Tips for Allergy Sufferers: 6 Ways to Minimize Allergic Reactions When Caring for Your Pet
You’ve just found an adorable little pup or a charming doe-eyed kitten at one of our local Arizona pet rescues, but your pet allergy is stopping you from either bringing the cute animal home or making you question your decision to adopt him or her. While dogs and cats are simply irresistible, many of them produce pet dander– which is the common culprit for triggering allergy symptoms. The main symptoms of pet allergy include itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and difficulty breathing. Experiencing these symptoms when holding an animal or simply being near one can get anyone discouraged from raising their own pets at home. (Learn more about the symptoms by reading this blog post ).
However, there are ways to cope with pet allergy and enjoy the warm companionship of a furry friend without incessantly coughing or sneezing. Follow these tips to enjoy bonding with your pet while minimizing allergic reactions.
Choose a Hypoallergenic Pet
Some animals produce less dander, decreasing the odds of triggering allergy symptoms. Called hypoallergenic pets, these animals are an excellent choice for allergy sufferers. To determine if a particular animal that you like causes an allergic reaction, try to spend some time with it before deciding to care for it in your home. dander. For ideas on pets who are listed as hypoallergenic, please see our blog post “8 Best Cats & Dogs for Allergy and Asthma Sufferers”)
Prepare a Different Room for Your Pet
Pet dander can stick to furniture, rugs, and bedding, so it’s best to avoid sleeping with your little fluffball and keep your bedroom closed. This way, you’ll keep allergens at bay when staying in your room and get a restful sleep at night. A room with wood flooring is an ideal place for pets, as it accumulates less dander and makes cleanups easier.
Use a Quality Air Purifier
If you don’t have one yet, use a stand-alone air purifier with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in the rooms you frequent, including your bedroom. An air purifier that comes with a HEPA filter traps not only pet dander but also pollen, dust mites and other allergens. With this technology, you’ll be able to enjoy cleaner air with minimal allergens.
Clean Your Home Regularly
Make it a habit to wipe walls and surfaces with damp microfiber cloths to reduce dander indoors. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to clean every room thoroughly twice a week, especially your pet’s favorite play areas and resting spots. Wash pet bedding, rugs, sheets, throw pillows and other washable things that your pet comes in contact with. If cleaning triggers your allergy symptoms, you may want to ask someone without allergies to do it for you.
Wash Hands After Contact
Try to minimize physical contact with your pet, and be sure not to allow your pet to lick your face. When you touch your face, wash your hands immediately afterward. Take a quick shower or simply wash your face and arms before heading to sleep to get rid of dander.
Update Your Decor
Allergens easily stick to fabrics, carpets and upholstered furniture. To reduce allergen buildup, consider switching to hardwood, tile or vinyl flooring if your floors are covered with carpets. Add wood, metal and plastic chairs to your decor instead of having plush seats and upholstered sofa sets in all of your conversation spaces. It also helps to put plastic covers over seats and mattresses, replace curtains with roll-up shades, and use allergen-resistant bedding to fend off dander.
While you can’t completely eliminate pet dander in your home, the steps above can significantly help control the amount of dander that lingers around, especially on upholstery. Make sure to bathe and groom your pet regularly in addition to keeping your home clean. With a lot of patience and diligence, you’ll be able to manage your pet allergy and have fun raising your animal companion.
About Us
Under the expert management of our Arizona allergy doctors, you can enjoy life and the great outdoors regardless of the season. At Adult & Pediatric Allergy Associates P.C, we provide comprehensive assessment and diagnose each patient carefully so that we can determine what mode of treatment will directly address the symptoms so please schedule an appointment now.