How to Cope with Pets and Atopic Dermatitis 

InescapableEverywhere she went, there were puppies and kitties. The neighborhood cat joined her on the trampoline. The dog next door put her paws up on her shoulders at every greeting. Her cousins had a Labrador who was more like a blanket rolled up on the floor than an actual pet. Our favorite restaurant had a talking parrot.  It was useless for us to keep her in a dander free environment.So she was the sneezy one that everyone had to put their pets up for. Was it too much to ask? Nah. Here’s how we did it.Proclaiming a pet-free zoneAsk ahead of timeMy daughter was diplomatic. She knew where the pets were, and came prepared with a set of solutions. First, she always asked if the dog or cat could be put in another room, or outdoors. Some people were fussy, but honestly – most were accommodating, especially for short visits. She came armed with her moist unscented towelettes and the loaded medicine bag. All of the creams, gels, and moisturizers, plus a few antihistamines could be broken out in a moments notice.Teach no touchThis sounds harsh, but we all encouraged Jill to pet the baby lambs at the petting zoo, and then we wiped her little fingers. If a dog ran up and licked her face, we got out the moist cloth. We also taught her that her itchy skin might need more medicine if she touched animals. By the time she reached school age, she shied away.Enjoying from afarBecause she didn’t hold a lot of animals, she was a little shy around them. Well, that – and the dog across the street that bit her on the nose made her more likely to look from a safe point of view. When she saw an animal coming, she turned away. Most well-behaved pets responded to that by ignoring her and getting their attention from her younger sister, who is allergy-free. Larger animals never held much appeal for her. She’s ridden a few horses and showered after, but even she felt it wasn’t worth the effort.Dealing with dander nowShe’s a teen now, and spends the night with friends who have pets. They even got a small dog in the house a few years ago, but it doesn’t visit her bedroom. She loves animals and we watch funny animal videos and movies. We even send each other pics of puppies. I had a cat that was low-allergen, and she adored her. For the most part, animals are not a large part of her life. If she wants unconditional love, and some snuggle time, she gets that from her humans. That works!