There's a prescription allergy medication on the market now that makes me smile every time I see it advertised. That's because the manufacturer makes a big deal out of promising relief from not just from allergies to pollen or dust, but also to pets.
That a drug company would consider it important to make this point suggests that the medical establishment is finally getting around to accepting the relationship many of us have with our pets -- even those of us who are allergic to them.
We don't care if we wheeze. We don't care if we sneeze. We're not dumping our pets.
This used to be a difficult point to make with some health-care professionals.
Once I was rudely dismissed by an allergist who insisted that eliminating pets from my life was a condition of his treating me. He told me if I wasn't going to follow his advice completely, he saw no reason why he should waste his time seeing me.
That was fine with me: I didn't want to see him, either. The pets stayed; the allergist went.
These days, my allergies and asthma are under good control, thanks to the advice of doctors who are more understanding and to some wonderful medications that have come on the market in recent years. I also have to give credit to my own dedication in following a few rules to reduce the impact of my pets on my allergies. Here are the basics I've followed for years now, with good results.
-- Limit exposure to other allergens. Avoid cleaning solutions, cigarette smoke and strong perfumes, and consider using a mask when doing yard work and housework, especially at the height of the pollen season.
-- Let someone else do the dusting and vacuuming, if at all possible, and if not, invest in a vacuum that filters the air it releases. I've had wonderful results with my Dyson vacuum, from a company that has a model actually designed for pet hair (it's called the "Animal"). The Dyson does an amazing job of picking up pet hair (and everything else), and not venting the allergens back out when I'm vacuuming.
-- Keep pets well-groomed. The dirt and pollen that pets pick up in their coats can be almost as bad as the hair and dander they generate themselves. It's essential for pets to be bathed frequently, and be kept combed and brushed. Ideally, a non-allergic member of the household should assume this responsibility. Even cats should be bathed, by the way: A weekly rinse in plain water has been shown to help people who are allergic to these pets better tolerate them.
-- Establish an "allergy-free zone" in the bedroom. Ideally, pets should never be allowed in the bedroom, so as to assure allergy-sufferers a good night's sleep. To be honest, I'm less than perfect in this category. During times when my other allergies are bothering me -– spring, primarily -– I kick out the pets. Other times, one, two or all of them are allowed on the bed.
I do, however, follow other bedroom guidelines closely, working to reduce allergy triggers by keeping the bedroom sparsely decorated and frequently cleaned. I also wash bedding constantly to combat dust mites, and my pillows are made of non-allergenic material, no feathers. During the height of allergy season, I run an air cleaner at all times.
-- Work with your doctor. Rather than argue over my pets, I avoided doctors for years after that run-in with the pets-must-go allergist. After I almost died from an asthma attack –- set up by a chest cold and triggered by a pet –- I got serious about getting help. These days, I work with health-care professionals who are willing to work with me, prescribing medications that allow my allergies and my pets to co-exist.
Like most allergy-sufferers, I find even the most beautiful spring to be a season of misery at times. But since I started following the good advice that's out there, I've been able to muddle through even the worst days without ever contemplating giving up any of the pets I hold so dear. Not that I ever would, of course.
PETS ON THE WEB
By no stretch of the imagination are racehorses pets, but I know I am not alone among animal lovers in admiring their grace, beauty and heart -- especially at this time of year, leading up to the Kentucky Derby. The Thoroughbred Champions Web site (www.thoroughbredchampions.com) celebrates several decades of great racehorses, from War Admiral and Whirlaway to more the more recent racetrack winners of Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Lady Secret. The biographies of the horses are wonderful, and for serious students of racing history, there are lots of pedigree and race stats to ponder.
THE SCOOP
Over the years I've collected plenty of grooming tools for my pets, but in the spring there's no doubt which one gets the biggest workout: the shedding blade. A simple loop of stainless steel attached to a handle, the blade has teeth that are ideal for grabbing the dead, loose hair that's so plentiful when winter coats start to be shed. A daily whisking of a pet with this blade will catch a lot of the fur that would otherwise end up in your house or on your clothes. A few minutes of daily effort makes your pet's coat look clean and shiny. Even better: Many cats and dogs love the sensation of being groomed with this tool. The cost: Less than $10 at most pet-supply stores, catalogs and Web sites.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK
Q: I will be moving soon and have two cats who need to move with me. I am considering moving them first and securing them in a room in the new house. I want them to feel safe and comfortable in their new home, not traumatized. Is this the best plan? -– K.P., via e-mail
A: You're on the right track in providing your cats with a secure space for a transitional period. Set up a small bedroom in the new house with litter boxes, food and water dishes, scratching posts or cat trees, some toys and sleeping areas. Then decree that the room be off-limits to further activity as you continue with the rest of your moving chores.
Bring over your cats in carriers, set the carriers down and -– with the bedroom door securely closed -– open the carrier doors. Don't drag the cats out, but instead let them choose when to leave their carriers. Don't put any demands on the cats: If they want to spend an hour or two in the carrier or the first few days under the bed, let them.
Work around this closed room as you're moving into the rest of your house. Visit your cats in the room during quiet times, and if they're interested, pet them and play with them. But mostly you should vow to leave them alone in the closed room so they can adjust in their own time and on their own terms.
A week or two after you've moved in (when your cats seem more relaxed), open the bedroom door and let them have access to the rest of the house. Again, don't force them to do anything. They'll explore when they're ready, and not before.
Cats feel most secure in familiar surroundings, and in providing them with a transitional "safe room," you'll be helping them to feel comfortable in your new home in the least amount of time and with the least amount of disruption.
Q: My son gets annoyed when my small dog is around when he visits. He is coming up for a few days, and I would like it to be a good visit. Would it be OK if I were to keep my dog in his cage, which he never uses anymore, until my son says it's OK to let him out? -– M.G., via e-mail
A: I'm going to resist asking a question like, "What on earth is your son's problem with having your dog do as you want in your own home?" (Assuming your dog is neither vicious nor ill-mannered, of course.) But no, I won't ask that, nor will I add that in my home, if you don't like my furred, finned and feathered family, you are welcome not to visit.
Having resisted those less-than-polite urges, I will, in the interests of family peace, assure you that it won't hurt your dog to chill out in a crate or carrier for a couple of days until your company has come and gone. Another alternative: Do you have a friend who wouldn't mind taking your dog for the duration of your son's visit?
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.
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