My life is not my own.
It has been infested, nay, invaded by four furry beasts.
Also, doesn’t help that I am dying of allergies.

Being a pet owner, you are responsible for your pets comfort, their food, their very lives. Ever since Mother Nature forgot to take her lithium this spring in the DC Metro area, the temperature may not be consistent, but the pollen count has. I have dealt with DC allergies for about 4 years now, and this year, they have slammed into me like a train. This year, it wasn’t just me dealing with them.

Late in April, after one particular weekend that Darla was boarded at her usual kennel, we brought her home to discover she was acting different. She was developing a hacking cough, her eyes were red and she was producing copious amounts of eye boogers. I was both frightened and angry, ready to call up her puppy hotel and let them know they gave my dog kennel cough. Leo stopped me, telling me to wait until the next day. All night I heard my baby cough and have puppy nightmares.
But by the next morning, she woke up fine. Relieved, we loaded Darla and Thor into the backseat of the car and headed to the dog park. Darla seemed fine, running around like a mad woman while Thor marked everything in sight and inspected ketch dog that arrived. After an hour, both had tired themselves out so we headed back to the car.
Once home, however, the cough reappeared, as did the eye boogers. Thor was also acting strange, obsessively licking his paws and rubbing his eyes. As I blew my nose and rubbed my own dry eyes, the light bulb turned on.
They had allergies!

Acknowledging how bad I felt when my allergies hit, I began to take precautions for them, just like I took my allergy pill every morning.
Here are some tips:
1. Avoid walking during peak hours if you can.
2. Before entering the house, make sure to wipe their paws with a wet washcloth. It will remove any pollen that they gathered while on their walk.
3. Avoid the dog park on days they cut the grass. Both your nose and your dogs’ will thank you.
4. If you can, also wipe their nose and eyes after every walk.
5. If you notice your dog is extra miserable, consult your local vet. Perhaps your dog is especially sensitive to something in your area.
Do not self medicate your pet. Always check with your vet, as human meds and pet meds are very different.

For more tips, click here!

As for me, I am stuck inside due to, you guessed it, allergies. But like any good mommy, that doesn’t stop me from making sure they don’t suffer like me.

Also, it means going outside despite the fact that I can’t breathe through my nose anymore, my throat is on fire due to having to breathe through my mouth and my eyes are drier than El Paso in the summer.
Besides, it’s all worth it when they come back in and nap while I recover until the next round…I hope they have pity on their sneezing, red eyed, stuffy nosed mommy!