allergies, dogs, and tattoos

March 20, 2008 8:10 PM

A two part question about allergies, dogs, and tattoos.

First is it possible to be allergic to a specific breed of dog?
I am allergic to cats, and get itchy eyes and hands, and asthma type symptoms if I handle them, but I'm getting similar symptoms with dogs now.
I work at a kennel so I am around 100+ dogs all day. I only feel allergic about once a week, but it's the same symptoms as with cats, except I also get hives a little. Can it be a specific breed that's doing it?

Second part: I've gotten small itchy bumps on my forearm three times, always when I'm having the itchy eyes and asthma thing. They go away a few hours after they appear.
The tattoo part is this- my right arm is completely tattooed with no bare skin above the wrist. My left arm has big chunks of ink, but also big chunks of bare skin. Is it just coincidence that I'm only getting hives on the bare skin or is there more to it?

posted by gally99 to health & fitness (7 answers total)

I am not a doctor.

However, I do have allergies and tattoos. I tend to be more sensitive to particular cats-- not a breed of cats, but a particular cat or two. Not sure why that happens. I think if you are having increasing symptoms you should see an allergist about maybe getting tested and taking the shots.

Regarding the tattoo thing, I too have never gotten rashes on my tattooed skin. No idea why. Maybe the ink replaces the part of the dermis that is sensitive?
posted by miss tea at 4:11 AM on March 21, 2008

I have an Akita I am not at all allergic to. I am terribly allergic to greyhounds though.

I have only one tattoo, but when I got interested in them at all, I got a red dot as a tester because I am sometimes prone to terrible hive-like allergic skin reactions.

I had absolutely no problem with the red dot. Later when I replaced it with a 1.5" diameter tattoo of a reset button, I had no problem with that process or any of the ink. No problems at all with skin issues on or around the tattoo. It's kinda spooky, honestly.
posted by kalessin at 5:39 AM on March 21, 2008

Allergies can develop later in life, so it's possible that you're becoming allergic to certain dogs, or certain breeds of dogs, even if you never were in the past. Have you been to an allergist? Have you tried loratadine (Claritin, etc.) or other antihistamines?
posted by bassjump at 5:45 AM on March 21, 2008

I am allergic to some breeds but not others (and not just along the lines of the supposedly less allergenic dogs like poodles and bijons). I can't get within 20 feet of an English Springer Spaniel, but my lab/pit/beagle/German shorthaired pointer mixes sleep with me in my bed. German shepherds and huskies--allergic. Dalmations--not so much. You get the idea.
posted by Pax at 6:03 AM on March 21, 2008

i have allergies, cats, and tattoos.

allergies change over time and it is possible for you to all of a sudden be allergic to dogs. seriously.

as for the tattoos, when i'm having a bad allergy flare, some of my tattoos puff and get itchy. this is only in places where the artist "went too deep" however. this seems to be a common occurence in people with allergies. it's nothing to be worried about, though it is annoying. you can try rubbing some benadryl gel or similar on the area, that helps me sometimes.

if your allergies aren't too bad, you'll probably be able to get relief with claritin or zyrtec which are both otc now. zyrtec causes drowsies in lots of people though, so be aware of that. also, you may want to get a script for fexofenadine (generic allegra) since that's pretty cheap these days.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:51 AM on March 21, 2008

wait, i read that in reverse. you get hives on the bare skin, not the tattooed skin...

well, i can address that too!


i have hives like whoa. full body hives. they suck. but, except for the places where my tattoos are "too deep" i don't get hives on my tattoos. i have no idea the reason for this, except that it holds true for a me and a few other tattooed urticaria sufferers i've talked to it about.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:54 AM on March 21, 2008

Do Some Breeds of Dogs Cause Less Allergies Than Other Breeds?
Possibly. It appears that some people can be allergic to certain breeds of dogs and not to other breeds. While there is no such thing as a non-allergenic dog, some breeds can cause less allergies than other breeds. Here is a list of low-allergen dog breeds that may be better tolerated by people with dog allergy.

Link to the list of low-allergen dog breeds.
posted by kisch mokusch at 6:55 AM on March 21, 2008