Asthma triggered by rats

It seems I have developed an allergy/sensitivity to rats and it triggers my asthma. I think it’s getting worse and I don’t really know what to do about it. On the rare occasion I have to work with rats I wear an N95 mask and I have no issue. However, now I’m concerned I can’t even be in a room that has previously had rats in it. Yesterday, I was in one of our behavioral test rooms that had no rats in it, and hasn’t had any in at least two weeks. Despite this I began having difficulty breathing and had to take my inhaler.

When I started this current job I worked very closely with rats every day for a few months and had no issue. A few months ago I had to help out with behavioral experiments and it was the first time in almost a year that I was working closely with rats. I didn’t even touch them but I started having trouble breathing. Another time I was in the animal facility room for not even 5 minutes and I started coughing and having trouble breathing.

As long as I wear the mask I don’t have issues breathing, but now I’m really concerned that I can’t even be in a room the rats have previously been in without my asthma being triggered. I think this could be an issue because all of our behavioral test rooms are part of our lab space. They are small rooms within another room that is attached to the bench space part of the lab, but the rats will usually get transported through the main lab into these other rooms.

My position technically is not supposed to work with rats, I do bench experiments. However, since I had previous experience working with mice I originally offered to help out when needed which didn’t happen much until lately. I am wondering if anyone has had experience with this and what you did for accommodations if needed. I’m really wanting to ask my manager to not have me work with the rats due to how badly it triggers my asthma. My asthma is well controlled and typically I barely have 5 flare ups a year and when I do I only need two puffs of my rescue inhaler. In the last few months I have had more flare ups than I normally do in a whole year and have to take three puffs of my inhaler which sometimes still doesn’t fully help.

I am just worried that if I ask to not work with rats it’ll seem like I am trying to get out of helping the lab out. I already don’t help out with dissections/sacrifice days because all of the blood really freaks me out, so I feel guilty not helping in some way. My manager knows the rats cause breathing issues for me and has just told me to wear the N95 mask. My PI doesn’t know though. She has a SEVERE rat allergy so I feel like she might be more understanding of my worries. Should I go to her or just bring my concerns up with my manager again?

Sorry this is so long lol. Any advice would be appreciated.