As a pet owner, you love living with your furry friend, but if you are suffering from pet allergies, they may cause uncomfortable symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, and more. Dog and cat allergies affect 10-20% of the world. Allergies to guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and birds can also occur.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage your pet allergies and make living with your furry friend even better. At Allergy & Clinical Immunology Associates, we’ve created a guide to helping you manage your pet allergies and have outlined how our experts can help with our pet allergy care!
Understanding Pet Allergies
Pet allergies are caused by the proteins that are found in the saliva, urine, dander, and blood of your pets. Dander is comprised of microscopic flakes of skin that animals with fur or feathers shed. Dander is often the most common cause of pet allergies and can collect other allergens such as mold, pollen, and dust mites.
Symptoms of pet allergies include:
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Nasal congestion
- Cough
- Hives
- Red, itchy, or watery eyes
- Pressure and pain in the face
- Postnasal drip
Pet allergies can also contribute to your asthma, causing symptoms such as chest tightness or pain, wheezing or whistling when exhaling, difficulty breathing, and more.
Allergen Reduction Strategies
While these symptoms are uncomfortable to deal with, there are ways to reduce and manage them by caring for your home, pet, and health.
Home Environment and Lifestyle Changes
Reducing allergens in your home is key to helping ease your symptoms. Here are some practical ways to help reduce the allergens in your home environment:
- Create pet-free zones, especially in bedrooms. By keeping pets out of areas like your bedroom, you can help reduce the dander on your clothes, bedding, and the items you use each day, reducing your contact with them.
- Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to reduce airborne allergens. When you have pets, you should change your home’s air filter every 60 or 2 months. If you have multiple pets or someone in the house with a respiratory condition, change it every 20-45 days for best results.
- Regularly clean and vacuum using HEPA-equipped appliances. A vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter can help capture and trap even the smallest allergens. Also, be sure to dust surfaces to remove pet hair or dander.
- Utilize air purifiers to reduce airborne allergens.
Pet Care
Grooming your pets are a crucial part of pet ownership, especially when you have allergies. By grooming your pet, you are removing dead skin/dander, dried saliva, loose fur, and other allergens the pet may have picked up while outside. To help reduce allergens your pet harbors, here are some tips:
- Bathe pets regularly to minimize dander. It is also important to wipe your pet down with pet-friendly wipes or a towel to remove any allergens they may have picked up after going outside.
- Brush pets regularly. Brushing your pet helps to remove dander and loose hair. For short-haired pets, brush them weekly. Pets with medium to long hair may need daily brushing to reduce shedding. Use gentle yet firm brushing to prevent irritating their skin, loosening it, or hurting them. Be sure to brush them outside.
- Consider using allergen-reducing pet shampoos. Be sure to use soaps specific to your pet. Don’t use soaps for cats on your dogs and vice versa.
Personal Care
In addition to caring for your pets, there are things you can do for yourself to help reduce your contact with allergens:
- Wash hands after handling pets.
- After interacting with a pet, avoid touching your face, especially the eyes and nose, until you can wash your hands.
- Change your clothes and shower after spending time with a pet. This will depend on your level of sensitivity.
Medical Interventions
Allergies sometimes require medical intervention, such as over-the-counter antihistamines or decongestants. For those with asthma, allergies to pets can worsen your asthma symptoms, making it critical to have a good asthma and allergy management plan in place.
It is always recommended that you consult with an allergist at Allergy & Clinical Immunology to create a personalized treatment plan, including immunotherapy options.
Pet Allergy Care at Allergy & Clinical Immunology Associates
At Allergy & Clinical Immunology Associates, we understand how challenging pet allergies can be. Our expert team is dedicated to providing personalized allergy care to help you enjoy life comfortably with pets. With advanced testing, tailored treatment plans, and cutting-edge immunotherapy options, we’re here to provide you with the best pet allergy care in Pittsburgh.
Contact Allergy & Clinical Immunology Associates to schedule an appointment and explore your treatment options.