This past Christmas my youngest son asked for a kitten. So, off I went shopping for a kitten, and wouldn’t you know it, I fell in love with this frisky little female himalayan kitten. I brought her home and my son instantly fell in love with the kitten and named her Sasha.

A week after having Sasha at home I started experiencing a ticklish throat and a heavy chest. I had been around animals most of my life and I have never had an allergic reaction to animals; therefore I assumed I was developing a cold. However, a week went by and my ticklish throat turned very itchy and I also had a very noticeable wheeze. Now it was obvious that what I was experiencing was an allergic reaction to animals, in particular to this fluffy little kitten. Still, not willing to face the truth and hoping for the best I started taking some antihistamines and waited a few more days.  The antihistamine did not help, my breathing became more laboured and I was developing hives. 

I finally faced reality and went to see my physician. I was diagnosed not only with allergies but also with adult onset asthma brought on by the kitten. I was prescribed a bucketful of medications mainly for asthma, but also to calm my immune system down. There was no question that we had to find a new home for Sasha. I thought that once Sasha was gone, everything would go back to normal but this was not so. I now was sensitive to many things that I had never been before, particularly animals. Our ten year old labrador retriever, with whom I had lived in harmony for the past ten years, was now causing chaos with my immune system.

Giving up Sasha was a gut wrenching experience, but she was very young and would easily adjust to another home. However, we have loved and lived with our dog for ten years and he is a part of the family. Giving our dog up was not an option; therefore I needed to find another solution to the allergic reaction to animals that I was experiencing.

My first step was to inform myself about pet allergies and how to deal with them. Once well informed I was ready to act.

• I created a pet free zone in my home. Our dog is not allowed in the areas I spend most of my time in, my bedroom and my office.  
• Our house is vacuumed daily to reduce the amount of fur and allergens.                                             
• I invested in a HEPA filter and placed it in the living room where our dog is allowed to roam. The HEPA filter reduces the amount of allergens in the air.
• Finally, we started shampooing our dog with allergen reducing shampoo twice a month and also applying a dander removing spray daily. The spay/shampoo treatment has been very effective in reducing my allergies and asthma.

These simple steps have worked well for me. Living with an allergic reaction to animals can be a simple task if one is willing to make the necessary adjustments. Pets make great companions and loving and living with an animal is one of the greatest things in the world. Seeking the proper treatment and health advice from a doctor can make it possible to live with an animal even if you have an allergic reaction to animals.