Achoo!

Mike Murphy of Connecticut worked at an animal shelter for seven years, even though he was allergic to dogs. Some days he left work with a stuffy nose, some days he had hives, a headache, and itchy, watery eyes. "People thought I was crazy to expose myself to such misery, but I really love dogs and want to be around them," he says.

Two years ago, Murphy surprised his friends even more when he adopted a 3-year-old terrier mix named Greta. "Working in a shelter, I had a chance to see which breeds triggered the worst allergic reactions," he says. "I learned black Labs were the worst for me. But when I met Greta, my reactions were mild. We connected, so I adopted her."

Although human allergists don't suggest getting a dog if you suffer from allergies, some doctors today will not insist you get rid of a dog unless allergy symptoms are too severe to manage.


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