30 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JULY | AUGUST 2019 Here’s a lesson that I learned very early in my career as an aller- gist: If the allergist advises the family to get rid of their dog (or other beloved warm-blooded creature), the family will usually get rid of the allergist instead. My youthful enthusiasm for helping allergic children was im- mediately confronted by some stark realities of dog ownership, starting with the fact that the four-legged member of the family had often preceded the arrival of the first human child by several years. So, is it possible for children who are allergic to dogs to live in harmony with canines? The answer, as is typical for many medical questions, begins with “It depends…” In the end, there are really only three ways to deal with an environmental allergy, usually un- dertaken in the following order: No 1. | Avoid the thing(s) to which you are allergic. In this case, make a conscious decision not to keep dogs in your home. No 2. | Take medications on a daily basis to prevent and treat aller- gic symptoms caused by exposure to dogs. No 3. | Allergen immunotherapy or desensitization (“allergy shot”) is a long-term treatment recommended for environmental allergens. ARE YOUR CHILDREN By: RobertW. Sugerman, MD | Contributor ALLERGIC TO DOGS? Is it possible for children who are allergic to dogs to live in harmony with canines? The answer, as is typical for many medical questions, begins with“It depends…”