Allergies?

S

sgp

Member
Do zoo animals like big cats or others cause allergies like domestic animals do? I haven't really been able to find the answer anywhere. This is aimed mostly at any keepers on here that have allergies or have a coworker with allergies.
 
I am allergic to domestic house cats, but dont semm to be allergic to our lions. Most Fur and Feathers sets me off.
 
I'm allergic to Bongo saliva. That only caused problems if I let a bongo lick me or put my hand in it's mouth.

:p

Hix
 
Hix said:
I'm allergic to Bongo saliva. That only caused problems if I let a bongo lick me or put my hand in it's mouth.

:p

Hix
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Thats a sentence i never thought i'd ever hear. That has got to be the weirdest allergy ever...do you put that down on medical forms ;) ?
 
I don't work at a zoo, but I tend to get really sneezy/watery eyes in the Americas pavilion at Toronto where the Tamarins, etc are kept.
 
foz said:
Thats a sentence i never thought i'd ever hear. That has got to be the weirdest allergy ever...do you put that down on medical forms ;) ?
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I believe it's quite common - but most people are never in aposition to find out if they are allergic or not (most people think a Bongo is a drum, or a mode of transport on Naboo). For me it's not a serious allergy: where the saliva has been I break out in little itchy lumps that eventually go away after an hour or two. But for others it could possibly be more severe.

And yes, I do put it down on medical forms. The doctors generally ask for more details. They find it a welcome diversion from the mundane "I'm allergic to cats/dust/penicillin/children/pollen/etc."

:p

Hix
 
In my late twenties I developed an allergy to rabbits. One time I went to a summer fete and there was a pet/small animal show. I went near a rabbit and within five minutes my eyes had filled up so much that I couldn't see.

As a child I kept rabbits without any problems, and the condition disappeared after a few years. Rabbits have no effect on me now.
 
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ok, I guess it's like every allergies, just depends. I asked because I have the common allergies now (cat, dander, hayfever) and plan on working with big cats in the future. and after a really bad allergy attack from my moms cat I wondered if that would happen from any of the big cats. I've never really had problems when going to the zoo or anything, but I'm not that close to them either....unfortunately :p
 
I'm slightly allergic to cats (*irony*) and have had a mild reaction to Serval fur (runny nose & eyes), so I imagine there is a degree of carry-over from small to big cats (I'm not a keeper). I seem fine with lemur fur. I think in general one would only have problems if in a small area with bedding from a moulting animal (the bedding itself could potentially set me off as much as the actual animals, I think). It depends how bad the allergy is I guess - I build up some resistance from my pet cat & the nasal sprays I sometimes take in the hayfever season.

I do know a lion with hayfever, but that's another story!
 
Shirokuma said:
I just read a book and someone who worked at Philadelphia Zoo was allergic to binturongs.
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Back from the dead! I was just googling binturong allergies and found this thread. I'm completely allergic to binturongs!! My eyes water, I start sneezing, I get a runny nose and if I touch them I will eventually start to itch. It's been getting worse over the last three years. Augh!
 
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