Understanding Pet Allergies---A 5 Point Discussion About Allergies Caused By Pets

Pet allergies are like many other allergies triggered by airborne irritants. Understanding the following 5 areas about allergies will help you manage your pet and your allergies effectively.

Cause----Pet allergies result when your body overreacts to allergens produced by pets. The body sees these as harmful and uses every means possible to eject them from its system. Typically irritants include dander (dead skin flakes), dried urine and feces which become airborne, and dried saliva. The protein is usually what causes the problem. No one knows for sure why one person's body overreacts and another person's does not.

Symptoms---When the body tries to get rid of the irritants that it sees as threatening sneezing, coughing, watering eyes, congestion because of increased mucous production occur. These can range from irritating to disrupting depending on how threatened your immune system is by these allergens.

Precautions---If you have not already adopted a pet, spending a lot of time with the animal before you make a final decision is best. Having the animal in close proximity to you frequently will let you know fairly quickly whether your body will overreact with allergic symptoms. As painful as the discovery may be, knowing whether you are allergic before you adopt is better for both you and the pet.

Plan of Action---If your pet is already a part of the family, finding another home for it is probably the last resort. Thinking of alternatives will help you continue to enjoy your pet in your home.

Consider making the bedroom a pet-free area. If this works you may still be able to tolerate having it in the other parts of our home.

Opt for floor covering other than wall-to-wall carpet in the bedroom. Carpet allows allergens to collect more easily than hard surfaces that are able to be cleaned more thoroughly. Consider moving upholstered furniture to other rooms. This type of furniture invites pets to lounge, and is a handy place for allergens to collect.

Use a high efficiency particle arresting (abbreviated as HEPA) air purifier to remove airborne pet dander and hair that inevitably sticks to clothing and hair and goes airborne when dressing or undressing. This type of filter is also able to remove other airborne particles that often trigger allergy symptoms such as dust, dust mites, and mold and mildew spores.

Being able to effectively manage your pet allergies can help you keep and enjoy your pet. It will also increase the quality of life for all who live with you.


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