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How Pets and Allergies Can Go Hand in Paw

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
Last Resorts

"Our second approach," Georgeson says, "is to medicate the patient with topical or inhaled corticosteroids, especially if he or she is asthmatic."

The third? "If all this fails, then there are shots," Georgeson says. Often these must be given every week.

Mitchell, therefore, is enthusiastic about liquid drops absorbed in the mouth that are being developed in Europe, although they are not approved for use here. He says he is confident these will soon be on the scene. "They are pretty exciting," he says.

"There is not a lot of peer-reviewed literature on the drops," Georgeson says. "The shots can change an allergic person to a nonallergic person."

"Shots," Johnson says, "are the mainstay."

Doctor's Story

"I am a cat and dog owner," Georgeson says. "I practice what I preach—the wood floors, the cleaning.

"My husband and I are not allergic, but many of our family members are, and when they come here they have no symptoms. This stuff works."


As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

SOURCES: Derek K. Johnson, MD, director of allergy and immunology, Temple University Children's Medical Center, Philadelphia. Pamela A. Georgeson, MD, board-certified allergist, Kenwood Allergy and Asthma Center, Chesterfield Township, Mich. Dean C. Mitchell, MD, board-certified allergist, New York.

Reviewed on March 20, 2008.

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