somethign and get above me, and then lunge onto my shoulders before i knew he was even in the room. but he wasnt aggressive or anything, because once there he would only start licking me. he loved to play but was content to just sit on your lap if thats what you wanted. i dont care how 'cute' some cats are, if i were to get a cat that would be it bar-none. and he didnt shed.

edit: i did a little bit of research, it was a Cornish Rex. check them out, some of them are even kinda cute

edit #2: a little more research, this fits the guy to a T: "In personality, the Cornish Rex is extremely affectionate and people-oriented. They are also active cats whose kitten-like antics last for their lifetime and who can be very inventive in their play. Favorite Cornish Rex games are fetch, catch and even “discus,” in which the cat uses its hand-like paw to pick up and toss a small object. In spite of their sophisticated, elegant appearance, Cornish Rex cats are anything but cool, aloof or dignified. They are perfect pets for the owner who wants active cats to participate in family life."

and it also said that they shed a lot less than other cats, and hairs can be found in filters, but some very allergic people still find themselves reacting to dander and saliva. i was very allergic to cats as a kid, eyes would puff up and water, and would get asthma, but this cat did not cause any sort of reaction. nonetheless, i would get you and your kid aclimated before making a move. if you have a problem with them, you would most likely also have a problem with bishons, greyhounds, rabbits, and the like.

Goat. A nice goat.

I'm a bird person ;) so I'm going to recommend birds. If you get ONE, they tend to bond with the owner very well. There are several varieties of small parrots that are friendly; I have cockatiels and love them. We only had one at first and she was our baby, she rode on either mine or hubbys shoulder everywhere we went.

I think someone already suggested ferret too. They are playful and from the ones I've seen, usually good tempered.

enderfox: We were playing tennis once and a couple brought their pet goat with them. It was some sort of miniature animal and it was just like a dog; running after the balls and such. It was pretty cute.

I have lots of pet allergies and my chinchilla (grumpy/the grumpster/sir grumpenstein/grump-a-doodle/mr grumpy-man) has never caused me any trouble, they have no dander and they don't smell -- perfect allergy-free pet!

If you want a "hypoallergenic dog" you might try a Labradoodle (no really :-). A guy in Australia crossed a Poodle and a Labrador in an attempt to create a guide dog for a blind woman that was allergic to dogs. Supposedly has the temperment of a Labrador and the hypoallerginality (?) of a Poodle. Also VERY cute like a Lab with curly hair so I'm sure your wife will love them. More info here: http://www.labradoodle-dogs.com/

How about a whippet?

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/dogimages/whippet.jpg

They're like a smaller greyhound.

OMG! I was off-line all day and come home to find a ton of great ideas! Obviously, I can't reply to each, but thanks all of the ideas!

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know what we end up with!

Jason

Standard poodles are a good choice. We have a standard and a cat.