Help with Asthmatic Grandson and my dog and cat!

[Russ]

I was wondering whether there is something I can use to make my dog and cat less allergenic. My grandson just went through a near fatal bout with pneumonia that was started by allergies and asthma. They have not tested his allergies to see if the dog or the cat is a problem yet so we are assuming at this time that they are the problem. As long as I have them living outside it should be OK but I feel bad I can't have the dog inside once in a while. Of course I will proceed very cautiously but it was cold last night, 38 degrees, and I felt bad about them being outside.

[drchelo]

I wish there were some way to make companion animals less allergenic. Some dog breeds - particularly Maltese, Poodles, Bichon Frises, and Chinese Crested - are non-allergenic. I don't know about cats, though.
There are some things you can do to keep the parts of the house where your grandchild is likely to be spending time less allergenic - no animals in the room where the child will sleep, vacuuming daily and emptying the bag immediately, foam pillows (not feather), and an air purifier with a HEPA filter will help a lot.
If the allergy testing does show that the child is allergic to animal dander, pre-treating with a non-drowsy antihistamine like Zyrtec, or a leukotriene like Singulaire could be helpful. but, best to check with the pediatrician first. all my patients are adults.

[Russ]

I didn't thank you for your response but thanks. The dog and cat have been outside since March and seem to actually like it. I have electric blankets and when it gets real cold I turn on the kerosene heater as they stay in my garage. It's worked so far except the kerosene is expensive.