>From:   [log in to unmask]
>...
>John, we have seen folks who were allergic to ferrets, and BOTH my hubby and I
>react to unneutered males but not to other ferrets (I am also allergic to
>mink.).
 
My girlfriend appears to be allergic to her ferret, Cupid (a descented
female).  She has had the allergy test where they prick your back with
various substances and she was allergic to everything, including cats.
About a month after she brought Cupid home she developed hives all
over her body (she has never had hives before, just the sneezing,
water eyes, runny nose kind).  At first we thought it was a food
allergy, but didn't pan out.  When Cupid came to visit at my house for
a month or so, her hives went away.  At the time she was staying at a
house with a cat, and after a month she developed hives again. So....
 
It appears to us that the hives are a result of an allergy to cat and
ferret fur, but since the furs are different, they each take a while to
manifest themselves as hives.  My question is, is this common? I have
heard several references to people who had to get rid of their ferrets
due to an allergies that took up to a year to develope.  Are hives a
common ferret/cat allgery?  Next, I've seen products (dips) that claim
to prevent cat allergies by coating the animal and preventing the skin
and fur from flaking (or something like that).  Do these product work
and are they safe for ferrets?
 
We have no intent on getting rid of Cupid, so its Seldane and Benadryl
for the time being.
 
-Mika  // Ferret sitter
-Cupid // Ferret
 
[Posted in FML issue 0505]