The early arrival of spring has brought delight to many New Yorkers, offering extended opportunities for outdoor activities, including leisurely strolls with beloved companions like Sienna Prieto and her puppy, Roo.
For Prieto, the warmer weather means more time spent enjoying the company of her energetic canine companion. “A lot of early mornings, a lot of walks, but it’s really fun,” Prieto expressed. “You get to have a cuddle buddy for life. She does a lot of silly things. I mean, Roo is very sassy. She has a good personality.”
However, along with the joys of springtime outings comes the challenge of managing seasonal allergies, particularly for first-time pet owners like Prieto. She shared her struggle, admitting, “Whenever there’s nice weather, we’re definitely trying to go outside so she can walk around more. In Rochester, you never know. It’s either a rainy day or a super nice day. So we’ve been trying to take advantage of days like this, but you know, then that means for me, that I am like this, stuffed up all day.”
Prieto, who has been battling allergies since childhood, experiences symptoms exacerbated by the blooming season. “I definitely start feeling, I would say around February this year,” she explained. “Once it started getting warmer. I think we had a couple of days in February where it was really, really warm, so everything started sprouting again. And I’ve been reading too, that there’s way more pollen this year and I can feel it in the morning.”
With a laundry list of allergens triggering her symptoms, Prieto relies on a regimen of prescribed medications and over-the-counter remedies to alleviate her discomfort. “I have my own prescribed medication, and then I go between variations of basic allergy relief, and then also, like day and night,” Prieto shared. “Like I said, those are doubling down on those really hard days like today.”
Dr. Emily Weis, Clinical Director of Allergy and Immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, corroborated Prieto’s observations, noting an increase in allergy patients coinciding with the early onset of spring. “With the earlier spring and the warmer weather, we think about the pollen coming out a little bit earlier and then that being prolonged,” Dr. Weis explained. “So patients may find it more bothersome when it’s more prolonged.”
Dr. Weis offered practical tips for managing allergy symptoms, emphasizing avoidance measures, over-the-counter medications, and consultation with specialists to identify specific allergens and tailor treatment accordingly.
Despite the challenges, Prieto finds solace in the shared experience with her furry friend. “I think she also has allergies because she always wakes up with a lot of gunk underneath her eyes and sometimes she itches her paws,” Prieto chuckled. “So, she’s just like her mom.”
As New Yorkers embrace the early arrival of spring, they navigate the dual joys and challenges it brings, finding comfort in the companionship of loved ones, both human and furry.
