Should it Stay or Should it Go?

by Erin Bauer | Apr 30, 2007

One of the top three reasons people give up their pets is allergies.

When you consider that almost 15 percent of the population suffers from a pet-related allergy of some sort, the need to correctly identify the sources of allergies and to implement strategies for minimizing their adverse effects become important factors in the effort to keep pets in their homes.

Unless their allergies are life-threatening, most pet owners who experience allergic reactions to their animals do attempt to live with the symptoms. In one group of 341 allergy-suffering pet owners who were advised by their physicians to relinquish their pets, it was found that only one in five did so. Similarly, almost two million Americans allergic to cats have at least one feline companion in their home.

Although certain breeds of animals are thought to be less-allergenic than others, there are no dogs or cats considered non-allergenic. The degree to which an animal is allergenic is not necessarily based on the breed or the length of hair, but rather on the animal itself and the type of reaction an individual has to that particular animal. Dogs and cats have glands in their skin that secrete allergens – small allergy triggering proteins. These airborne allergens live in the animals’ fur, saliva, and urine.

Always understand your options before considering giving up a pet. By doing so, you can save yourself emotional pain, and might also save the animal’s life.

Tips on Coping with Pet Allergies

 

• Know your allergies. Ask your doctor to specifically test you for allergies to pet dander. Individuals who suffer from allergies are likely to be sensitive to multiple allergens. In order to reduce the allergen levels in your home, you’ll need to isolate and address each source before you’ll see improvements.
• Give yourself some space with an allergy-free zone. Pick one spot in your home where pets are not allowed, and be sure clothes carrying pet dander are not left in your allergy-free room. Use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner (available at almost any home and garden store) in the room and throughout the home if possible.
• Give your pet at least a weekly bath to reduce allergen levels in the fur by up to 84%.
• Wash your hands after touching pets and always before touching sensitive spots like your eyes.
• Avoid dander-collecting home goods such as carpeting, cloth window treatments, and non-impermeable furniture coverings.
• Vacuum and wash dander-collecting areas and furnishings on a regular basis.
• Last but not least, consult an allergy-specialist on the various medical treatments available to help relieve symptoms of pet-related allergies.