Wrong Reaction Allergy Sufferers Can Often Cope With Pets; It’S The Pet Owners Who Are Difficult

Just about anyone allergic to furry pets can tell you.

Dogs and cats aren’t the real problem. Their owners are.

And there’s no shot for that.

Now don’t get me wrong. Pet lovers can be incredibly sweet people. No one is disputing that.

It’s just that they don’t always have a firm grasp on the realities and implications of serious allergies.

They often assume that people who experience adverse immune-system reactions to pets simply don’t like cats or dogs. (For those allergy sufferers genuinely fond of four-leggers, that’s pretty galling.) And based on countless personal experiences, it would seem that no amount of explaining can alter that impression.

“I’m sorry you don’t like little Muffie — she’s really quite friendly.”

This confusion stems from two basic misunderstandings.

1) Many people believe that if the dog or cat is not present in the room, there’s no reason for the allergy sufferer to worry.

Unfortunately, shepherding Trixie or Rex to the back of the house does nothing about the millions of animal dander molecules in the air and on the couch and on the carpet.

2) A distressingly large number of people seem to believe that pet allergies — which afflict about 15 percent of the population — are not that serious.

And for some sufferers, that’s true. Their symptoms are pretty much restricted to a few sniffles and maybe a harmless welt or two.

Others, however, can experience profound breathing problems that are no joke. Trust me.

Individuals with low-grade allergies often exacerbate this confusion. Some of them insist that a true animal lover can learn to tolerate his or her problem so that he or she can have pets live inside the home.

It’s a good bet that these people have never had to go to the emergency room because of their reaction to animals. Moreover, it’s an insult to those who can’t — no ifs, ands or buts — have indoor dogs or cats.

Let me tell you a quick story.

When I was a boy, it was determined that I was allergic to our dog, Lady. So she had to go live in the garage.

My breathing improved. But I felt guilty about seeing Lady — who was really my big brother’s dog — banished from our house.

So one time, when everyone else was gone, I tried to coax her back inside.

It was winter. And I remember that it was pretty cold.

I held the door open and all but begged her to come in. But she just stood on our porch and looked up at me with her big brown eyes. She wouldn’t budge.

You see, my brother had explained the situation to her. And at about that time Lady was probably thinking it would be a good idea if he explained it to me, too.

So do me a favor. Don’t ever tell some little kid that if he really loved animals he’d learn to get used to his allergies. It’s not that simple.

The medications available to allergy sufferers have improved significantly. Nevertheless, there are still some people who can’t have indoor dogs or cats without spending a lot of time on a respirator.

Of course, not all confusion about pet allergies is a result of ignorance or insensitivity.

The truth is there are numerous variables. In assessing an allergy sufferer’s risk of a reaction before visiting a home with a pet, hard-and-fast rules are difficult to come by.

The same person can instantly start wheezing in the presence of Pet A one day, and then hardly even have a reaction to Pet B another day.

Some people essentially outgrow their allergies.

Some experience virtually no symptoms when exposed to certain breeds.

Some find that if a cat gets washed on a weekly basis, it doesn’t pose much of a threat.

But one thing is 100 percent certain. Those who are allergic to pets will never stop getting unsolicited advice.

“Drink some herbal tea with Tupelo honey and you’ll never have another problem.”

“Try breathing through your nose.”

“Give up dairy products and I know you’d be able to have a cat.”

“Vitamin E, man — that’s the answer.”

“Find your spiritual center and your allergies will be a thing of the past.”

Another treat is being lumped in with people who pretend to have allergies so they’ll have an excuse when they decide to dump an animal that has become inconvenient.

OK, sorry to sound so grouchy. I didn’t mean to.

After all, there is some important good news.

I encounter and speak to a fair number of dogs and cats outdoors. And not one of them has ever held my allergies against me.