Daughter might be allergic to rabbits

[II Arrows]

Ok I noticed that every time my oldest daughter is around the rabbits her face gets blotchy and her eyes start watering and itching and whatnot. She likes them and thinks their cute and all but she's afraid to go around them. My other 2 kids have no issues being around them, petting them, holding them, and yall get the picture. My question is could my daughter eat rabbit meat if she might be allergic to rabbits? this is the thing, the rest of my family can be around the rabbits all day and night, and I can go hug on my daughter and she has no reaction what so ever. It seems to happen when she is right next to them....I don't know, maybe she's a darn good actor! The thing is I don't want to feed something to my daughter that could potentially hurt her, but if I'm cooking it would it even matter? Any advise would be awsome.

 

[Bandits Bunny Farm]

It's probably the dander from the rabbits. It most likely has nothing to do with the meat.

 

[II Arrows]

Thank you, that was the answer I was hoping for.

 

[Zass]

I was always told that most of what people perceive to be rabbit allergies are actually caused by hay fever, since even the pellets have hay dust that gets up in the air.

I don't think that would have anything to do with meat either.

But do be careful with allergies, since..you know. They can be pretty dangerous.

 

[katiebear]

My daughter in law is allergic to rabbits too..she ate rabbit enchaladas with us last night. No issues with the meat. I thought it may be the food too but she was tested as a kid and. .yeah it is the dander and fur.. All you can do is try..maybe a benidril 20 min. before going around the buns would help. You can get antihistamine eye drops over the counter too. Poor thing, I hate to think of her missing out on the rabbit experience. .

 

[TF3]

Itching, sneezing, watery eyes could be the hay, for sure~ and worth a test by exposing her, when without symptoms, to only hay outside of a rabbit presence.

Meat should not matter at all because you are not ingesting the allergen.
I am utterly allergic to anything that is genetically dairy ~ cow, goat, sheep et al
but eating beef is not an issue.
You can always try the meat with Benadryl on hand~ a food allergy would be itching, swelling, hives, shortness of breath.

With rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters (etc.) the allergy is generally to the protein in the *urine* NOT the fur/ dander as often believed (although I am sure it can be!).
We had GPs in the house on washable bedding and I was a wreck, of course they ran and stirred up their litter all the time, and I cleaned them.
They had to be re-homed.

Cat and dog allergies are from the protein in the saliva that is transferred onto the fur (and hence the dander).
That is why cat allergies are much worse (more licking) and some cats are more bothersome to allergies than others (coat length, amount of grooming etc).
My cat allergy is severe.

I am also very allergic to rabbits so we practice careful decontamination LOL
Anyone who enters the rabbitry must wash with soap and water when finished~ right now they go straight to the bathroom, once rabbitry sink is in, they will wash there.
We pass through the laundry room from the rabbits on our way into the rest of the hosue~ any clothes that have been touched by rabbits are tossed in the washer immediately, and then the person washes and dresses.
We keep little jackets and sweaters clean for young visitors who don't have a change of clothes.
When I clean the rabbits, I have been working on a system with little to no urine and shavings etc. going airborne.
If they do, I get very wheezy.
And never ever touch my face if I have touched rabbits.
When we first got the various buns, many had been on bedding in their hutches and any scratches, no matter how minor were immediately inflamed and itchy (from pee on the feet).
No problems now with our set up on wire and it is looking good for my being able to function without being chronically under immune bombardment.
Excessive, maybe. :x :lol: but it means people who come to our house don't have to worry either, if they are allergic.