UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

does anybody suffer from animal allergies?
i only know 2 other people with KC and we all suffer from cat allergies. none of us are related. prob just a coincidence but just wondering?????

I am not allergic to my brothers cats but I am to my frineds, within 10 minutes my eyes and nose are running.

There is a protein in cat fur that causes an allergic reaction and it is more prvvelant in some cats than others which is probably why I am OK with his cats. My brother however has an allergy to my dogs fur.
It is quite common having read this site for people with KC to have allergies of one sort or another.

im allergic to rabbits.

I am allergic to all animals with fur, if i go any where and i know there are going to be animals i take piriton before and while i am there. I always take extra inhaler for my asthma .
i find piriton really good for itchy eyes at anytime, but you have to be careful because it can make you drowsy.

Anne

The only allergy I have is to penicillin.

Yeah i'm allergic to animal hair amongst other things. Dust mite, pollen, fragrance etc are all on my list!

I am Mr atopic. You name it I am probably allergic to it.

Cats dogs dust pollen.

Although i have kept dogs and now have a long haired cat. Hay fever, I just suffer but penicillin, is the one that floors me or should I say confines me to the great white throne.

I think my allergy is to the dust that gathers in animal fur.

My only other allergies are to the pollen of Oll Seed Rape plants the sticky stuff they use in elastoplast and the preservatives in eye drops. The alst of these is really handy if you have KC

Andrew

Count me in, five minutes with a cat and my eyes go red and start streaming and get seriously itchy. Then the sneezing starts and the cat has to go.

Quite bad actually, I used to avoid one friend's house where it was particularly bad. Then my wife suggested trying one of her hay-fever pills before I went there, and it was MUCH better. Not stopped altogether but much better.

Tis a pain in the bum.

Many of us with KC have conditions such as asthma, ezcema and hayfever which is why allergies are common.

I am allergic to cats, it affects my asthma and my eyes. If I have to be around cats I do the following; use extra salbutamol, take a non-drowsy antihistamine such as Cetirizine, don't touch my face without washing my hands first, try to persuade people I'm staying with to keep the cats out of the room where I am sleeping, or at least off the pillow I will be using.

I've also become allergic to rabbits which surprises me as I used to have a rabbit as a child with no problems. The last time I had contact with a rabbit I nearly became a medical emergency with my asthma and I almost tore the skin off my hands until they were rinsed under water and that was after holding it for less than 5 mins, scary!

Slightly off topic but does anyone have any less common allergies?
I'm allergic to tetanus jabs so god knows what would happen to me if I were ever bitten by a dog. I'm also allergic to lemon squash, fresh lemon is fine, but squash has me reaching for my inhaler.
Cherry, honey and almond flavours, and marzepan also induce instant vomiting in me.