Asthma myth?

So talking on the phone with my parents the other day, I was telling them how stressed sometimes my evenings are, after I come from work/pick Maddie up and it's nothing but RUN, RUN, RUN!! run to get Maddie changed, give her her milk, then run to prepare something to eat (in the meantime, we are usually sweating our butts off since the air conditioner needs to be ran for a while to cool off some) put her in the highchair with food, run to sweep the floors (since my stupid dog sheds hairs like crazy) and sometimes even mop them. Run to get Maddie off the highchair because she's usually bawling by the time I'm done with the floors.... run to block the living room so she can play.... blah blah blah....

And my dad says: 'well, I don't mean to be intrusive, but I really rather you separate the dog from Maddie even more since I don't want her to grow up and tell you ''thanks a lot mom, I have asthma and it was your fault''.'
Now, I usually clean my floors and couches (and don't let the dog climb on couches anymore) so that Maddie plays free of hair, but it threw me off a little the fact that I'm supposedly giving my child chances to develop asthma?? I thought this was a hereditary thing.... or, can someone develop asthma from contact with animal hair???

=(

[alikat1205]

my youngest has asthma, and i think it is more like the hair can trigger an attack for her, but it won't create asthma in someone who doesn't have it.

[have 2 kids]

V- the hair can trigger an asthma attack but it does not cause asthma.
( I have asthma and wouldn't think of giving up my two golden retrievers)

[vsentz]

Ahhhh, thank you girls!.... thank you thank you thank you!!! it's just the way that he sounded was half mean... and, well, we really don't want to give up our retard (boxer).... I mean she's a pain and all, but over all, she takes care of us, and the house and she's very loving. Maddie LOVES her and the cat... she squeals in joy when she sees them and she is the happiest when she plays with her 'eddo' ('perro' is dog in spanish) and her 'bsh' (we call our cat 'bicho' ).

I will be asking this question at her 15 month appt... but I was just curious about it and maybe I can back myself up with better answers from moms, next time my dad decides to say something mean like that... see, he's usually a very nice, playful person... but yesterday something got up his butt and boy!!!! =S

Thank you girls!

[AnnieBrooke]

Recent research suggests that being too sanitary with babies is one of the reasons kids get asthma in greater numbers today than in previous generations.  Letting the child have contact with animals can be said to be closer to a prevention of later asthma than a cause.  If you want to arm yourself for the next discussion with the grandparents, you might google the topic and print out an article or two on the research.

[Renogirl]

there are soooo many studies out there about the new strains of germs that are developing by "overprotecting" children and immunizing them against every little tiny thing and using all antibacterial products - amazingly - as kids - we weren't immunized for chicken pox or cervical cancer and we all grew up to be mostly healthy well adjusted (some of us) adults - we played in mud puddles and ran in the rain - and GASP - rode our bikes without helmets!!! Oh dear!!!!!  If little one doesn't have asthma - playing with pets isn't going to give her asthma - let her be a kid - let her pick up sticks and rocks, walk in the rain, get dirty, and enjoy being a kid - let her have the same memories your parents were wonderful enough to give to you!!!!