I have severe allergies and asthma, but am able to live with my 4 furbabies.
No dog is hypoallergenic and I'm sorry you were sold on that idea. It is usually the dander, saliva, and proteins in the urine that cause allergic reactions.
For Medicines I use Advair 100/50 (asthma) and Claritin for allergies daily. I still experience some itchyness and sneezing/coughing spells but it is usually when I forget my medicines.
The maintenance things I do are:
Buy a HEPA air filter (per room) if you can. Run them 24/7 and be sure to change the filters as needed.
Wash bedding daily/weekly.
Try to eliminate curtains or wash them weekly.
Rip up all carpet if you can.
Wash walls weekly (reduces dander).
Use ALLERPET D on pets every day/every other day (strips dander from the fur)
Never allow pets on the couch/bed or in bedrooms. It's been shown that an allergy free 8 hours of sleep leads to less symptoms during the day.
Get heating cooling ducts cleaned regularly or install a home HVAC system.
Wear long sleeves/mask while bathing and brushing.
I hope some of those help. I've battled with my allergies and asthma all my life, but have as an adult decided to carefully use medication to control it, as well as maintenance in my home and cleaning so that I am able to have my furbabies.
Also remember that "usually" as time goes by you can build a resistance to your own pets dander. So it might pass as time goes on, good luck!
If you are truly commited to keeping your pet and are willing to suffer some symptoms at times, I definitely believe it is managable. |