Dear Dr. Forsythe: I am interested in getting a small dog for my kids, but I’m allergic. Can you recommend a breed that won’t cause my allergies to flare up? I held my friend’s toy poodle the other day and afterwards I got really itchy. I thought they were supposed to be hypoallergenic dogs.
Lisa, Sonoma
Dear Lisa: There is no such thing as a truly allergy-free dog, and even though poodles are generally known for being less irritating to allergies, perhaps your friend’s pet didn’t “get the memo.” Breeds such as poodle, bichon frise and wire-haired terrier may be less irritating to people’s allergies but are still equipped with the ability to bark, nip and poop at will – thus able to irritate even the nicest of neighbors. (Oh, I’ll get some feedback for making that comment, but that’s OK, I love these breeds!) And there are many mixed breeds that do little shedding, if any. My children have a prized pet that is the love of their lives: a little half-Chihuahua, half-shih-tzu named “Honey Bunny who’s so Sunny.” She doesn’t shed, she is no trouble and she is sweet and lovely. It is important to remember that it is not the fur that causes the allergy, but the pet’s dander. The base of the hair is an excellent delivery system for dander – so when a pet sheds some hair, the flying hair does a great job of spreading around dander, which winds up in a human’s nose causing mayhem, misery, and sometimes a trip to the doctor.
I believe that it is better to have loved a pet and sneezed than never to have loved at all, so I do encourage you to go out and find the best little dog you can, concentrating on choosing one that has continuously growing hair rather than fur. A continuous hair growth breed that is bathed regularly and kept in great physical condition will make your life happier and healthier I’m supposing. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I work at a drive-through coffee place. People come through with their dogs all the time. I am surprised that one of our customers turns down the little biscuit we offer her Chihuahua and lets her dog taste the whipped cream from her drink instead! That little pet eats better than I do, but isn’t whipped cream risky for a dog to eat?
Barista in Sonoma
Dear Barista: Yes, whipped cream is risky for a dog to eat, because the high fat content can cause gastritis and other problems like pancreatitis. Most dogs are lactose intolerant, so blow-out diarrhea can result from eating milk, cream and dairy products unless the pet has developed an iron stomach.
Pets are constantly offered things that aren’t good for them, and we need to be able to intervene at a moment’s notice. I remember driving through a TCBY yogurt stand several years ago, when the attendant offered my bulldog, Mrs. Butterworth, a free, small hot-fudge sundae because she was so cute sitting in the back seat staring up at him while I was getting my order. The clerk was really insistent and said, “Please, it’s free, she’ll like it!” Finally I had to be a little forceful. I let him know I was a veterinary student and that the treat could make her really sick and even kill her. Needless to say, this put a damper on his otherwise sweet smile. I realize that all he wanted was to give a treat to my wondrous and voluptuous bulldog. But in his effort to give her a treat she’d remember, he’d have given her something I suspect she’d have remembered for a long time: a trip to the veterinary clinic and a few days in the hospital. People have so many good intentions when it comes to pets, but it is important to remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to the care of our precious dogs and cats. Thanks for whipping up a great question for me.
Dr. F
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