Weird Allergy?

[JayF04]

Okay so I have 3 guinea pigs. Two of them ( An abby and an american guinea pig ) are great, cuddle time goes perfectly. No issues.

But my second, Pumpkin, ALWAYS makes me break out in a horrible rash whenever he comes near my neck or face, which is also where he loves to sit and paw at my face. I tested it with my others and I never break out into a rash with them. Just Pumpkin.

I've heard of people being allergic to different types of guinea pigs..

Pumpkin is ginger.
I'm attaching pictures of patch also, because if i'm allergic to specific types I may be wrong about Patch or Pumpkin's type.

 

[sport_billy]

Never heard of it but possible I guess and you are an example. I know some people allergic use antihistamines so maybe worth speaking to a doctor about?

 

[Swissgreys]

It sounds like a contact allergy, so I would just try and make sure he can't come into direct contact with your skin when you handle him.

As an allergy sufferer myself I have many common and explained allergies and a couple of very unusual ones that technically are not even possible.
Pumpkin is a very sweet looking allergy though.

 

[PigglePuggle]

I sometimes get a bit of an allergic rash from cuddling my lovely boar and my big floofy girl but never any of the short haired lady pigs. I think it might be the wee as Jezzy floof has wee pants and Theo does a lot of scent marking... I just take antihistamines, and the boar rash has got less now he's older and doesnt need to constantly reinforce his territory! I wear gloves and sleeves on cage clean day but fortunately its not bad enough to prevent piggy cuddles

 

[artcasper]

I am the same when I hold Winny on my skin - she is a swiss ... no probs with my Aby though... very odd!

 

[Hanlou]

My Uncle is only allergic to ginger cats..... they trigger his asthma and cause a rash. So yes, I’d say it’s possible!

 

[piggieminder]

I have 6 guinea pigs and my OH is only allergic to Spike the aby. Spikes hair is slightly coated not really greasy but it's not as silky as the others, a bit like a collie dog, we think it maybe something to do with this.

 

[Freela]

It's possible the one you are allergic to sheds more of a specific protein in the dander or something that you react badly to, more so than the others. Do allergy meds help at all?

I grew up with dogs my whole life (although we don't have one now), regularly visit a friend with a dog and am fine, etc. Recently my cousin got a little pug and when visiting, I patted the dog, touched my face, and ended up with the sclera of my eye puffing up to the point I had to take out my contacts and take a ton of antihistamines (sounds alarming but not the first time my eyeballs have swollen from an allergic reaction!) I am not allergic to dogs generally, but apparently am allergic to that particular dog!