Recently, allergy skin testing identified severe dust mite and cat allergies--but no dog. She's been on medication that has the allergies almost under control, but not complete control.

Her allergist wants to begin shots, but I'm not sure. I've seen no evidence (other than the test) that she has a cat allergy. Today, after a 2-day break from her medication, we visited a home with four cats. I made her play with the cats just to see if she would have a reaction similar to those she had experienced with the three dogs. She had no reaction. Could the allergy test be inaccurate?

I don't want to start a series of weekly shots (not to mention the years of monthly shots) unless I'm sure that she really needs them! She is obviously allergic to dust. Her symptoms fit everything I've read on dust mite allergies, but medication has seemed to make those symptoms livable. I've also read that shots "may be effective" for dust mite allergies, but no one seems to know for sure that they are.

Should we do the shots? -- Heather, Florida

Could the test be wrong? Any test can potentially be wrong. Though it doesn't happen often, it is possible that human error or mechanical failure can cause inaccurate results.

Why not make an appointment with your allergist to discuss her history of allergy symptoms when exposed to dogs but not to cats. Ask if he feels repeating the cat and dog test may be indicated. Perhaps a different method could be used. Skin testing could be compared to RAST testing, for example.

Medications are a good second line of defense against allergens. If the medications are "almost" controlling her symptoms, I'd suggest adding the first line of defense: Environmental control.

You can find a lot of information about environmental control for dust mites by searching for "dust mites" in the drop down box at the top left of the allergynursing.com website. For starters, click here.

We've had great success with shots for dust mites. We still recommend environmental controls even with the shots. Some people also need to take medications for awhile until the shots begin to work.

If you find her symptoms are relieved with dust mite control and keeping her away from dogs, your allergist may suggest holding off on the shots. It is important to remember, though, that medications are only a temporary "fix" at best. Once the meds are discontinued, the allergy will probably be back in full force.

The goal of shots is to reach a point where some level of immunity can be achieved. There are no guarantees here either, but many people find they are free from allergies for years after stopping the shots.

Others find the symptoms do return when shots are discontinued after a few years. For more information, see "Is there a cure for allergies?" here.

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