Allergic to Animals?

I'm highly allergic to my furry pals and have to take copious amounts of medications to combat the symptoms of my allergies, which are caused not only by the boys but to dust and pollen in the environment. If I don't take my meds or they start to lose their effectiveness my nose leaks endlessly, I sneeze uncontrollably, my eyes itch to no end, and I feel like unzipping my skin and stepping out of it. Why the heck do I own a dog and two cats!?! Either I'm a glutton for punishment, or, I value the companionship of animals so highly I'm willing to deal with the allergies because the joy they bring me makes it worth it. My boys are so worth it! If allergies are the only thing holding you back from adopting a pup or a cat please know that it's doable. My allergies aren't going anywhere but here are some things I do to ease my symptoms: 

• I take an allergy pill daily. Sometimes I need to double down and take 2 pills - my usual daily allergy pill and something with pseudoephedrine in it to combat my runny nose (the symptom I struggle with the most)
• I use a saline spray to keep my nostrils free of dust and animal dander
• I feed my boys a high quality diet, which keeps their fur and skin healthy; this means less shedding and dander
• I vacuum and sweep regularly

I have to admit I'm actually pretty lazy when it comes to doing things to combat my allergies but I've reached a comfortable balance between symptoms I'm willing to tolerate and how much effort I'm willing to put in to fight them. Check out this Better Homes and Garden article for more tips on dealing with animal allergies.