The “Vet” Who WAS Allergic to Pets
While you may think this story is about a military “vet” allergic to pets it’s actually about a veterinary student who is a patient of mine and who is allergic to pets.
The Story of the Allergic Vet
My patient, the allergic vet, was an honors student in high school and continued her success at an Ivy-league college. She was accepted into one of the most prestigious veterinary colleges in the country. There was only one problem – actually two problems. She is allergic to a range of furry animals: cats, dogs, and horses. She also is petrified of needles – not giving them but receiving them.
She came to my office because she heard I have success desensitizing patients who are allergic to cats and dogs and doing it without the use of any needles. I am one of the few experts in the country in sublingual allergy drops which avoid using injections to treat animal allergies.
My pressure: her future career was on the line.
She had already completed her first year of veterinary school but like medical school, it was all classroom sciences. No actual contact with the patients (in this case the animals). She was concerned about how successful this treatment would be since this was her only real option.
Treating Her Animal Allergies – Sans Regular Injections
I told her that I had successfully desensitized thousands of patients – children and adults – to cats and dogs; however, I had done only half a dozen patients to horse dander since most of my patients don’t have regular contact with horses (a little difficult when your office is in midtown Manhattan).
She came to my office and we drew baseline blood tests (she was very uneasy with taking the blood but it was still better than doing skin tests for her) and once the results came back confirming she was highly allergic to these animals we discussed the sublingual allergy drops.
Benefits of Sublingual Allergy Drops vs. Allergy injections
The sublingual allergy drops were the perfect answer in many ways for my patient. She was away at school so she could take the drops at home – no doctor office visits required. The drops are incredibly safe and so she didn’t need to worry about giving herself an adrenaline injection as you might after an allergy injection. And the best part for last – sublingual allergy drops has been over 90% effective in my practice experience and in the allergy medical literature.
Results
I was so happy when after a year of treatment my patient noted that now while she was in her second year of training the exposure to the animals was causing minimal or no allergic reactions. I was able to confirm her immune protection by analyzing her blood for blocking antibodies to the cat, dog, and horse, which were all present.
Bottom Line
First, kudos to my patient, where there is a will there is away. She found our practice and we were able to help make her dream come true.
I’ve been fortunate to help so many of my patients have pets that never thought it was possible.
– Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D.
Mitchell Medical Group, NYC
About the Author – Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D.
Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D. is a Board Certified Allergist and Immunologist based out of NYC. He graduated from the Sackler School of Medicine and completed training at the Robert Cooke Allergy Institute in New York City. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and the author of Allergy and Asthma Solution: The Ultimate Program for Reversing Your Symptoms One Drop at a Time. Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D. has also been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Fitness Magazine, Dr. Oz and News NY 1. Dr. Mitchell also hosts the podcast The Smartest Doctor in the Room – a combination of a lively, personal and in-depth interview with top healthcare specialists.