Everyone is talking about the prospective new "first pet" joining the Obama family in the White House, come January. Or, at least everyone in the media is talking about it. Do everyday people really care what dog breed President-Elect Obama will be buying his much-loved daughters?

I read a People magazine article online today with dismay, because People magazine has a huge readership and they are spreading misleading stories about hypoallergenic pets. I just want to state here that there is NO SUCH THING as a non-allergenic dog. And, I'm willing to bet that when people read the word "hypoallergenic," they're thinking this means a dog who won't trigger asthma symptoms and allergy symptoms.

But for people who are highly sensitive to dog dander, it isn't going to matter what type of dog you're exposed to, hypoallergenic or not. For less sensitive people, it may be that certain less allergenic breeds may be less likely to trigger symptoms. I don't know – if my child had severe asthma or allergies, I wouldn't be introducing any new dog into the household, whether it's called hypoallergenic or not.

It's a fact – All dogs have dander, even if they don't shed. It doesn't matter whether the hair is long or short or even if the dog is hairless. But because dander often attaches to hair, dogs that shed less hair may also shed less dander. Dander is not something you can easily see. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. And even though you can't see it, it can still trigger asthma symptoms and asthma attacks.

I read with dismay a quote from an animal shelter official that the dog breed Bichon Frise would be the perfect choice for the Obama children: "The Bichon is free from causing the allergy problem. Like with a poodle, you can even pick one up while you're wearing a dark sweater and there will be no dander whatsoever." This is so misleading. I find it curious that People went to an animal shelter expert for this kind of info, rather than a healthcare expert.

My fear is that all this post-election hysteria and hoopla is going to perpetuate allergy / asthma myths and misinform millions of people about how to control these conditions. When you hear things in the media, please always consider the source. Are you sure the information you're hearing is accurate? Do you know where it's coming from? Just because someone says something – either in the media or on the Web – doesn't make it true.

Learn More:

• Understanding Animal Allergens
• Ways to Reduce Animal Allergens in Your Environment

I don't have health insurance & neither do millions of my readers. And with the declining economy, not having health insurance is becoming more and more common. As someone who's been working in the healthcare field for more than 30 years, I'll be the first to admit that our healthcare system here in the United States is "sick". Quality care is often hard to obtain and even harder to afford. Trust me, I know. And I suspect many of you do as well.

So, this year's election is extremely important because healthcare – and access to it – is becoming increasingly more important. Our Patient Empowerment Guide has published some very informative posts I think you'll find interesting:

• Obama and McCain -- Finally Addressing Healthcare
• Presidential Candidates, Health and Privacy -- Theirs

I feel strongly that we owe it ourselves to make informed decisions next week on who our next President will be. Don't you?

Asthma control is always enhanced by having a solid, customized Asthma Action Plan. But what if that plan could be updated and developed on the fly, as things in your world and with your condition changed? And what if those changes and asthma coaching could come to you via your cell phone? Pretty radical and futuristic, huh?

Well, according to a recent press release, this concept will be a reality in our not too distant future. A medical software company called WellDoc is partnering with pharmaceutical giant, AstraZeneca, to create a patient-support program to help patients manage all aspects of their asthma through web & mobile device technology.

Here is what will be included:

• A virtual messenger service via cell phone
• Air quality & pollen count alerts
• Online patient support tools that will help you manage your asthma in conjunction with your asthma treatment plan

If you're like me and you learn better by seeing, then you might want to take a look at their product demo for their already in place diabetes management program. I think it's pretty cool.

Hopefully, this will become available fairly soon. I'll update here in the blog once they announce the program has been launched officially.

A very preliminary study looking at a possible link between early Tylenol (acetaminophen) use in infants and later asthma risk has produced some unsettling results. Asthma rates have been rising throughout the world over the past few decades. So has Tylenol (known as Paracetamol outside the United States) use. So experts decided to look at this connection more closely.

Here are the highlights of the study:

• More than 200,000 children aged 6 to 7 in 31 countries were studied
• Researchers asked parents or guardians to complete a questionnaire
• First, they were asked about use of acetaminophen during the first year of life)
• Then, they were asked when or if asthma had developed

Results showed that kids who'd been given Tylenol early on to treat fever were 46% more likely to develop asthma by age 7. Also, nasal allergies were 48% more likely and eczema was 35% more likely in this group. Asthma, nasal allergies and eczema are allergy "triplets" that are often associated with each other.

Researchers emphasize that much more scientific testing and evidence will be needed before experts recommend that parents not give kids acetaminophen for fever and pain. This is the still the safest treatment. Parents should definitely not turn to aspirin, as aspirin use in infants is strongly associated with the often fatal Reye's Syndrome. And neither are naproxen or ibuprofen (other popular over the counter pain relievers) a good alternative, as they can trigger asthma attacks and cause gastrointestinal upset.

Dr. Graham Barr, from Columbia University Medical Center in New York who served as an editorial commenter on the study, said, "What is needed now is a large randomized trial in which some children are treated with acetaminophen while other are given placebos. The children would then be observed for a number of years to see if differences emerged in disease rates between the two groups."

So, even though this study shows that there is some kind of link, it's important that we get a better idea of whether there is truly a causative link before changes are made in Tylenol use. Asthma risk has also been associated with having a viral illness and wheezing during infancy. Isn't it possible the Tylenol was used to treat the viral illness symptoms, and that those are actually was at work in the kids this study examined? There's still too much we don't know. But if you have concerns, be sure to discuss them with your child's doctor.