Thank you everyone for your kindness and support.
@For Want of Poodle That's encouraging that you adjusted to your Annie. We're headed towards the three week mark as of this weekend and I have to say, my reaction is only getting worse. I am now entering asthma territory. Tightness of throat, shortness of breath. I'm seeing an allergist this upcoming week for advice, but I'm sure it's the dog. I never used to be allergic to dogs... sad!
@Dechi I wish he didn't trigger my asthma. A mild reaction I could live with, but asthma seems a bit imprudent. We used to have a dog, and I never had issues. The allergist's receptionist told me I may need some time to get used to him being a part of my environment. I think we're going to give it two weeks max after my appointment. I am confident he would still adjust well to a new home after that.
@Streetcar I'm glad your allergies have improved over the years. They are such a life drain. I know that people's allergies can fluctuate, especially with big physiological events like pregnancy (my 2nd seemed to trigger a cascade of health issues for me, which is not uncommon).
@Carolinek Thank you for your kindness. I am so glad poodles worked for you. I was allergy tested up one side and down the other as a kid, and received shots, which desensitized me of practically everything. Unfortunately, it seems like pregnancy or some other stressors have undone that. If we send our puppy back, we're decided we're never going to get another dog, so we want to be sure of our decision. I agree that you can't put a price on health, especially after what I've gone through this year.
I am borderline diagnostic for EDS according to my PCP who I saw a few days ago. One of the comorbidities is mast cell activation disorder e.g. histamine/inflammatory biochemical dysfunction. It didn't really present until after my 2nd pregnancy because it is, thank God, such a mild version of the condition. Part of me wants to say, oh, screw it, I'm keeping the dog since my health is falling apart anyway. The other part is like, be smart here. But it's always been my dream to own and train a purebred dog.
Ultimately, I think if the health consequences are not severe, and in my case they are manageable but certainly not optimal, it's a philosophical question. I've gone back and forth with myself over this. We are both body and soul, so the question isn't just what's good for the body, but what's good for the soul. They are inexplicably intertwined, which makes this decision so hard. Ironically, or perhaps providentially, my PCP who shared his diagnostic hunch this week lives with a cat of his wife's that he has to take Flonase, Zyrtec and occasionally an inhaler to deal with. He said, "Your immune system is always going to find something to react to. It is always on the lookout. They don't live forever. They're a part of the family." (A little different when it's a pet you've had for years vs. a pet you've had for two weeks, but my goodness, poodles are about the most endearing dogs I've ever known.) He told me it wouldn't cause any long-term health damage to keep the dog, only irritate me. I'm not sure if that's true or not, given I can't imagine chronic inflammation is good for the body, but hey, he knows his stuff, and I'm just a layman.
My children's pediatrician also said it was a philosophical decision- "Some people are attached to their dogs." We'll see what the allergist says. The only thing that really gives me pause is that I want to have more children and I am concerned about the health impact of a worst-case-scenario-constant-allergen on a pregnancy. Back to prudence territory.
God bless any of you who have listened to me ramble this long.
