Question:
Our pigs were born last November and were brought into our home with noproblems. Recently they've begun shedding slightly and we've consideredit normal. At the same time the shedding began, a family memberdeveloped a slight allergy, apparently to the pigs. Is slight sheddingnormal? Is it seasonal or will it be a continual process? Have youexperienced human allergies related to your GP's? Can anything be doneto the pigs to reduce the shedding or reduce the chance of allergicreaction to them?

Answer: Last fall, after we'd had our piggies for about a year, I developed SEVEREallergies to them - it started with itchy, watery eyes and contact rashes,then my face bloated and I had a lot of trouble with my lungs.

I routinely schedule in monthly visits to a holistic doctor, who's kept mefine tuned and in fighting form for years. Of course she couldn't helpnoticing when the reactions went from moderate to severe, and offered tohelp me "get over" this allergy, as I expressed a strong desire to keep theGPs if at all possible. I underwent a series of treatments. I don'tremember what the therapy is called, but I held a sealed glass vialcontaining hairs from my piggies (yes they shed a lot, especially spring andfall. We have soft-bristle hairbrushes that we use on them, and offerPetromalt twice-weekly to help them with hairball elimination) as the doctorstimulated the energy points along my back. The theory is similar to thestandard allergy treatment of injecting you with a small amount of the toxinto build up resistence, but is less intrusive and the potentially severenegative reaction to the "cure" doesn't happen when "exposure" to theallergen is transdermal (through the skin) rather than directly injectedinto your body. I'm not explaining it very well (she's the health careprofessional, my field of expertise is technical rather than physical, Ijust let her do her stuff), and I realize that it sounds rather west-coastflaky, BUT IT WORKED.

These treatments, combined with the use of natural-food antihistimines (Iuse Antronex, made by Standard Process in the US - standardprocess.com - butyou really should be tested to determine which supplement works best foryou) and a couple of homeopathic aids (Antimonium Crudum for the skin andlung discomfort, Euphrasia - also known as Eyebright - eye drops for theeyes). These remedies are commonly available from any vitamin shop orpharmacy that carries homeopathic supplies, which is most of them where Ilive (BC, Canada).

After two months intensive treatment, I am now able to again handle thepiggies without problems. When I'm already stressed (e.g., lots of overtimeat the office), I may notice a bit of itchiness afterward, but the "AntCrud" (my son calls it - he uses it also for hayfever) and Euphrasia fix meup instantly.

You don't have to suffer, and you don't have to get rid of the piggieseither.