Pet
Allergies: Your Dog or Cat Can Be a Trigger
Are Dogs or Cats with Less Fur Better for Allergy
Sufferers?
Because
it is the protein found in the pet’s saliva,
dander and urine that can trigger an allergy, the amount of
hair a pet
has is irrelevant. Because all dogs and all cats have dander,
saliva and urine, no specific type of dog or cat is better
for people
with a pet allergy.
The particles from a
pet’s saliva, dander, or urine can
travel through the air and land on the lining of the eyes or nose
and sometimes be inhaled directly into the lungs. This contact
with animal particles can cause a reaction in a person allergic
to cats or dogs. It is a pet’s dander and saliva, rather
than the urine that most often trigger and allergy attack.
Pet Exposure May Reduce Allergies
A study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association
in August 2002 indicates that children raised in a house with
two or more dogs or cats during the first year of life may be
less likely to develop allergic diseases as compared with children
raised without pets. The study revealed that high pet exposure
early in life appears to protect against not only pet allergy
but also other types of common allergies, such as dust mite allergy,
allergy to ragweed, and allergy to grass.
After adjusting for factors including dust mite allergen levels,
parental smoking, and current dog or cat ownership, the researchers
found that children exposed to tow or more dogs or cats during
the first year of life were on average 66 to 77 percent less likely
to have any allergic antibodies to common allergens, as compared
with children exposed to only
Controlling Dog Allergies
For some pet owners, a dog can truly be man’s best friend
and a cat can be an amazing companion. While getting rid of a pet
that is triggering allergy attacks is the best way to reduce allergic
symptoms, it is not often easy to give up something that has become
a true part of your family. If giving your dog or cat to a loving
home is not an option, there are a few things you can do to help
reduce the amount of pet dander in the home that can cause a potential
reaction.
Five Tips on Reducing Pet Allergens
Below are five tips on keeping the pet allergen count in your home
to a minimum:
1. Keep the pet outdoors
While households that have outside dogs and cats still have a greater
amount of pet dander in the home than households that do not
have pets, keeping your dog or cat outside as much as possible
will help reduce the dander amount.
2. Keep the Pet Off the Bed
Do not allow your pet to sleep in your bedroom and try to avoid
allowing the pet in any room where an allergic person spends
a large amount of time.
3. Wash your Pet Weekly
Some research has shown that bathing your pet once a week may help
to reduce the amount of allergens that are shed in the home.
4. Vacuum with a HEPA Filter
Regular vacuuming does not usually help in reducing pet allergens
because it cannot reach the bottom part of the rug and can often
stir up dander, causing an allergic reaction. In order to avoid
excess dander in the air during vacuuming, try cleaning with
a HEPA filtered vacuum or using double bags during vacuuming.
5. Keep the Pet Away from Your Face
Petting a dog or cat can sometimes be irresistible. Make sure that,
when making contact with your dog or cat, you keep the pet away
from your face to help avoid contact with allergy inducing particles.
Also, wash your hands after petting your pet.
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