Tips for dealing with Pet Allergies

It will seem horribly unfair to any child or adult who suffers with allergies that they cannot have a pet or must loose one whom they have grown attached to. Is there a way to deal with pet allergies which may lessen or even eliminate the suffering for adults and children with allergies?

First, are you allergic to your pet?

You should establish whether the animal is actually the cause of an allergy.  A doctor can confirm a pet allergy with some simple tests.  The tests vary, but some can be mildly uncomfortable and would probably not be considered if the allergy symptoms were mild.  However, if the animal has already been living in the house, it would be very difficult to pinpoint the allergy without having an allergy test since the pet allergens are extremely difficult to thoroughtly remove. 

Otherwise, try staying with a friend or relative for a week (as long as there are no pets in the home).  If you show an improvement that might indicate an allergy to the family pet.

Some allergy symptoms are compounded by exposure to several allergens. By identifying other sources and removing them you may find the reaction to pets is lessened and not a barrier to enjoying their presence.

Then, make your pet as hypo-allergenic as possible.

There are even things you can do with your pet to reduce the allergic effects of having them in your home.

Frequent grooming and bathing with a mild soap to prevent over drying will reduce the dander that is one of the main causes of pet allergies. It would be recommended that someone without allergies take on this task.

Washing hands after playing with a pet and avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands will also help. Since some individuals are also allergic to the saliva of pets it would be sensible to not allow your pet to lick you.

In the case of more serious allergies or asthma it may be best that no pet share the home. For older children or adults it may be possible to find a medication or treatment which makes the situation tolerable if they prefer to keep the pet despite the allergy.

Always create an allergy friendly home!

There are several steps you can take to reduce the build up of allergens and bring relief to allergy sufferers.

The first recommendation is to have hardwood or other smooth surface for your flooring. Carpets hold far more of the particles that cause allergies and hard flooring makes it easy to clean.

Leather furniture is also ideal for homes with pet allergies. For the same reason as hard flooring is more suitable than carpet, leather holds far less allergens than fabric.

Keep a seat for the allergy sufferer that pets are not allowed to sit on. Also be certain that animals do not sleep on the beds or enter the bedrooms of allergy sufferers. Consider keeping the sleeping area of the home as a pet-free zone.