I wasn't going to post till I had an answer/solution, but as the topic is
being discussed, thought I'd add my .02.  Two years ago I played with a
friends ferret.  Later that day I broke out in hives on my face.  As I
was about to get my first ferret, I thought OH NO!!  So, went to the pet
stores and held/played with several ferrets many times over the course of
two weeks, no reactions what so ever.  Picked up my first two ferrets,
added another 4 months later.  Parris was a sever biter and my way of
working with her was to pick her up many many times during the day and
kiss her while talking softly for just a brief moment, then letting her
go about her business.  Of course I had to kiss the boys too, so a habit
was born.  If I pick up a ferret, it gets kissed and nuzzled, it just
happens.  Automatic.
 
After two years time I get this rash on my chin, my lips swell, and my
asthma re-appears.  Their oil, or so I thought.  Bathe them, wash all
bedding etc almost daily, Benadryl cream on me.  Trying to remember not
to kiss them, that is just the hardest thing.
 
Last week one of the boys gave my arm lots of kisses, an hour later it
swelled up and I had what looked very much like a bad case of poison oak
reaction.  So it is the saliva that I'm allergic too.  They groom, I
kiss, I react.  I am in the process of researching for a solution.
 
Last week I had a conversation with my regular ferret vet, my holistic
vet, my dog groomer, and a dog behavior/nutritionist.  One mentioned she
broke out every time her Labrador licked her.  She is very allergic to
wheat.  Omitted all wheat from his food and no longer has a problem.  I
am looking at a possible connection to my situation.  I have multiple
food allergies, fish being the worst.  The 3 foods I feed my kids all
contain fish oil.  Now I am not saying if I change the foods they eat to
ones without fish oil my problem will be solved, but I'm going to give it
a try.  Heck, I don't even know if I can find ferret/kitten foods with
out fish oil, and will it be a good food for them.  I have been trying to
get them to convert to a raw BARF diet, they just aren't co-operating.
 
In Touch, Ardith
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[Posted in FML issue 3998]