Dear Smile E.
Can we keep our pets after a PCD diagnosis?
Signed,
Pet Concerns
Dear Pet Concerns,
I highly caution you from making immediate life changes due to a PCD diagnosis. It’s important to understand how PCD will affect you or your loved one. It is not always clear how PCD will affect someone in the long run. So immediate unilateral decisions should be avoided until you have time to throughly discuss each area of concern with your entire care team, especially your PCD care team. Pets can be great for mental health for those with longterm chronic illnesses like PCD. You might consider getting your PCD loved one tested for allergies to pets, but barring any allergies pets can be wonderful for patients and their families. Although you may find some medical providers will caution against pets in respiratory conditions but the scientific evidence to support that notion is scarce and controversial at best. Usually these recommendations are based on personal opinions and observations even by medical professionals as there is no scientific evidence or research in primary ciliary dyskinesia and the longterm effects of exposure to pets and or any animals. Remember we can’t live in a bubble with PCD, we can take reasonable precautions, and those reasonable precautions should be throughly discussed with your entire medical team and not just one individual opinion. As always seek advice from your care team before starting, stopping, or modifying your treatment plan or plans.
Yours Truly,
Smile E. Turtle
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