Today, I went to the allergist. I found out that I am allergic to dogs, cats, wool, fleece, and pet dander. I'm currently planning to go to school to become a veterinarian. FML
I agree, your life sucks (23393) - you totally deserved it (1684)
On 10/29/2009 at 12:36pm - work - by KMack (woman) - United States (Rhode Island)
Considering she probably would've changed her mind anyways, as most people do. That and it's not near as bad as if she were ALREADY going to school for it. You can PLAN anything.
#10 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:17pm by americayay
I don't think you should have to change your career over some allergies. I guess it depends on how severe your allergies are.
I'm allergic to cats but I still have one. In fact, I've had him for 10 years. I get really itchy if I hold him for too long and my eyes get watery. But he's well worth it.
Your allergy may not severe enough to affect you while working. I've worked in veterinary clinics for the bulk of my life. I have the occasional issue where I have to go wash the heck out of my face and arms but I'm yet to have to be taken to the hospital as an emergency.
Don't let your allergies discourage you.
#54 - On 10/29/2009 at 5:26pm by Darling_Cherry
Meh, not really. If you're allergic to dogs and cats, you can always do the large animal veterinary work (horses/cows/etc.).
Well at least its not Horses and other cattle. Most vets work on horses, then comes cats and dogs secondary.
I disagree, Gaymer. I'm in vet school and the majority of the students are planning on going into exclusively small animal practice... it's been that way for a while now. There's actually a shortage of large animal veterinarians throughout the country right now because not enough people want to work on farm animals!
And OP, if you really want to do it, it's possible still. I have classmates with varying degrees of animal-related allergies, and they just control them with meds/shots/sucking it up as needed. This really isn't the end of the world.
Look on the bright side: YOU HAVEN'T YET PAID YOUR TUITION! YOU HAVEN'T STARTED! I promise it COULD be worse! Take this example:
Someone FINISHED culinary school when they found out they had Diabetes. This was from another FML: http://www.fmylife.com/miscellaneous/4390297
#93 - On 10/30/2009 at 4:37am by egaonogenki
I'm allergic to cats and dogs as well, and we have ten cats and three dogs, and we've had that many animals my whole life.
My allergies are not too severe, but bad enough I feel like I want to die sometimes. Just talk to your doctor and see what type of injections you can get or OTC meds can help.
This isn't a bad thing. You should not let a few allergies get in the way of your dream. Geesh. If you wanted to go to vet school so badly then you would still go.
#94 - On 10/30/2009 at 9:44am by just_me_tmp
hei...i have the same allergies...i own a dog and 2 cats and i work at a kennel...its amazing what a decongestant will do for ya...but theres nothin wrong with wanting to be a vet when u have allergies...
#99 - On 10/30/2009 at 4:37pm by germanshepherd15
No. Acupressure. New age stuff gets made fun of, but it works and isn't bad for your body.
#101 - On 11/03/2009 at 12:09am by GrapefruitZoe
That's like the chick in the Claratin commercial who's allergic to animals but she's a veteranarian....just get a really strong allergy medication.
#3 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:03pm by pinkprincess9113
can you take allergy shots? I take them for all kinds of pollen, molds, fungus, and every other environmental allergy. Ask the allergist if it works on animals too.
keyword-"planning" you still have time to change your plan; thus, your life is not fucked; thus GTFO
#9 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:15pm by anonymous69
haha you would be from RI. YDI for posting in the most irrelevant state.
#11 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:19pm by jackkerouc9
Become a Benadryl addict as well.
Or work with elephants. Just don't be like that guy in Germany that won the Darwin Award.
Yeah, Perdix is also from Texas as well.
Just like Plexico.
And their usernames are similar.
They must be the same person.
#50 - On 10/29/2009 at 5:13pm by Ohnothingreally
No! How dare you claim perdix is plexico! Poor plexico...I was going to have his children. I don't like you insulting my fallen lover!!!
Now shut up and gtfo.
#80 - On 10/29/2009 at 10:13pm by Intoxicunt
It's obvious they're the same person. Equally as dirty-minded and lame.
#81 - On 10/29/2009 at 10:42pm by TheLetterZero
My advice - go on American Idol. "This is my last chance, I have no more career options...! "They'll lap up a sob story like that!
#14 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:23pm by voissurtonchemin
i'm allergic to all of those things, but it's really easy to deal with, and i'm a huge animal lover. just avoid touching your face after you touch an animal, and wash your hands afterward. so if you're severely allergic, change your plans, if you're not, just deal with it.
#18 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:28pm by tequilabird
Newsflash, folks. People can and do develop allergies later in life. So assuming she's never been around animals is sort of asinine.
#19 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:28pm by Butterbuns
Actually, not really. I've met people who have never been around animals who suddenly decided to go into veterinary medicine.
#95 - On 10/30/2009 at 1:02pm by Darling_Cherry
OP, I too was severely allergic to animal dander and at age 14, took up volunteer work at a no-kill cat shelter. I was sick for the first couple of months and did use a lot of allergy medicine, but after weekly work with the cats and eventually the adoption of my own cat, I am now almost completely immune to their dander.
You can still be a veterinarian. You'll find that the longer you're around animals, the less symptoms you will have. I'd still take an allergy medicine as backup--Allegra (prescription only) is pretty magical.
Me too and I'm in my third year.
Get over yourself and do something about it instead of complaining on the internet. Allergy shots, pills, etc.-- you've got options lady!
#22 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:36pm by _get_over_it_
I'm allergic to dogs, cats and bunny's, I have 2 dogs, 1 cat and 4 bunny's, I just deal with it or take an antihistamine.
#23 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:38pm by giratina16
Wooh, at least you're not allergic to food. I'm allergic to anything organic - which is pretty weird.
So OP, yours are not that bad. JUST SWITCH YOUR CAREER PLAN!
kthnxbai.
In the UK, Medical school requires the same grades as Vet school, If you're still interested in the medical side of things, look into going to medical school instead.
Life doesn't end with allergies :)
#27 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:45pm by myinfernalfilth
why would u do that if your allergic to cats and dogs smh at you
#28 - On 10/29/2009 at 2:59pm by Ayostephdizza16
Meh. I'm allergic to all of those things and more, including horses. Guess who's a horse trainer? Giving up what I loved for allergies just wasnt worth it for me. You just get used to having a stuffy nose a lot and do series of allergy shots if you can. Now if you were allergic to bee's and wanted to be a bee keeper.. well, yeah then you're fucked.
#31 - On 10/29/2009 at 3:17pm by kNightmare9
It's called yearly and half yearly shots. If it's truly your passion then get them or suck it up. Though I doubt it is, everyone wants to be a bloody vet these days and never follows through. FYI, thinking puppies are cute won't get you the gig, kids.
I'm a full-time vet tech and I'm finishing my animal science degree part time (hopefully vet school is in my future!) and I'm pretty allergic to cats. I also own two cats.
What I do is take a Benadryl immediately before bed -- it helps with my sleeping problem, and stays in my system long enough to get me through the next day.
Sleep with an AC on (cold air is good for allergies) and take benadryl/clariton D. I am allergic to cats & dogs. I have two long haired dogs and a cat. It's not the end of the world.
You do realize that fleece and wool are the same thing, right?
#39 - On 10/29/2009 at 4:25pm by rightsaidred
I know someone who just qualified as vet, knowing beforehand that she was allergic to cats, dogs and small animals.
#42 - On 10/29/2009 at 4:38pm by CrumbFlicker
thats okay. you can work around it. i've volunteered at an animal shelter and i'm allergic to almost every animal possible.
can't you go into some form of research? you know, the behind the scenes people? that way you can help the animals like you want to without having to constantly be around them. or you could become a horse doctor or something. please don't bash my comment; i'm only trying to help.
#44 - On 10/29/2009 at 4:46pm by the_stereotype
This is really only an FML if she's in college now or graduated from college and her major was related to being a vet so now she has to restart her entire college education. If she's in high school and just planned on being a vet then she can change w/o too much trouble.
You can treat some allergies with hypnosis. You could try that.
There's a lot of support for it in neuropsychological studies like the one below:
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/80/4/511.full.pdf
#48 - On 10/29/2009 at 5:11pm by ellabella00
zertec works wonders. I'm alergic to all that stuff to and I'm a groomer.
#49 - On 10/29/2009 at 5:12pm by pitbulllove
Get a second opinion. From an MD.
If this first person wasn't an MD, then take it with a grain of salt.
Because I'm sure this person isn't the only one in the world thats allergic to dogs and such and wants to be a vet.
I've often joked that I'm allergic to work, when I sneeze at work. I guess it'll be no joke for you if you choose not to change your career plans.
#62 - On 10/29/2009 at 5:50pm by Kristoffer
don't worry about tht, well i mena if the allergic is no so bad, im allergic to cats and dogs and i will be a vet anyways (:
I am in vet school. There are MANY classmates of mine that are allergic to nearly everything. Some get allergy shots monthly or so, some take oral meds. If you are determined to be a vet, you can manage your allergies! Seriously, don't get discouraged--it's not the end of the world, and it certainly is not the end of your future career.
haha i'm really tired and when i first read this i thought it said vegetarian.
i was worried about you eating cats and dogs. haha
my grandma is allergic to cats and i always say just take benadryl, but i guess that doesn't always work. ahha. sorry though, that really sucks.
#67 - On 10/29/2009 at 6:28pm by mileycyruslvrrrr
I really would't worry about it. Im exactly the same, had pets all my life and been fine then last year developed allergies to anything with fur and dust etc. Im also training to become a vet and it doesn't stop me one bit. As long as I take an antihistamine each morning I don't even notice my allergies so just go for it. Don't let one set back stop you achieving your ambition, Im certainly not going to, being a vet is all I've ever wanted to do so if I have to take a tablet every day to get there then so be it =)
wait, i didn't explain that well.
i thought you meant you were becoming a vegetarian because you were allergic to cats and dogs. hahaha i really misread that. hahaha
#69 - On 10/29/2009 at 6:33pm by mileycyruslvrrrr
I received allergy desensitisation injections for years. It helped slightly, but I still can't walk out on a spring day without sneezing everywhere and feeling like I want to die, and that's with a whole bunch of medications as well! They work for most people, but for some their allergies are just too nasty :(
#76 - On 10/29/2009 at 9:36pm by fireandice27
Ouch that happened to me too!! I nearly broke down and cried in the doctor's office :S
#75 - On 10/29/2009 at 9:34pm by fireandice27
Don't give up your dream. You can become an Aquavet ... I used to have a lot of different fishes, aquavet are very very hard to find ... especially when my fish are ill, hatch, infected and so on.
#79 - On 10/29/2009 at 10:10pm by KalvinAlexander
time to plan something different i guess. you are too emo
#82 - On 10/29/2009 at 11:08pm by Crapsickle
Don't worry too much, the allergist is often full of shit.
I got tested, and was told that I was allergic to tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, and pretty much
most of the fruits and vegetable family. I've been a vegetarian for over 3 years, and have never
experienced a reaction to any of these, and so I conclude that often they make random shit up!
I work at a veterinary clinic, and most of us do have allergies to pets. Get allergy shots now- it does work/help. Dont let it stop you.
#85 - On 10/29/2009 at 11:16pm by mew_3
ummmm, allergy shots?? my sister has the same allergies but she goes to the allergist for desensitization treatments. I would assume that would be the purpose in going to the allergist.
Yeah, another vet school student here, and most vets are not equine practitioners. Also, we learn to work on all animals, so even if I were interested in bovine medicine, I would still end up doing dissections, clinical rotations, and other things with dogs and cats.
OP, I also have fur and hay allergies. While my allergies may be less severe than yours, the main thing to worry about vet school is A) getting in and B) surviving.
Oh man that sucks, what about allergy shots, you can still be a vet? (Hopefully!) I went to my allergist yesterday and it's been ten years since I was there. He found out that on top of still being deathly allergic to peanuts, I'm now allergic to cats and dogs, tree pollen and grass pollen, and I have asthma. I have to take an inhaler twice a day and get an allergy shot once-twice a week(though it gradually becomes once a month) for the next 3-5 years. Fun times?
That really sucks but you can always take some allergy medication or something. You could even go as far as getting allergy shots if you really want to be a vet. :)
#91 - On 10/30/2009 at 3:36am by theonlyknownlink
I'm also a vet student...
Worry about getting into vet school before you start worrying about your allergies...
And then maybe worry about surviving.
#96 - On 10/30/2009 at 2:45pm by DaNNo71886
hummmm.... I've known I'm allergic to a lot of animals and plants ever since I was 10... I took injections for it for 5 years... I'm currenctly studying to become a vet ^^
#97 - On 10/30/2009 at 2:49pm by trickish
dis is a waste. i'm highly allergic to ALL animals with fur and feathers. i'm a vet tech and going to school to become a vet. i've been working in a vet office for 3yrs now i also have 4 cats, 5 parakeets, n 4 finches in my house, all of which i'm allergic to. i also have asthma that can be triggered by my allergies and i have had to go to the ER due to asthma attacks caused by my allergies. some days im fine and some days i can barely breathe, have puffy eyes, and nonstop sneezing. i've been injured a couple times from scratches to bites to a concussion and as crazy as i may be i still do it because it's what i love and want to do. i take meds for my asthma and allergies as well as frequent allergy shots. so suck it up.
There is a treatment for this, whereby you are exposed to gradually increasing amounts of those particular allergens, so enabling tolerance to be built up to them.
#100 - On 10/31/2009 at 12:01am by CLICKHEREx
Become a reptile/bird vet there aren't enough of them :) i'm allergic to cats & dogs but i still have them, and reptiles & birds too!
#103 - On 11/20/2009 at 1:18am by FJT
