In Need Of More Info on Hypo-Allergenic

[Kim Armstrong]

I have been involved in the breeding and adopting of Australian Labradoodles for almost two years now. I have been so confident to offer these guys to people with dog allergies with great results, no one has had to come back. I have a woman who has a daughter that was allergy tested, she is allergic to both the coat and saliva. Does anyone know how someone like this reacts to these dogs? Any experiences or stories to share would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Adina P]

Well, no dog is truly "hypo-allergenic" in the true sense. They can't be.

Allergic reaction depends on the person's actual allergies. Some people aren't as allergic as others.

I have one co-worker who is even allergic to poodles...she breaks out with ANY dog.

Not sure how well this actually works but I have heard of one breeder at least who would take saliva swabs of the dog in question and then put it in a zip lock and mail it to the potential buyer. Then the buyer would rub that swab on his/her skin and note any reaction. Not sure how 'scientific' this is.

[Kim Armstrong]

Yeah! This sounds pretty severe right? Good idea on the swabs, it is certainly worth a shot. Thanks.

[2SCdoodles]

Hey Kim,

This is Capp and Joe's mom writing. I heard a story from someone who was allergic to the saliva that she developed a rash if the dog licked her.

Capp and Joe are doing well, by-the-way. They both send you doodle kisses. They are doing fabulous! Thanks again for the roles you played in matching these two great dogs to my family!

[Kim Armstrong]

Hey girl! Glad to here everyone is so good. That dog you spoke of was an Australian Labradoodle?

[2SCdoodles]

There is story within the story. I will email you in just a bit with the background.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Everyone who is allergic to dogs is allergic to both the dander and the saliva. The allergic reaction is an immune system response on a cellular level to proteins in the dog's saliva, dander, hairs, etc. These proteins enter the body by being inhaled through the air or ingested...it has nothing to do with contact. The immune system misidentifies these proteins as "foreign invaders" and launches an attack...which is what produces the allergy symptoms...sneezing, rashes, red, watery eyes, etc.
The problem with the retriever mixes is that the "hypo-allergenic" poodle coats have incomplete dominance over the retriever coats. I suppose that in the multi-gens, there is so little of the retriever genetics remaining that you could get a true "hypo-allergenic" coat. There are people who are so severely allergic that they will have an immune system response to any dog...even poodles, because although the poodles do not produce dander, the highly allergic person could still be reacting to the proteins in the saliva that somehow have entered the body. It's unusual, though.

[Kim Armstrong]

Wow, you have done your homework. Thanks for the info.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Had to. I have a doodle who has the most severe form of allergy there is. Having a degree in physiology helps, too, lol. Allergies are so poorly understood, and there is so much misinformation floating around.

[Mommy2Max]

I am allergic to saliva (rash if I'm licked) and dander (stuffy nose, drippy eyes).

I reacted to Max the first week and then it settled down. However, I'm on zyrtec, flonase and singulair.

~Danielle

[Kim Armstrong]

Well that is promising, thanks.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Danielle, I sympathize. I'm guessing that you have two separate forms of allergy...the inhalant type, which is affected by the dander, and contact dermatitis, which is a localized rash or irritation of the skin caused by contact with a foreign substance. After living with Jack's disease, I have learned how miserable true allergies are.

[Mommy2Max]

Thanks! I suffered for a year and half not knowing what was wrong with me. I thought of everything with exception to allergies. I figured it was structural, asthma or chronic bronchitis..etc. Finally, I was tested for allergies and within a few seconds of the prick test...ding..ding..ding. Moderate to severe allergies to everything with exception to mold - which is good news since I live in the rainy northwest! I even have oral allergy syndrome! When I eat fruit, my body reacts to it as though it's pollen.

The good news.....with medication, I'm not suffering anymore. It only kicks in during cedar season since that was my most severe allergy. I am the perfect candidate for allergy shots but, I chose to try meds first as well as a grain free diet.

Fastforward - My husband really wanted a dog and since I had dogs growing up, it took little coaxing for me to agree. I did research and was mesmorized by the beauty of a labradoodle. It seemed like a great bet with my allergies and my husband's desire to have a somewhat athletic dog. We got Max and the rest is history. :) No sniffles - nothing. He even licks my eyelids sometimes but, no conjunctivitis. For the record - Max is an F1 with wavy hair. He hasn't shown signs of shedding..yet.