I wish I knew then....

Three months after I was born, I suffered my first allergy-related asthma attack. After several more scares and trips to the hospital, the doctors told my parents that it was “either your daughter or the dog”. The dog was Jody, a spirited beagle that my older brother received as a birthday gift from Mom and Dad. Fortunately, Jody went to live at my grandparents’ house but as I got older, I felt guilty about my brother having to give his dog away because of my allergies.

After years of taking allergy “shots”, I started bugging my parents for another dog. Naturally, they were hesitant, but my younger sister and I were relentless. Finally, they agreed to look for a breed that wouldn’t rekindle my past asthma problems.

We settled on a Bichon Frise and, after visiting a reputable breeder, brought home a puppy that we named Lacey. We showered Lacey with love and affection and played with and walked her. My parents kept her spotless and brushed (no small feat if you know anything about Bichons) and made sure she had the best veterinary care and plenty of those fake “dog burgers”. Despite all of that (and perhaps because of some of it), Lacey started suffering from allergies. She would develop “hot spots” and scratch herself raw in places. If she came into contact with a flea, her pink tummy would break out in little sores. My parents did everything they could think of, but these problems plagued her until she died at 16½ years old.

Knowing what I know now, I could definitely have helped both myself and Lacey through our allergy conditions. If you know of anyone (dogs and cats included) suffering from allergies, it’s worth reading our articles on how to cope with this condition. Lots of people refuse to give up their animals and get by on allergy pills but maybe there’s a longer term solution out there. And if it’s your animal that needs attention, you may be able to find an alternative to prednisone that’s gentler on his body. It might not be a quick fix, but it’s certainly worth considering.

In this issue, you’ll also find the results of our 4th Annual Amazing Animals Photo Contest. I didn’t think the photo entries could get any better but I was wrong. They were wonderful and personal, and we loved your stories about the animals who share your life. I couldn’t help but feel fortunate that we all have this added dimension to make our journeys so much more fulfilling. Thank you to each of you who entered. While we can’t award prizes to everyone, we hope to honor your animals by putting as many as we can in upcoming issues. So remember to keep your eyes open. You may see your loved one looking back at you!

Happy summer to all,

Wishing you health and happiness, as always,

Dana