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Severe Asthma triggered by chest cold or dogs?

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December 24th, 2007
Hello,

When I was 10 years old, I was tested and diagnosed with allergies to dogs, cats, dust mites, mold, grass, etc. I was put on antihistamines short term, and never had a problem, even though my parents had multiple dogs. I do have asthma attacks around cats, however.

I have always lived with multiple dogs; I am now 43 years old. We have five dogs now, all very low allergen, ranging from Shih-Tzus to Yorkies to Poodles. About three weeks ago, my husband brought home a horrible chest cold, and I got it. I got over the cold, but have been left with wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. I wound up in the E.R. last weekend, and they treated me with steroids and breathing treatments. My family doc has me on a nebulizer with Duoneb and Albuterol, and is weaning me off the Prednisone. I also am on Advair 500 and a rescue inhaler. My peak flows are coming back up, with my being able to blow near a 450 in the midafternoon.

We have tried to work on cleaning the house and have installed air cleaners in every room.

My question is, could this asthma flare have been triggered by the chest cold, but is lingering because of the dogs we have? Is it possible for me to have suddenly developed a sensitivity to our dogs, or has the threshold of animal dander in our house reached such a high point that my asthma just went crazy? I'm praying it's not the dogs; we love them so much.

Any advice is appreciated, and Happy Holidays!
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MandMs
replied December 28th, 2007
Extremely eHealthy
Viruses that cause the common cold, are the most common cause of an asthma attack. Viral infections cause 80% of asthma attacks in children and 60% in adults with asthma.
People with asthma may also experience asthma attacks while they have flu.
There is no specific treatment for virus induced asthma, and steroid treatments are only partially effective against them.
Are you still taking Prednisone?
How is your breathing now?
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kellysmum
replied December 28th, 2007
Rescue Inhaler
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I have a rescue inhaler, but I try not to use it except in dire circumstances. My family doc has me using the nebulizer as my first line of defense, with the rescue inhaler only there for true, true emergencies. Maybe I should be relying on it more often? I thought that twice a month was supposed to be the limit on its use. Can someone advise?
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Jules
replied December 28th, 2007
Extremely eHealthy
The Salbutamol (rescue) inhaler needs to be used as often as you need it. I once used it 15 times in one day - I then had to go to the hospital because it obviously wasn't working for me. If you are having an asthma attack then you MUST use it!

It could be that your preventor inhaler is not strong enough to cope with the added pressure of the chest cold. My doctor has advised me to double up on my dose when I am ill with a chest cold because my lungs require extra support. Sometimes I need to take a 5 day course of Prednisolone (steroids) too if I am really bad.
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Jules
replied December 28th, 2007
Extremely eHealthy
Oh and with regards to your original question, you can develop an allergy to something at any time, even things you've previously been fine with. Dogs are a common allergy, I have it too. If I go near a wet dog I inevitably end up wheezing.
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wickedwanda
replied January 2nd, 2008
Experienced User
Re: Severe Asthma Triggered By Chest Cold Or Dogs?
kellysmum wrote:
Hello,

When I was 10 years old, I was tested and diagnosed with allergies to dogs, cats, dust mites, mold, grass, etc. I was put on antihistamines short term, and never had a problem, even though my parents had multiple dogs. I do have asthma attacks around cats, however.

I have always lived with multiple dogs; I am now 43 years old. We have five dogs now, all very low allergen, ranging from Shih-Tzus to Yorkies to Poodles. About three weeks ago, my husband brought home a horrible chest cold, and I got it. I got over the cold, but have been left with wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. I wound up in the E.R. last weekend, and they treated me with steroids and breathing treatments. My family doc has me on a nebulizer with Duoneb and Albuterol, and is weaning me off the Prednisone. I also am on Advair 500 and a rescue inhaler. My peak flows are coming back up, with my being able to blow near a 450 in the midafternoon.

We have tried to work on cleaning the house and have installed air cleaners in every room.

My question is, could this asthma flare have been triggered by the chest cold, but is lingering because of the dogs we have? Is it possible for me to have suddenly developed a sensitivity to our dogs, or has the threshold of animal dander in our house reached such a high point that my asthma just went crazy? I'm praying it's not the dogs; we love them so much.

Any advice is appreciated, and Happy Holidays!


Hello there,
Yes yes and yes.
with that said i would like to say that if u keep your dogs well groomed, bathed 1 every 2 weeks the dander is not that bad.
I will not get rid of my dogs, my specialists always ask that ? and i say DON'T EVEN GO THERE, they are my babies and they aren't going any where! I may not live as long, but i will be happy with my dogs Poodles.
So i compromise and i have a very minimilist bedroom, no fancy material, teddy bears, and animals. I have a hepa filter in the bedroom so when i come home from the hospital,( my peak flows when i come home are 225). I have the cleanest environment i can.
It sounds to me as though your lungs have been weakened abit by the cold. When you come off prednisone, or solumedrol, you will literally feel breathless and tired, it is best on the days of cut back of any steriod that you stay away form over excertion & triggars, or you may feel really tight and you can die from asthma, so you should always use your rescue inhaler, as you need it and use it properly, don't suck into fast, its a waste and doesn't work.. If you are feeling up and down that is normal from prednisone, your body is trying to adjust.. learn your triggars, keep track of them in a diary, it sounds like a pain in the butt, but it can literally save your life.. those diarys can talk for you in a crisis situation, keep track of triggers, exercise, weather, work, meds, diet, and anything odd that happens within your body.. Thats what we old timers call being proactive about your asthma health.. Seek immediate help, if you notice pain in chest, blue lips, or u can't deep breathe go to ER NOW.. keep a list in your purse of all your medications that you take, this is much easier in crisis and the nurses love it. bring all pertant medical information to the ER. Oh and if u haven't noticed, prednisone can make us moody and irritabal at the littlest sign of noise, so familys need to know that and give us a little room, drink as much water as possible to get the steriods out!
God Bless ww
Good luck and god bless ww Very Happy
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kellysmum
replied January 2nd, 2008
Had Allergy Tests Done-only Mildly Allergic to Dogs (yea!)
Thanks for the well wishes. I had extensive allergy testing done this morning, and it turns out I'm only very mildly allergic to dogs. My big triggers are mold and dust mites and, of course, cats. The allergist said he wouldn't worry about our five dogs as being triggers for my asthma. He said we should concentrate on finding the mold in our home and doing something about the dust mites. I'm just so relieved and so grateful to God that the dogs are not my problem. Now all I need to do is put on one of those breathing masks and start tackling the clutter in our home.
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wickedwanda
replied January 2nd, 2008
Experienced User
Get Ready For a Yard Sale!
Hi Kellys mum,
Cats are a big issue with asthma, try and keep them out of your "clean" room, usually the bedroom.. With the dust mites, once a week i strip everything and wash in scallding hot water and vacum the bed, be hind it, under it ect.. If you can get one room really clean and try and keep the pets clean.. u should feel better.. My lungs are failing me now and i will proably have to go in for iv treatment (solumedrol, is the same as prednisone, just 5 times more powerfull)my doctors and i call it a tune up! Smile I know i have problems with mold coming from the drains in the basement, so i pour bleach down them to lessen the spores, not the best for the envioronment, but you gotta do what you gotta do! It may be worth getting a professional to look at your house, because mold is very hidden.. What room bothers you most? Start there good luck ww
P.S have a huge yard sale, price high and make sure stuff is clean and you can make some serious money, I made 5 grand when we de-cluttered. Pack everything in boxes that say yard sale, they are super popular here good luck
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bambang
replied January 7th, 2008
I agree with "wickedwanda" and in your case may be the both of them are the factor

CMII sorry about my english
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wickedwanda
replied January 7th, 2008
Experienced User
bambang wrote:
I agree with "wickedwanda" and in your case may be the both of them are the factor

CMII sorry about my english



Very Happy Very Happy she is doing great and de-cluttering yee haw yes ww
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CarolDiane
replied January 9th, 2008
Extremely eHealthy
Mine are caused by both chest cold and animal dander. Amongst other things like mold, dust etc.
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wickedwanda
replied January 9th, 2008
Experienced User
Often the Case With Adult Asthma
Hey guys, yes chest colds and the flu, bronchitis ect, any time you get sick your lungs weeken, so if you go home to a house that has triggers, u can be in for a longer recovery time. If u are sick with sever asthma and have animals, keep them out of the bedroom, groom them more often and vacum. Try not to have to many animals as they make the issues worse. Wear masks when cleaning, vacum all beds, wash floors,walls, nooks and crannies, wash all bedding hot water at least 1 every 2 weeks, i do mine 1 a week. I also have a small hepa filter in my bedroom. You need to pay attention to your lungs and be aware of what may be triggering u, doctors can;t help if you don;t pay attention to your own body! Keep a diary, peak flow, weather.. and if your asthma is bad seek out a ASTHMA DOCTOR only, family doctor will over medicate you and you will get chest pains from to much drugs that may not be working all the best.. Hows Tampa, i haven't been there in 25 years, Busche Garden Rocks!! all the best ww
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MandMs
replied January 16th, 2008
Extremely eHealthy
Hi, kellysmum!
You said that when you were 10 years old you were diagnosed with allergy to dogs and an allergy can't be outgrown.
As a adult, allergy patient still has a tendency to have allergic symptoms, although they may become less noticeable with maturity.
The onset of an allergy (dogs allergy) can be sudden or gradual (exposed to the substance more than once) and symptoms often develop after an unusual stress to the immune system, such as following a severe viral infection.

How do you feel know?
Are you still experiencing breathing problems?
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