Coping With Pet Allergies

Sniffling and sneezing? It may not be a cold at all. Your pet may be the cause.

Pet allergies are common and can be serious, especially if you have asthma. Many people don't want to give pets away, though. If you can't bear to find a new home for Fluffy, you can learn to manage the situation.

Know your allergy and its causes. People have different sensitivities and reactions, from mild to severe. Most pet allergies come from cats and dogs, but birds and rodents can also trigger allergic reactions. Talk with your doctor. Allergies can be identified by skin or blood tests.

There are no such things as allergy-free cats and dogs. Some people think certain breeds are "less allergic" than others or that shorthaired pets cause fewer allergies than longhaired animals. It's not a hair issue. Glands in a pet's skin produce proteins (called allergens) that stick to fur or feathers. Allergens dry as tiny particles. They then float through the air. This is known as pet dander. Allergens are also found in a pet's saliva and urine.

Allergens circulate in the air and stay on carpets and furniture for weeks or months. When you come in contact with an allergen - by breathing it in or skin contact - it can trigger an allergic reaction.

How can you prevent or reduce reactions to pet allergens? One choice is to not have a pet unless you know you are not allergic. If you already have a pet, find it a new home. If you don't want to give it away, it's possible to reduce allergic symptoms if you take some strong precautions. For example:

• Wash your pet weekly. Certain products claim to reduce allergens when sprayed on fur, but some studies show they're less effective than a weekly bath. Cats can get used to baths, too. Ask your veterinarian about how to do this properly. Use a shampoo the vet recommends.
• Keep pets out of the bedroom. This means all the time. Use a high efficiency air filter (such as HEPA or electrostatic cleaners) in bedrooms. Even after your pet is banned, its dander can get into your bedroom on clothes and other objects and stay on furniture, carpets and bedding. Use special bedding covers that don't let allergen particles get into mattresses and pillows.
• Limit dander-catchers in all rooms. Replace drapes and slatted blinds with flat, easy-to-wipe-down shades. Choose wood, tile or linoleum floors instead of carpets. Keep pets off upholstered furniture.
• Dust often with damp cloths. Use microfilter vacuum bags to trap allergens. Wear a dust mask and gloves when near pet rodents. Avoid contact with soiled litter cages.
• Wash your hands and clothes to remove allergens after playing with your pet.
• Talk to your doctor about allergies. You may be allergic to other irritants, such as smoke or pollen. Allergy shots can improve your symptoms but can't eliminate them completely. They work by gradually desensitizing your immune system to allergens. Steroidal and antihistamine nose sprays and antihistamine pills help control symptoms. For people with asthma, which is easily triggered by pet allergies, many medications, sprays and inhalers are available.

A mixture of approaches - good housecleaning methods and medical treatments - gives you the best chance of controlling your allergy while still living with your pet.

Related Articles Asthmatic Mothers Beware Allergies

External Sources Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics. The real truth about cats and dogs. Accessed May 1, 2007. National Institutes of Health. Asthma and allergy prevention. Accessed May 1, 2007.

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