BEIJING: Even as symptoms of severe allergies became impossible to ignore, Zhang Yangwei firmly rejected the prospect of giving up his pet dog.
Zhang, 31, adopted a Shibu Inu dog in the autumn of 2021. “At the time, I knew I was allergic to cat hair but did not experience any discomfort when occasionally walking my friend’s dogs. After I settled in Beijing, I decided to get a dog.”
The first year and a half with his furry companion Echo was filled with joy and warmth as she trotted by Zhang’s side on trips to parks, boutique coffee houses and seaside resorts. “I think we share the same smile,” said Zhang.
In March of last year, Zhang began to experience shortness of breath when climbing stairs, which he chalked up to having a cold at first. But the telltale signs of allergies — sneezing more than 10 times upon waking up, runny nose and pain behind his eyes — continued to affect him.
“I had allergic reactions before, so I got suspicious and went to the hospital to have an allergy blood test administered,” he said. The results showed that he has an extreme allergy to dogs. Pet allergies are often caused by proteins in pets’ saliva, urine and dander, or pollen, dust mites and mold carried by their fur.
“When asked if I could give Echo away, my immediate reaction was ‘That’s impossible,’” he said. “I knew I must find other solutions to cope with the condition.” –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
