Are dogs bad for a newborn baby’s health?
By admin | December 4, 2009
KP asked:
My mom is having a baby in two months and my parents say that we have to sell our dog before the baby comes because the allergens dogs have are harmful to babies. Help, please?
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Topics: Babies | 37 Comments »
37 Responses to “Are dogs bad for a newborn baby’s health?”
Comments
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3:17 am on December 5th, 2009
as long as the dog doesnt shed it should be fine, i think
9:52 pm on December 5th, 2009
i have 3 dogs since before my newborn and she is just fine.
1:56 pm on December 6th, 2009
There are millions of people who bring new babies into households that already include dogs. Her assertion is ridiculous and she is wrong.
11:36 pm on December 7th, 2009
A child is more likely to develop astma in a household with pets, but if the dog has corse thick hair, they may be OK.
4:43 pm on December 10th, 2009
no unless the dog is not mean to nobody then yes you have to move the dog intil your kids is older
4:56 am on December 12th, 2009
NO THEY ARE NOT, A DOG CAN BE KEPT BATHED AND CLEAN, AS MUCH AS A HUMAN CAN….IT WILL NOT SPREAD ANY DISEASES OR GERMS MORE THAN THE HUMANS AROUND THE BABY.
ALSO, IT IS A CAT THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR BABIES……DOGS ARE NOT…UNLESS YOU DO NOT KEEP THE DOG CLEAN……….
8:04 am on December 14th, 2009
the allergens shouldnt be an issue. just never leave a dog and a small child alone you can never trust an animal not biting. lots of kids have allergies and asthma bc they are too protected and sometime it is good to come into contact w/germs. of course i wouldnt let a dog slobber all over a newborn or anything like that
12:37 am on December 15th, 2009
i think so cuz my best friend has a dog and a baby sister and they keep the dog in the basement away from the baby i dont kno y though {by the way its not like they leave the dog alone sometimez they go down there so dont worry people the puupy is safe}
9:47 pm on December 16th, 2009
no but I don’t trust cats around newborns because they have a habit of licking the milk around the babies mouth. dogs are very protective around babies.
9:43 am on December 18th, 2009
if the house is kept clean, the dog does NOT sleep with the baby, does not BITE the baby, etc, all will be well. maybe the real reason the dog has to go is the new baby will be expensive and theres no money to keep the dog fed too?
10:54 pm on December 20th, 2009
NO!
Actually, just the opposite is true. Young children who are raised with dogs in the house are actually LESS likely to develop allergies later on in life.
You need to research this a bit and show your parents the evidence.
9:11 am on December 22nd, 2009
I was given a dog when I was 6 months old. I grew up with more dogs. When I was married and had my children,we had dogs.Never had a problem. Good Luck!
10:57 am on December 22nd, 2009
thats BULL, unless the baby is born allergic the dogs fur and dander wont bother the baby…
babies are no more at risk from a dog in terms of allergens than a child, teenager or adult.
infact most kids growing up from infancy with a dog in the home are LESS likely to develop pet allergies…
6:36 am on December 24th, 2009
It normally cats that are bad for babies…not dogs.http://www.babycenter.com/0_toxoplasmosis-during-pregnancy_1461.bc
11:01 am on December 24th, 2009
talk to your vet, if there is any thing harmful to babies I have yet to hear about it. Also if anyone else in the family is allergies to them, have the doctor check her. I have a baby constantly in my house, we have 3 dogs and they have two, i guess you could try cutting it’s fur before the baby comes.
9:09 pm on December 25th, 2009
I had a shepard cross for 15 years and she was with me during the time all 3 of my boys were newborns . She had long hair and shed , my boys are grown into teenagers now and our old dog is gone but i think the best thing in the world is a good dog for kids to grow with . My boys never had any ill effects from having our dog around when they were babys
12:21 am on December 28th, 2009
No! Pets are *good* for the babies health. Babies need to be exposed to dirt and animals when their immune systems are building, otherwise they will end up with asthma and allergies and such.
9:22 pm on December 28th, 2009
NOO — if parents are paranoid about what their baby is around for allergy purposes — how is the child supposed to grow immunities??? That is insane. Don’t get rid of the dog unless you believe it will harm the baby.
OH AND KIDS LOVE DIRT TOO AND THAT OKAY ALSO…
1:20 pm on December 30th, 2009
Not all people are allergic to animals, if allergies run in your Mom’s family then she may have a good reason not to want the dog around the baby.
But there is no reason to get rid of the dog until she and your dad are certain that the dog is causing some reaction.
There is no way to know for sure until the baby is born and introduced to the dog and his fur etc.
I had dogs the entire time My son was growing up and it never harmed him at all. and you may want to tell your parents that YOU are ok, so why wouldn’t the baby be ok too?!
7:05 pm on January 1st, 2010
ok listen. DOGS ARE NOT BAD FOR BABY’S! the alergens from dogs will only effect people with athsma. even dogs that are shedding can be around newborns. plus dogs are good protection for babys. I have a little nephew (3 yrs. old) and his dog is like his body guard. trust me dogs are not any threat to babys in any way shape or form. (unless you have a pitbull)
8:12 am on January 3rd, 2010
yes
1:47 pm on January 5th, 2010
I have heard that having dogs in the house can actually help keep babies from developing allergies and especially asthma. My son had two dogs and two cats in the house when his son was born and there were no ill effects. Tell your parents that you will help with the vacuuming, dusting, and caring for the dog when the baby comes.
2:48 pm on January 6th, 2010
That’s a bunch of BS (Bologna Sandwich). I’ve raised four kids around multiple dogs, cats and other assorted critters. Only if my the odd chance the baby is born with an allergy would there be a concern. All of my dogs loved the children and they were a wonderful learning experience for the children as they grew. Tell mom to chill.
7:19 pm on January 9th, 2010
Your Mom could not be more wrong! She should ask her doctor! Babies kept in too CLEAN an environment develop allergies later in life because as infants their immune systems were not “exercised”.
Of course there ARE hazards having a dog around an infant, but “allergens” is not one of them! Try again, Mom! (I think she just wants to get rid of the dog!)
9:52 pm on January 10th, 2010
There are no reasons to get rid of the pet if a family is having a baby. There are lots of families with pets that had babies afterwards and nothing was wrong or happened. Pets and babies can grow up together without issues.
A good book to read is “Childproofing Your Dog” by Brian Kilcommons.
6:09 am on January 14th, 2010
Newborns are delicate, …a dog kept in it’s place is fine but not near a crib or leaning over a baby. Think about where they lick and then it licking the baby…just a thought..just keep the dog from the baby for several months until the baby is more able to tolerate any allergies that may arise…your mom after all is your mom and you are healthy. She isn’t being hateful or uncaring . She has to consider the new one.Just as she did for you.
6:40 am on January 14th, 2010
As long as you don’t let the dog lick or get around the baby the baby and you vacuum and clean a lot it should be fine. Maybe you could suggest it be an outdoor or hard surface dog. If the baby is not exposed to some allergens he/she will grow up to
be an allergic person because he/she did not build up immunities to the allergens while growing up. Believe me! I was that baby. My parents got rid of their dog (and they LOVED that dog) before I was born and made sure everything was sanitary and I never got any germs. Now I am allergic to everything =P
9:41 am on January 17th, 2010
Unless the dog is mean, there is no reason to have to get rid of the dog just because there is a new baby coming.
I’ve had dogs in my house each time I brought one of my kids home from the hospital. Never have had any health problems with any of them that would have been the dogs fault.
She is just trying to find an excuse to get rid of the dog.
8:07 pm on January 20th, 2010
I would say No that if the Dog is clean and stays in side the home it cannot bring in Allergens. My Husband wasted are Dog really good before I brought home are little Boy. The dog was a big help in the first three Weeks, I would sleep when the baby did and the bog would wake me up when the baby woke up. it was nick. The Dog cared for the little one just as I did.
1:49 am on January 22nd, 2010
Nope. People have had dogs and babies together for hundreds of years, before they even understood allergens. The baby should be fine. Now, if your parents don’t want to take care of the dog anymore with the new baby, are you willing to take up that responsibility? It may not be fair to you, but it’s also not fair to the dog to be rehomed because a family member is arriving. I’d try to work out a compromise. Good luck!!
6:59 am on January 23rd, 2010
Must be an old wives tale that she still believes or something. The only harmful thing that can come from keeping pets, illness wise, is cat poo. Seriously, a pregnant woman should never empty a litter box. That’s the ONLY thing I’ve ever heard that could ever CAUSE a disease in a human that is pet related. Good luck, I am sure things will be fine. Ask your parents for credible written references by scientists or experienced professionals if they are very adamant.
10:40 am on January 23rd, 2010
My daughter is 20 months old. We have a medium sized, long haired dog and a large, short haird dog. They both shed a lot, but we have never had a problem. We kept the dogs out of her room while she was a newborn and infant, but now one of them likes to sleep in there on the floor next to her crib. I also am expecting my second child.
Who primarily takes care of the dog? Be honest with yourself. If it is your parents, it could be that they don’t want the added responsibility when the baby comes. It could also be that they don’t want the expense of the dog. You could offer to take over all responsibility of the dog ie: walking it, brushin/bathing, feeding, nail trimming and playing with it. If you are old enough, you could also get a job and help out with the cost of the dog. If you explain to your parents, in a reasonable tone (no yelling) that you want to keep the dog, they will atleast listen to you. It would be good to research on the internet about newborns and allergens and present the with solid facts to help your case. You can try a search on google. Good Luck!
9:05 am on January 25th, 2010
Nonsense. Babies don’t even develop allergies until they’re at least 10 months old. The only danger from a dog to a newborn is if it is extremely jealous, but that’s fairly rare. Most dogs realize that the new little one is part of the family and will be very protective of him/her. Lots of doctors blame children allergies on dog or cat dander, but I’ve got a son and three grandsons with Asthma, and none of them are allergic to either dogs or cats. It’s an excuse to get rid of the dog, pure and simple.
3:42 pm on January 28th, 2010
Well, if you keep the dog away from the baby until the baby grows up. ( don’t worry if it’ll take a long time, it’ll go by FAST!) and don’t let your dog shed. If you want the baby to see a pet, get fish! I mean, like in a big contaner with lots and lots of fish!
8:45 pm on January 30th, 2010
Maybe not allergens but there is definately a risk with dogs and babies to be worried about. Your family SHOULD take precautions before and when the baby arrives. Things will need to change. Below is a brief example of the dangers. I suggest your Mum talk to her doctor, her vet and a dog trainer about how she can keep both safely.
8:18 pm on February 2nd, 2010
Your parents are quite wrong…several recent studies show exactly the opposite…having dogs living in the house with babies actually helps them develop stronger immune systems, and results in LESS allergies developing in children. A BIG reason that so many children are sick these days (compared to say, even 20 years ago) is overprotective parenting. Kids should interact with pets, they should get dirty, and parents should limit the use of anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners…a LITTLE bacteria, dirt, and pet dander actually can help a child grow up healthier than growing up in a sterile environment, because they never develop immunity to things they have never been exposed to. Encourage your parents to research this more.
Second…giving up a dog because they are having a baby is really a despicable thing to do…they can live in harmony (many kids and dogs do). Usually parents want to give up the dog because they are too lazy to try to make it work.
12:01 am on February 5th, 2010
Kids raised in a home with dogs have less allergies, especially boys. The worst thing your mom can do is over sanitize the environment. When that happens a little bug becomes a major sickness instead of just the sniffles or a mild fever that the body takes care of.
Kids up thru the late 70’s never had nearly as many health problems because they were always out in the atmosphere and caught the little bugs going around.