madrid@auvax.UUCP (07/06/83)
More than a few tears have been shed around our house lately. It seems that the drippy nose that The Princess (17 months old) has been having lately has resulted in an ear infection which could become serious. Her pediatrician thinks this may be the result of an allergy to cats. Now, obviously, I'm not going to take the chance of subjecting her to pain and/or disability if there's any real possibility of avoiding it. However, Midnight is a long-time family friend, and I'm reluctant to get rid of him because of nothing more than an informed supposition. I understand it's difficult to test for allergies in a child that young. It seems, too, that ear infections are very common in children of that age group. We live in a small house with an open layout, so it's next to impossible to segregate child and cat. They have played together so well. The winters here are pretty severe, so it's not really feasible for him to stay outside all the time. It's not easy to find a new home for an older cat, and cats don't usually take well to a new location. Although there are farms that would be willing to take him, I doubt the kindness of sending him to deal with outdoor living and tougher animals. Any suggestions?
crc@clyde.UUCP (07/08/83)
If you suspect your child is alergic to something, take him/her to an allergist. To one can use a simple and expensive blood test to test for allergies. Do it NOW. I suffered for over ten years before I went. If you think the child may be too young, call the doctor first, he'll tell you over the phone.