I am allergic to dogs, cats, frankly anything I have ever come into contact before. I developed allergies and asthma about 10 years ago after becoming pregnant. I became horribly allergic to my ferret (who I had had for years). It has not prevented me from having dogs, cats, cockatoos, birds or now 6 ferrets, but I do use a nebulizer machine 2-3 times a day, Claritin and Flonase every day, and shots. Please do not think that playing with a ferret at a pet store for a while will give you an adequate picture of your reaction to ferrets. If you have never come into contact with something before you will not have a reaction. It is the second or hundredth time that will get you. Do not let that stop you - what the heck, it didn't stop me. Just don't count on anything when it comes to allergies. Jean [Posted in FML issue 2799]