Allergic to my own bunny

[Howey]

 Hello

Howey is malting at the moment, how long will this last? It has been over a week now but the problem is that I seem to be allergic to him while he is like this I’m thinking of getting some antihistamines today but will it be over by the time they kick in anyway?

Thanks

[Beka27]

I am not sure about antihistamines. I think over the counter stuff is mostly just to treat symptoms, runny nose, itchy eyes, etc…

It’s important that he is groomed daily during the moult. What you might want to do is purchase some inexpensive painters masks to go over your nose and mouth, so you can brush without breathing the fur in. I groom first thing in the morning before I take a shower, so as soon as I’m done I can hop in the shower and get any loose bits of fur off me.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Yes, our vet (who is allergic to rabbits) wears one of those nurse masks when we bring Fern in. She is such a nice vet though, it is surprising that she decided to be a small animal vet when she is allergic to rabbits. If you want some over the counter stuff you could try Claritin, my mom takes that for her allergies.

[Howey]

My partner just hoovered him but its endless. I think Howey was quite enjoying it….he uses a hand held hoover that needs charging so its not loud but charged enough to grab the fine hairs. How long will it last approx?

[Beka27]

Sheds last for awhile. It depends on the bunny. Some shed little bits off and on for weeks, some tend to do one big “POOF!” and all the fur sheds out in a week or so. They shed 4 times a year, this sometimes coincides with the seasons, sometimes not. I am confused about the “hoovering”, are you actually using a vaccuum on the bunny? I think you should still use a regular brush for grooming b/c it will have gentle contact with the skin and pick up more of the loose fur and fur that is almost loose. You could always “hoover” at the end of the grooming session, but brush first. ;o)

[MooBunnay]

I also get quite sneezy around the shedding times, its so much fur that it is hard not too! I know what you mean about it not ending. My husband is a big fan of the “pluck” grooming. He will just sit next to the bunny and pluck and pluck and pluck at loose fur. He usually plucks it out, and then smooshes the fur into the carpet so it doesn’t fly around, and then vacuums it all up off the carpet.

[Howey]

the hoover isn’t directly on the bunny, my partner plucks then feeds it straight into the hoover next to him. Having it low on charge just means he won’t run away when its on as its a lot quieter.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

It is spring-is it possible your allergic to something else and he just happens to be molting now? Their’s probably a lot of pollen in the air right now-that could be it?

[Howey]

I usually have spring-time hayfever anyways so I know how that feels but I also am quite sensitive to cat hair too. I can tell its him as it hits me instantly. We were advised to use a lint roller on the little fella and since doing this and getting the majority of the hair my allergy has calmed down a little.

[wendyzski]

Something to consider – many people who think they are allergic to rabbits are actually allergic to Timothy Hay, which is a very common allergen.

If you are allergic to your rabbit you would also probably get skin reactions after handling/holding him.  I have both.

In either of these cases, things can be managed by containing/limiting the allergens.  Some suggestions:

1)  Keep hay contained – I use a closed hay box attached to a NIC grid wall set over the litterbox.  Pepper pulls the hay out through the mesh and the extra bits fall into the litterbox for relatively easy cleanup

2)  Vacuum regularly.  I LOVE my Roomba.  It’s not great on larger hay bits but it’s great for fluff and poos.

3)  Area rugs that can be shaken out or washed will help as well

4) Get a HEPA filter and replace the filters regularly.  Either keep it near the bunny or near where you sleep.

5) Try different antihisthamines – Zyrtec is generic in the US now, though I don’t know about the UK.

Here’s hoping it helps!

[MooBunnay]

K&K reminded me – I’m also having really bad pollen allergies right now – it seems to be the season for that.

[Howey]

Please, It is due to the amount of fur flying around the room. I do have other allergies but these are minimal inside the house. The rabbit paraphernalia hasn’t caused me any trouble it is just during the recent heavy malt which has been going on for 2weeks now. I would just like to know how long a heavy malt is likely to last for?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

It just lasts a few weeks. You’ll want to vaccum more often and brush him-or have someone brush him for you!

[hooty22]

It depends. Felony who is a super furry lion head usually lasts for about 3 weeks. Luckily he looses the long fluffy main fur pretty quickly, usually in the first week. I’m super allergic to him too, and yes, the masks are a god send. I also suggest the swiffer dusters. I have a thin coat of fine Felony fur over everything during a molt, so I pull that thing out daily while wearing my mask.

[Howey]

Hello

we are still having moulting problems. It’s been well over a month now and he is still loosing so much fur! It’s still an extremely heavy moult. Is there anything we can do to speed up the process? we pluck at him and run damp goves through his hair to get loose fur. How much longer will it last??

What are your longest moults??

[RabbitPam]

A month long molt is normal, so it may not be much longer now. I’d say if it continues heavily for another two weeks, maybe something else could be causing his hair to come out, and you should consult your vet. But for now, I think there is light at the end of the bunny, uh, tunnel.

[Adalaide]

I know someone else suggested this, and it only treats your symptoms but I use Claritin. It’s otc now so it’s cheap and it won’t make you too tired to enjoy him. You have to remember to take it every day or it won’t be super effective and it may be a bit late now, but if you have other mild allergies it could help, and you’ll be ready next time he starts. I don’t think I’m allergic to Freya, but I am super allergic to hay. Don’t know why I didn’t think about that until after she came home, duh. I still have a bit of sinus pressure and mildly puffy eyes from the hay, but it’s a small price to pay to have such a precious new family member. Anyway, Claritin is great for pet allergies too, my husband has a cat that stays in his parents half of the house. I don’t make it a secret that I can’t stand the cat, but at least I don’t sneeze every time I’m near him anymore.

[Howey]

Aww thats good news that it is normal. We will keep a close eye on our little troublemaker

[ScooterandAnnette]

I had the dog at the groomer a few days ago and she was telling me they’ve seen some really strange shedding going on this year – dogs with thicker coats than normal and shedding a lot more than nomal – and she thinks it’s because of the really unusual winter/spring we’ve had. I wonder if the bunnies are experiencing the same thing?
– Annette

[jerseygirl]

Some members have mentioned the Hairbuster comb is good for rabbits. So if your partner can brush him for you with a good grooming tool, that should stop the fur flying some. Hang in there!

[MimzMum]

I have to concur that this year has been VERY odd in the shed department. ALL three of my bunnies have gone through very unusual molts and even my dogs seem to be having trouble.
It was worse for me last fall though, after getting my mini-rex. It took me forever to get the fur under control and to acclimate, because when he came home two of the three blew their coats for about a month. It was like some secret signal had passed between them all. 0_o

Hope things are getting better for you, Howey!

[3crazybuns]

I too have noticed a difference in shedding in our house this year too. Oreo has a pretty neat shed pattern tho! LOL We just bathed our dogs a few days ago to hopefully help with the shedding! =)

[Author]

Messages