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Anyone else having issues with Hay

FredW

Alpha Buck
Ok, no idea if that's the right section, but hope it is ok.
I have my hay fever very well under control usually, hardly ever needing to take anything for it. and usually when I am just putting hay out it's totally fine. however once a month, or so, whenever their hay box is empty, I mix between 5 and 6 hays together to fill it up again. I did it today again and it's been a nightmare. been coughing, sneezing and short of breath all day, and still finding it hard getting a good lung full of air. I know it's all those dust particles that are at the bottom of those bags, but just wonder if anyone else has got issues with that and what you do?
I am considering getting dust masks for when I do this, but don't know if they will do the job. My arms from mixing the hay are all completely red afterwards as well, but that goes very quickly, it's just the breathing sometimes takes a couple of days to get back to normal.
so any tips are welcome.
Thanks :)
 
I have hayfever and it can be quite bad, I sometimes have 15 minutes or so sneezing when I've given out the hay rations as I buy bales of hay which can be dusty. However, the worse hay allergy I've ever had was from Hay4Pets Timothy hay. The bunnies love it but I'm very badly allergic to it. It's nearly like nettle stings for me and I get red rash all up my arms from the tiny scratches. Is it maybe one type of hay that is affecting you?
 
Have you tried covering your mouth and nose when mixing the hays? Even a scarf should help. Or vaseline around the nose ans mouth works well too to catch any dust before you inhale it. At the moment i won't go up the allotment without a small tub of vaseline! Otherwise i wear myself out sneezing!

Also long sleeves. And/or wash the pollen off your arms asap afterwards.
 
I honestly don't know if it is a certain hay or the combination of them that's effecting me. throughout the month I sometimes top the different ones up, when I notice that they could do with some harder ones or softer ones etc,....it never effects me then, only when I have a number of them and mix together. so I wonder if it's the actual mixing together thing that is the cause.

Thanks for the tips, never thought of Vaseline to be honest, will try that.

And Sarah, that mask is great, ordered one right away. :)
 
I get a reaction from oat hay, buns love it, I wear my buff stretchy thingy pulled up over my mouth and nose, seems to work !
 
I have developed a significant allergy which has made me very ill recently,,, hay exacerbates the problem.. I've also become severely allergic to the bunnies, unsure if its a direct result of the hay or bunnies but its made life very difficult indeed.
 
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