Allergic to Mice?

by Hope4Allwhobreathe Tue 03 Jul 2018, 12:21 am

Hi everyone!
So lately I have been having some severe sinus symptoms (sniffling, sneezing, runny nose, etc) and someone asked if I was allergic to mice. I had no idea you could even BE allergic to mice! I am allergic to cats (and I have one) this is a persistent thing that has gotten worse this Spring to Summer. I do not want to give up my babies, but how do I know if I'm allergic?

Does anyone know if there's a blood test for a mouse allergy? Should I head to the doctors to look for a stronger antihistamine? I want to make sure, but this could also just be a really nasty allergy season. Any suggestions?

Lots of mouse love<3

by JuniperBerry55 Tue 03 Jul 2018, 11:10 pm

Could just be something like hay fever? Do you notice it gets worse when you handle the mice or are around their cage?

I'm pretty sure that you can get a test to see if you are allergic, it's probably best to ring/ask a doctor to confirm and schedule a test if that's the way you want to go Smile

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Wed 04 Jul 2018, 10:39 am

Another thing to consider is that stress can cause allergic reactions and other immune responses to be more severe.

I have not only read about this phenomenon, I have gone through it personally many times over many years. Sometimes it manifests as dermatitis, usually concentrated around my eyes and on my neck -- as happened two years ago when I lost my mum, and last year when we lost a co-worker too young to a brain hemorrhage. Last summer, from around the time April became sick until about a month after she went to Mousie Heaven, every mosquito bite I got (and I got a LOT of them) turned into a hideous bruised-looking welt. For weeks my right forearm looked like it was growing three new elbows on it.

You have been through some rough times with Possum and Otter, and you may be either having a worse reaction to something you already know to avoid, or having a detectable reaction to something you never realized you are sensitive to. It is also possible that something new other than the mice is affecting you -- such as mold or mildew or some sneaky fungus that is taking advantage of summer humidity and indoor air conditioning.

Or ... maybe it isn't the mice, but their bedding. If it is scented or dusty, that could cause trouble if you are hypersensitive, even though it is no trouble at all for you all the rest of the time.

And a possible allergy to mice may be made worse if you are under stress. With less stress, a mousie allergy might be no big deal.

I don't know what to suggest you can try to make sure you un-stress yourself a bit, just in case that is contributing to the problem. I find that what works for me in the immediate "now", in my highly stressful job situation, is to close my mouth and breathe in very deeply through my nose, and then just let the air exhale out very gently (almost visualizing it slowly permeating out through all parts of my body), followed by another deep inhale and gentle "all-body" exhale cycle, and continuing for a minute or two until I can tell my body systems have calmed. I'm sure there is more than enough advice on "deep breathing" techniques available on the World Wide Web.

I also find taking a popsicle out on the stoop and letting it drip on the sidewalk while I enjoy every last melty bit of it is a wonderful de-stresser. Or a BIG wedge of watermelon.

A nice, unexpected, rejuvenating nap also helps. (If only I had time!) Maybe you can try that.

And focus on Skunk and Badger. They may also have stress and need your attention to reassure them.

by Hope4Allwhobreathe Wed 04 Jul 2018, 11:42 am

MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop wrote:Another thing to consider is that stress can cause allergic reactions and other immune responses to be more severe.

I have not only read about this phenomenon, I have gone through it personally many times over many years. Sometimes it manifests as dermatitis, usually concentrated around my eyes and on my neck -- as happened two years ago when I lost my mum, and last year when we lost a co-worker too young to a brain hemorrhage. Last summer, from around the time April became sick until about a month after she went to Mousie Heaven, every mosquito bite I got (and I got a LOT of them) turned into a hideous bruised-looking welt. For weeks my right forearm looked like it was growing three new elbows on it.

You have been through some rough times with Possum and Otter, and you may be either having a worse reaction to something you already know to avoid, or having a detectable reaction to something you never realized you are sensitive to. It is also possible that something new other than the mice is affecting you -- such as mold or mildew or some sneaky fungus that is taking advantage of summer humidity and indoor air conditioning.

Or ... maybe it isn't the mice, but their bedding. If it is scented or dusty, that could cause trouble if you are hypersensitive, even though it is no trouble at all for you all the rest of the time.

And a possible allergy to mice may be made worse if you are under stress. With less stress, a mousie allergy might be no big deal.

I don't know what to suggest you can try to make sure you un-stress yourself a bit, just in case that is contributing to the problem. I find that what works for me in the immediate "now", in my highly stressful job situation, is to close my mouth and breathe in very deeply through my nose, and then just let the air exhale out very gently (almost visualizing it slowly permeating out through all parts of my body), followed by another deep inhale and gentle "all-body" exhale cycle, and continuing for a minute or two until I can tell my body systems have calmed. I'm sure there is more than enough advice on "deep breathing" techniques available on the World Wide Web.

I also find taking a popsicle out on the stoop and letting it drip on the sidewalk while I enjoy every last melty bit of it is a wonderful de-stresser. Or a BIG wedge of watermelon.

A nice, unexpected, rejuvenating nap also helps. (If only I had time!) Maybe you can try that.

And focus on Skunk and Badger. They may also have stress and need your attention to reassure them.

Thank you so much for your advice. I've been doing yoga and really trying to just focus on "the here and now" in these stressful times, and I know Skunk and Badger need me. They've been getting special attention and I like to check on them and talk to them multiple times a day. I don't notice anything getting worse after I handle them; the most active time for symptoms is usually when I'm getting ready to head to bed. I do live in an apartment building where the AC units can draw in unwanted smells, so I've asked maintenance to come in and replace those filters for me to see if that helps. Their bedding is Aspen, and I've used that bedding for YEARS with my hamsters, and I spot clean their tank every 3 days and do a deep clean every week. For all I know, this could be the heat! (it's well over 100 degrees where I am, and very humid).

I will keep an eye on my babies and their stress levels, as well as my own.
Thank you so much! <3

by AmyLynn Thu 09 Aug 2018, 2:12 pm

So I worry about my mice all the time...it can definitely causes some stress! It just mean we love them. I use an app called Headspace and it totally helps me find my Zen.

S

by nimnim123 Sun 12 Aug 2018, 4:16 pm

I’m allergic to my mice, so it’s definitely a possibility that you could be allergic to yours. In fact, mice allergies are actually extremely common. So you’re not alone! I actually break out in hives if I get scratched by one of my babies but hopefully for you, that’s not the case. I take Zyrtec when I plan to clean and make sure I wash my hands often after interacting with my mice. Good luck!

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