I'm SO upset!  I just got back the results of my allergy test for ferrets
(RAST for ferrets).  And the nurse mentioned something about 60 being
average, and I'm at 1688!!!!  "Very High."  So, I'm now trying to figure
out where to go from here.
 
I'm lucky that, although I test high, the symptoms aren't unbearable.  I
suppose that, in my heart, I knew it all along.  When I had to go away for
2 weeks and leave my girls behind, I felt better than I have in years.  I
could breathe!  I felt energized!  Alive!  I wanted it so badly to be the
change in the environment, not the fuzzies.  But, alas, it's them.  I've
told my hubby that it'll take a trip to the hospital for me to even
consider getting rid of them.  Thankfully, I don't have asthma -- just
constant stuffiness and itchy eyes and skin rashes on my face when I kiss
their bellies, their necks, their cheeks... (I digress).  And no, I won't
stop kissing them!  So, as far as symptoms go, I've got it good compared
to others.
 
I read previous posts about allergies to ferrets and have called a pharmacy
that makes ferret serum (to desensitize me).  They make the serum using
ferret hair/fur.  I asked them why they use hair because I thought it was
the saliva that I'm allergic to.  My previous allergist had said that there
are 3 possible allergens from a ferret: saliva, urine, and, I think, the
oil.  The pharmacist at this compounding pharmacy says that it's the hair.
The nurse at my new allergist says it's the dander.  Now, from what I
understand (from what I've read and heard), my former allergist is correct
and the others haven't caught up to current research.  The problem is this:
For a serum to be effective, the allergen (or specific protein) needs to be
isolated.  If I cannot do my best to isolate the specific allergen to send
to the compounding pharmacy, my attempts to desensitize myself to ferrets
may be fruitless.  I have called the company that conducted the actual
labwork to determine whether I was allergic; however, they cannot determine
what part of the ferret I was tested for.  Is this making any sense?
 
Additionally, they cannot figure out what company supplied the ferret
proteins/allergens.  If I must, I will use ferret fur.  I suspect that
traces of dander, saliva, urine, and oil are on there.  If anyone out
there knows the truth about allergens and what parts of the ferret cause
allergies, please contact me.  I want to do my best in making sure the
serum is as effective as it can be.  Although, I'm not sure how I would
collect ferret saliva or oil...
 
Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Suzanna Donahue
[Posted in FML issue 3462]