Allergic reactions to pets and by pets: What is what and what can be done?
Allergies due to pets are more and more common place since we live in sealed up, energy conscious, recycled air filtered environments. The dander and fallen out hair that sits in your furniture, attaches to your carpet and clings to your curtains can cause sneezing, runny eyes and scratchy throats. And that is just your pet’s reaction! Us adults as well can get the sniffles around pets too.
Pet dander asthma symptoms are rising, especially among children. The first and foremost thing you can do other than giving away Fluffy or Fido is to brush them daily. It may take a while for the animal to become accustomed to being groomed, but with patience, a soothing voice and gentle touch, most respond favorably. Some even don’t mind being vacuumed! In fact, there are pet products on the market that attach to your household cleaner. Your doctor may suggest allergy shots to build up an immunity to the pet’s dander.
Of course, the next step is to try and keep the hair and dander off the furniture as much as possible. Washable slip covers and pillow covers are a good option. Bedspreads should be laundered regularly and vacuumed in between. Of course, if you can train your cat to have it’s own blankie or your pooches to use pet beds, that is even better. Curtains and blinds should be kept as clean as possible because the dander will settle there as well as normal household dust. Getting Heppa filters for your AC units is another worthwhile expense. Write down on a calendar when you need to change them out so they do not get clogged. That will save your nose and your hard earned cash.
The other side are allergies suffered by pets.
Pet asthma is on the rise. Indoor animals can be sensitive to the chemical cleansers we use and the synthetic fabrics in our carpets and our furniture. Usually pet allergies show up as skin irritations, but sneezing and runny eyes should not be ignored. The best course of action is to go to the vet and make sure the animal is not ill with a viral infection. They can turn nasty in a blink of an eye, so better be sure.
If the vet feels it is an allergy, they may recommend allergy medicine for dogs and cats, especially formulated. Since animals can’t tell us in words what is making them uncomfortable, it is harder to pinpoint the cause. Don’t rule out room sprays and heated oil fragrances, though. Your cologne or fabric softener can be the culprit as well.
Another allergic reaction, usually especially scratching a lot all over the body, and if your pet seems to have too many flakes in its coat, it may not be fleas. It could be pet eczema. This can be a reaction to chemicals in your home, a combination of certain chemicals around and a small dose of fleas. Your vet has more experience and may be able to tell you what the possible causes are. Again, medications and ointments can be administered to help relieve both the pet’s suffering and any of the humans in the house sensitive to their eczema dander.
Get a handle on allergies caused by pets and also pet allergies themselves
If you and your pet are sniffling, do not assume it is a virus you both have. Pets and people rarely pass viruses back and forth to each other. Not to say it can’t happen, but it usually is not the cause. More than likely giving your house a good, thorough cleaning with natural products that are not laden with man made perfumes and chemicals can do the trick. Daily grooming for the pet and reducing the dander and dust for you may be just the thing to relieve the pet allergies for you both.
