please, need homes for my minis

[choklitbean]

I have to find homes for my minis right away. In the spring I developed a rash that has gotten steadily worse which turns out to be an allergy. I never thought about the horses because this never happened in the past. Things got so bad that in this last month my eyes were very swollen and constantly felt like they were full of sand. My eyelids crusted over and were oozing and the skin around my mouth is constantly drying and peeling off regardless of how much cream I put on during the day. On top of that it hurts like it's had vinegar rubbed into it.

It turns out it's both my mother's birds and the horses. I've been told that shots are unlikely to help and I really need to just avoid them. My kids have taken over the horse chores and my mother is cleaning frantically to keep the bird dust to a minimum. I have prednizone drops for my eyes and things are starting to be tollarable now, however it's still always there even if it's not oozing any more. The doctor told me to move and get away from them all completely.

Fall is such a terrible time to find homes I was hoping someone here might know someone who would be willing to take the three of them. They're only pets - not even close to show animals but I love them and really want to see them get a good home.

I'm in the the North Okanagan area of British Columbia. Please, I don't want to see them tossed around or dropped at an auction.

 

[sedeh]

I had a friend with severe allergies to a lot of things. She tried the allergy shots and they just weren't effective. What did work for her was accupunture! She went to an accupuncturist that specialized in the treatment of allergies and is doing wonderful now. You never know....... Good luck. I wish I could help you find homes, I actually just had an older gentleman stop by my place the other day just wanting pets.......don't have his number though.

 

[Miniv]

Awww, Hon, I feel for you! (I'm allergic to certain types of hay we feed -- horrible hives, my eyes swell up and get that same feeling of sand under the eyelids, sneezing fits, and nose that turns into a water-faucet.)

When I know what kind of hay I'm dealing with, I wear a face mask, which helps -- although I still get hives. And I always take allergy pills about 20 minutes before feeding time.

As for selling your minis.....Be sure to check out the sales pages on Lil Beginnings, as MaryLou posted. Try advertizing in your local papers too. Are you a member of a mini horse club??? If so, use the club as a resource.

You must be heartbroken about this! I know I would be......Wish you all the best,

MA

 

[Ashley]

If I were you, I would still try shots what can it hurt?

My mom has severe allergies to alot of things, includeing all animals. Hence she dont come to my house much as she cant handle my dog. Even thou as much as she wont admit it she does like her.

SHe gets 2 shots a month and takes allergie pills. SHe also has severe asthma so has to watch that as well.

She does feed the horses and play with them(despite being allergic to the hay as well). She does ok. SHe just isnt around when I clip them, and when hauling out the hay she puts it on a cart or sled so its not in her face.

I myself has got a bit of a allergy to the horses. Mainly when I am clipping/ grooming them, so I do it as little as possible. But they gotta be clipped for shows, and I do love clipping so its hard for me to avoid.

 

[Jill]

Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry

I wish there was a way for you to keep your horses. My heart goes out to you!

 

[runamuk]

I will almost bet money the BIRDS are the major issue and the horses are secondary. Bird dander is one of the worst allergy offenders out there and specific species are even worse than others.......I developed an allergy to birds after years of raising and dealing with them....this was quickly followed by allergic reaction to my cat....I got out of birds entirely and kicked the cat out of my room .....I hadn't slept with a kitty in my room for about 7 years and now my 2 kitties are able to hang on my bed and sleep with us......I only get a little stuffy if they happen to park on my pillow. I would love to have birds again BUT they would have to have their own wing of the house (pun intended)

where they were totally seperated from our living quarters........

Worst birds list

coc_katoo's

coc_katiel's

african grey's

then all others from there those three are very dusty and produce excessive dander.....

I wish you luck

 

[smlotsocats]

I have PM'd you!

 

[choklitbean]

Thank you for all your kind thoughts. I love my minis so much.

My mom has apparently decided that she has too many birds anyway and announced this afternoon that all but three are going (she has 14 - mostly budgies). She told me not to place the horses yet, that she and the rest of the family will do the chores until my symptoms all calm down and then I can try again with them later when my body isn't in allergy overdrive.

I'm definately willing to give that a try. My regular doctor should be back in a month or so and I think I'll go in and get her opinion on the shots then.

I hadn't been down to the barn for week or so until yesterday. The kids weren't able to do the chores for me in the morning. Chinook stretched his neck over the fence to see me. He whinnied when he saw me and refused to leave to go to his stall for feeding which is highly unusual for his greedy little self. After a good scratch he toodled off to his feeding spot. I cried.

I know a woman who likes to call herself my friend who seems desperate to get her hands on Chinook. I told her that if I was only selling one it would be the mare. She called back and said she thought she had a home for her. I told her she would make a good driving pony and was a nice mover in spite of her short neck. She said "it's not just her neck - she's positively UGLY!" I bit my tongue and didn't point out that her big horse has a bucket head and crooked legs, niether of which are faults belonging to Mist. I also said that the ponies needed to have company but not big horses. I know full well she'd take my little 30" Chinook and toss him in with her nasty tempered Standardbred because she did that with a welsh and laughed at how he had to run from her and under a fence that the mare couldn't get through to hide. She can just keep dreaming about Chinook because I'd let my eyelids fall off before I'd let her have him.

Sorry, I just had to vent.

 

[Devon]

Aww chinook sounds like a sweetie!! I hope everything works out for you and you can spend all the time you want loving your little guys!!

 

[runamuk]

Ok so you have a game plan.......when you need to be with the horses I suggest you designate an outfit sweats/sweatshirt.....that you wear and go ahead and wear the dust filter masks they help alot....also an allergy tab either just before heading to the barn or as soon as you get back helps alot...after handling them wash thoroughly (or shower) and change clothes.........my good friend has 30 some horses and has asthma she is also allergic to hay....this is what she does and it keeps her from having full blown attacks.....

 

[choklitbean]

Thanks for the tips, I'll try that.

Knowing that others are managing well is encouraging. The doctor I saw just said there was nothing I could do except move out away from everything.

I feel bad about Mom's birds but by the way she was insisting I think she's thinking it's a good excuse to cut back. I know Dad will be ecstatic.

 

[Miniv]

Ok so you have a game plan.......when you need to be with the horses I suggest you designate an outfit sweats/sweatshirt.....that you wear and go ahead and wear the  dust filter masks they help alot....also an allergy tab either just before heading to the barn or as soon as you get back helps alot...after handling them wash thoroughly (or shower) and change clothes.........my good friend has 30 some horses and has asthma she is also allergic to hay....this is what she does and it keeps her from having full blown attacks.....

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Runamuk is right on..... I wear a shirt or sweatshirt outside with the horses and will take it off as soon as I get inside......take the allergy pill before going outside.....and I also either shower immediately after, or at least wash my hands & face, and brush out my hair when coming in.

Fortunately I haven't had to do all that for awhile because we are feeding a different kind of hay right now......more Orchard Grass, which I don't seem so sensitive to.

MA

 

[Cronewolf]

You can overcome allergies without getting rid of the animals. I an allergic to everythiing with fur or feathers . I took allergy shots until I was 13 and decided they weren't helping. I found exposing myself for progressivly longer periods did more toelp than the shots. I started with 15 mins. then added 5 mins until I had built up to hours. I now live in a house with 3 dogs, a cat, and a parrot with only a little problem. Mostly when something else kicks them off such a mold. Still I have come to some animals which I couldn't be around . Such as my champion Sheltie bitch, a Peter Pumpkin daughter. So don't give up to soon.

 

[Kim]

I hope you won't have to get rid of your horses, but if you do, there are lots of great mini owners in your area who may be able to help you place them. If you need some names, PM me.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

I developed a very bad case of asthma after a bout of pneumonia. I was on 4 different inhalers at least 4 times a day each and several oral medications too. I was sick for several and had a hard time breathing all the time even with all the medications.

I have a small herd of minis and had 4 large parrots(macaws and a Mollucan cockatoo. I finally decided to start with the parrots. Gave one away, I improved. Gave the rest away and guess what???? I am no longer on any medications at all. It was ALL because of the parrots!

Despite cleaning all the time and showering the birds 5 days a week to decrease the dust from their wings, nothing helped!

All I can say is I thank God that I didn't get rid of my minis first. I am sad without my parrots, butI can breathe now, and I am so glad to have the horses.

 

[shortymisty]

Sounds like you are on the right track, try the birds first

and do the mask thingee when around the horses. I use a mask when I brush my guys out during the "molting" spring season as it's just sooooo much hair

. And if she is telling you that Chinook isn't all that, hmmmmmmmmm, guess who wouldn't be getting a horse if it came down to that

 

[billiethekid40]

Ok so you have a game plan.......when you need to be with the horses I suggest you designate an outfit sweats/sweatshirt.....that you wear and go ahead and wear the dust filter masks they help alot....also an allergy tab either just before heading to the barn or as soon as you get back helps alot...after handling them wash thoroughly (or shower) and change clothes.........my good friend has 30 some horses and has asthma she is also allergic to hay....this is what she does and it keeps her from having full blown attacks.....

I'd go one further than a designated outfit, why not a designated rainsuit or nylon track suit, which would keep almost all of the dust and dander from reaching your skin? Try a suit with pants that have elastic at the cuffs and sleeves. Wear rubber boots instead of shoes that "breathe" and maybe even try a thin pair of leather or even rubber dish gloves when you are doing the heaviest grooming jobs. Tuck the ends of the gloves into your sleeves, and pull the cuffs of your pants down over your boots. Zip up to your neck and wear a mask when you do heavy grooming. I'm thinking rain suit would block more dust, but a nylon water resistant track suit would let more heat out, so you wouldn't roast doing chores!

Better yet...anyone know where she can buy a hazmatt (hazardous materials)suit complete with hood and ventilator system?

I know I'D go THAT far if I had to LOL

 

[billiethekid40]

wow, I was only joking, but I found TONS of them on e-bay!

Hazmat suits on e-bay!

 

[choklitbean]

Thanks for all the help.

Some things about the birds: They are my Mom's pets and she's had them for years so I can't ask her to give them all away especially since I hope to be moving when I'm finished some courses I'm taking. I had to move in here a year ago and other than stuffing up and finding it a bit hard to breath if the birds got flapping about, I was fine until last spring which is when I brought Chinook home. Things got worse slowly so I never attributed it to him, but it really went wild after I brought the other two home for buddies for Chinook. The kids are doing the chores now and I try to avoid anything they've worn to the barn and my symptoms have calmed considerably so it's a pretty much sure thing most of it's coming from the barn.

My Mom had a welsh gelding a couple of years ago and I noticed that sometimes when I petted him I would get itchy, but since it didn't seem to happen everytime I thought it was maybe something he got into. I also didn't spend a great deal of time with him either. The minis aren't in where the Welsh was and the dogs go everywhere the Welsh went and I never get itchy etc. from them. That kind of points right to the ponies I think.

 

[choklitbean]

This is Mist who the woman said was "positively UGLY!"

I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but other than her short neck I think she's very pretty. Unfortunately this is the best photo I can find. No point in showing new pics since she looks like a oversized plushie right now.

This is Shadow who isn't pretty at all, however he makes up for it by being the sweetest horse I have ever met.

He'd live in your back pocket. I took a lawn chair in to sit with them one day and he tried to sit in my lap! Obviously had been held lots as a baby! I removed the lawn chair before both it and I were squished.

And this is Chinook. He's my special boy and is behaving much better since being gelded. I love it when he's showing off - very flashy!