Question: For many years I have been allergic to dogs, cats, or anything else with fur. I can’t even walk into a pet store. Is there any treatment for this?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
In patients with allergies caused by animal dander, guidelines strongly recommend avoiding exposure to these pets or animals at home. Medications or other treatments may be necessary to relieve symptoms and manage asthma. If you have a runny nose, antihistamines relieve itching, and sneezing. Prescription antihistamine tablets include fexofenadine (Allegra) and desloratadine (Clarinex). Azelastine (Astelin, Astepro) and olopatadine (Patanase) are prescription antihistamines taken as a nasal spray. Over-the-counter antihistamine tablets (Claritin, Zyrtec, others), as well as antihistamine syrups for children are available that can help.