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Risk & Pet Keeping

Hypancistrus

Hypancistrus

New member
I am inspired to post this thread here after a debate emerged at the fish forum that I moderate for regarding the risk of getting "bird keepers lung" from keeping pet birds in your house.

I am wondering what everyone here's opinions are of risk management and pet keeping-- where do you draw the line?

I will briefly summarize my stance on the issue. I have moderately bad asthma. I am allergic to most things with fur and probably the feathered things as well, though, to my knowlege, I've never been tested for that. I am under the care of an allergist I like, after having fired one that I did not like (he wanted me to be bubble girl) In spite of this, I live with a dog, a cat, a bird, countless furries, and of course, my herps. I compensate for this by medicating myself. It's not perfect, and I am sure I could breathe better if I gave up my pets and lived the bubble girl life... but then there wouldn't be much of a point to living, would there?

I enjoy my pets. They give me a reason to be happy when I come home each night. They help me to forget the fact that my students can't multiple 10 x 3 without a calculator. They get me through my day... they are my companions and make my life brighter than it could ever be without them.

So I could give my animals up and reduce the risk of contracting lung cancer or some other lung disease. Then again, I do live in Baltimore, where the air quality is crap (literally) and it's probably going to kill me anyway.

But I could give up my pets and be that much safer, that much "healthier" physically speaking....

And I could still be killed in a car crash on my way to school.

Health is, after all, merely the slowest possible way of dying.

I would love to hear other people's thoughts on the risk versus reward of pet keeping... I am pretty sure that people in here will understand my line of thinking better than other people might.
 
I hear ya, Lauren! I have allergies to cats... but can't stand cats (don't hate me everyone).

My grandfather loves dogs and has had LOTS of dogs - all the while being allergic to them. He used to get weekly shots from his doctor or just put up with the reactions he had - because he loved his dogs.

My feeling is this... if you can make that sacrifice, I don't see why it matters. As long as YOU (or whomever) pays for that sacrifice out of your (or whomever) own pocket, it really is a matter of personal choice.

Now, IF things in this country come to the point where tax dollars could be used to pay for someone's allergies to pets they have... THEN, I'd have an issue. LOL.
 
Do you drink a glass of red wine every day, eat fish twice a week, excercise regularly, etc, etc? I'm just saying that there is probably a long list of things each one of us could do to make our lives healthier. You just have to find a happy medium for yourself. I'd say in most cases the stress reduction from having pets evens out any health risks associated with them.
 
r regarding the risk of getting "bird keepers lung" from keeping pet birds in your house.
Click to expand...

I believe this is from Dirty Cages. I am sure if you clean regularly as with any animals all allergies would be kept to a minimum.
 
My daughter has pretty bad asthma. The only thing we do is use substrates other than aspen...that's the main reason I tried coconut fiber as a substrate...less dust.

But I wouldn't give up my pets, and I don't think she would either...
 
Have you ever tried desensitizing yourself from pet allergies? I haven't done it myself, but apparently you can get special drops you put on your tongue from some specialists that help you develop resistance to the allergens....

I would LOVE to own a cat, but my family is allergic and would complain too much. If it were me though, I think I could suffer through a couple sneezes.
 
You could catch worms...... Seriously.... I was reading about allergies, and it was found to be less on the continent, where a lot of raw or very rare meat was eaten. People get cases of worms there regular, thats why they have a shelf in the toilet, sort of have a look and see if you need the doctor.
Any way, it was found that the worms secrete something to stop you rejecting them, thus desensitizing you to allergies..... In fact one doctor, regularly give his self worms and monitors how they are progressing, to ward off his allergies.....
 
I guess you have to look at risks vs benefits.

There are risks with almost anything in life. If the risks outweigh the benefits then perhaps it's not a good idea. If the benefits outweigh the risks then perhaps it is ok.

I for one would not give up my birds for anything. For me, the benefit I get from them far outweighs the risk.

If I was afraid to do anything that took a little risk...well, forget driving to work every day. I'd be sitting in a sealed room with pumped in oxygen supply surrounded by padding.
 
I would much rather have my pets and suffer a few 'health problems'. I love having animals. They are my babies and as others have said, they really help me out. When things are down I have them to cheer me up.

My dog, the one I've had for 7 years now, always stays in the bedroom with me if I sleep later than my fiance. Whereas our pup gets up with him. When I wake up, she's curled up next to me. If I spend a few minutes waking up some I lay there and pet her. She's a great companion and if someone told me 'having that dog is going to be the death of you. It's germy and the germs are going to kill you'. Well, I would say that at least I would die happy!!
 
I have wicked dander allergies, but I still have a cat. I can't imagine my life without my animals.

I guess I'd ask myself which was more important to me, a long life, or a quality life. And like you said, even if you remove all health risks from your life, there's still no guarantee you'll live to be 100.

I think I'd only draw the line if it were a health risk for my kids to own a certain pet.
 
snakewispera snr said:
You could catch worms......
Click to expand...

Hmm... thanks, think I will stick with my prescription drugs. ;)

Calift said:
Have you ever tried desensitizing yourself from pet allergies? I haven't done it myself, but apparently you can get special drops you put on your tongue from some specialists that help you develop resistance to the allergens.
Click to expand...

Nope. Never gotten shots either. I am on one oral inhaler, a nasal inhaler, and Zyrtec pills to control the "itchy" reaction that dog hair sometimes gives me. I spend about $45 a month on allergy control, though to be honest, if I didn't have pets the only thing I could give up is the Zyrtec due to my asthma.

Em Wright said:
I would much rather have my pets and suffer a few 'health problems'. I love having animals. They are my babies and as others have said, they really help me out. When things are down I have them to cheer me up.

My dog, the one I've had for 7 years now, always stays in the bedroom with me if I sleep later than my fiance. Whereas our pup gets up with him. When I wake up, she's curled up next to me. If I spend a few minutes waking up some I lay there and pet her. She's a great companion and if someone told me 'having that dog is going to be the death of you. It's germy and the germs are going to kill you'. Well, I would say that at least I would die happy!!
Click to expand...

Very good post, Em. Well put and I agree totally.

StormRose said:
I can't imagine my life without my animals.

I guess I'd ask myself which was more important to me, a long life, or a quality life. And like you said, even if you remove all health risks from your life, there's still no guarantee you'll live to be 100.
Click to expand...

Yup, my point exactly... and anyway, having heard Tara's stories of the very old demented people in her nursing home... well, I think I'd rather not end up like them! :eek1:
 
I got allergy tested a couple years ago. They poked my back with 56 different allergens. I reacted to 29 of them :fullauto: . As far as animals, I am allergic to cats, dogs, parakeets, and rats. And of course, I have pet cats, dogs, birds, and rats :headbang: .

I wouldn't give them up for anything! I do not mind taking 3 different allergy medications just to have them in my life.
 
I worked with a gal that had lots of allergies to small animals...however, she could tolerate them. EXCEPT the guinea pig...apparently guinea pigs will make her throat close up. whenever a customer wanted to see/hold/whatever a guinea pig she would come and get someone else to do it.
 
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