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The Mild Winter Moved Spring Forward
As early as February 22 this year, the tree pollen counts have already began to rise. Dr. Sanico answered questions about this topic from TV viewers the following day during a guest appearance with morning news anchor Patrice Harris of Fox45. He has since been interviewed in the ASAP@GBMC suite by reporters Myranda Stephens also of Fox 45 and by Linda So of ABC2 News who discussed the impact of the unusually warmer weather resulting in earlier onset of symptoms among those who have allergies to tree pollen. TIME Magazine has also weighed in on this topic. You can track pollen counts in your area by using the widget on the right from pollen.com among others.

100 Most Challenging Places for Asthma and Allergies
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) again cited Baltimore Maryland as one of the most challenging places to live for people with asthma or allergies. Baltimore ranks 58th in the 2011 list of Asthma Capitals and 84th in the 2012 list of Allergy Capitals. Last May the ASAP@GBMC teamed with the AAFA Maryland-DC Chapter and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology to provide free asthma screening and public education on how to reduce, recognize and respond to asthma attacks. Although asthma and allergies can be challenging conditions, they can certainly be controlled with the right approach.

An Old Dog Tale That Keeps Going
The Washington Post published a story headlined "Hypoallergenic pets may be only a myth based on a study of 60 dog breeds." Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found that the homes with so-called hypoallergenic dogs actually did not have lower levels of dog allergens compared to those with other breeds. Such stories should no longer be surprising. Dr. Sanico discussed common misconceptions about canine (and cat) allergens in a blog and an interview with the Baltimore Sun several years ago. Hopefully these articles can help temper the hype about non-existing hypoallergenic dogs. The good news is that pets could continue to provide joyful companionship instead of consternation, for those who choose to keep them, if successful strategies are applied.

Baltimore Magazine Top Docs
Dr. Sanico was voted as a Top Doctor in a list published by Baltimore Magazine. The results are based on a survey of more than 5,500 randomly chosen physicians in the region, including Baltimore City and seven surrounding counties, to find out where they would send a member of their family for medical care. According to the publication, "it seems most doctors agree on who is the best; the survey revealed clear winners early in the process."