Asthma or allergies??

Hi i recently was told i had asthma.Exercise-induced mostly.Can't walk up a hill,Or go for a fast walk or lose my breath and get a very bad wheezing right away on my chest!So,I have been on bronchilators,inhalers eversnce.Don't take them unless i do these things and bring it on.But the other thing i am trying to figure out is.I have an animal,I love animals grew up with having a dog all my life.I know that sometimes allergies can make your asthma worsen,But i find myself not sneezing or anything when i am around the dog,But very stuffed up in my nose,and a lttle cough.Not that serious to take my puffer or anything.So,I am wondering what is the difference in the 2(allergy and asthma).I am lined up for appointments for me and my 4yr old son for allergy testing because if it is not the dog really don't wanna get rid of him.If he goes,exercise is going to always bring this on.So,Can anyone help me understand all of this.Tks.

[lhughes]

I suffer from both, too.  I developed exercise induced-asthma (which has almost stopped, but I still have some breathing difficulties occassionally) and then allergy-induced asthma in my late teens and that has improved over the years (I still have issues, but things are better).  I was tested for allergies and was positive for any number of things, especially if it grows outside or is an animal.  The list of things I was not allergic to is very short.  Anyway.... allergies can SOMETIMES trigger an asthma attack depending on the contact and the reaction to the allergen.  I have food allergies to melons that will trigger an asthma attack because the allergen makes my airway swell up.  I was also allergic to cigarrettes so any kind of smoking near me has the potential to seize up my breathing and cause an attack.  As for my grass and pet allergies...mostly this is typical reaction, eyes water, itch, swell, nose runs, etc.  Most pets won't trigger my asthma, but I have been around some types of cats that did trigger an asthma attack.  Not all cats, but long-haired cats of a certain variety...go figure.

While you may have an allergy to dog, that type of allergy may not be a trigger for your asthma.  I don't think there's anyway to tell if an allergy will trigger asthma until you been exposed and notice it.  Once you've been tested, the doc should lay out a plan to help you with the symptoms of the allergies...I don't know if your doc does any kind of therapy (like shots) for allergies.  Some people say they don't work, some people do.  I'm a poster child for allergy shots to desensitise you...they helped me immensely.  

Good luck to you!