Don't be caught battling pet dander allergies!
One thing to know about being a pet owner is that it is never easy. While
pets bring joy and companionship to our lives on a daily basis, they also
require training, veterinary care, time, love, attention, and even tolerance.
And that tolerance is especially necessary when a pet owner is allergic
to his or her companion animal.
Studies show that approximately 15% of the population is allergic to
dogs or cats. An estimated one-third of persons in the U.S. who are allergic
to cats (about 2 million people) live with at least one cat in their household
anyway. In a study of 341 adults who were allergic to cats or dogs and
had been advised by their physicians to give up their pets, only one out
of five did. What's more, 122 of them obtained another pet after a previous
pet had died. It's clear that the benefits of pet companionship outweigh
the drawbacks of pet allergies for many pet owners. Living comfortably
with a companion animal despite being allergic to him requires a good
understanding of the allergic condition and adherence to a few rules.
All cats and dogs are allergenic (allergy-causing) to people who are
allergic to animals. Cats tend to be more allergenic than dogs for most
allergic people, although some people are more sensitive to dogs than
cats. Contrary to popular belief, there are no "non-allergenic" breeds
of dog or cats; even hairless breeds of dog and cats may be highly allergenic.
Dogs with soft, constantly-growing hair, the poodle or the bichon frise,
for example - may be less irritating to some individuals, although this
may be because they are bathed and groomed more frequently. One dog or
cat of a particular breed may be more irritating to an individual allergy
sufferer than another animal of that same breed.
The source of irritation to pet-allergic humans? Glands in the animal's
skin secrete tiny allergy-triggering proteins, called allergens, that
linger in the animal's fur but also float easily in the air. Allergens
are present in the animal's saliva and urine, too, and may become airborne
when saliva dries on the fur. The severity of reaction to these allergens
varies from one person to the next, ranging from mild sniffling and sneezing
to life-threatening asthma, and can be complicated by simultaneous allergies
to other irritants in the allergy sufferer's environment.
If your or a family member's allergies are simply miserable, but not
life-threatening, take these steps to reduce the symptoms. To begin with,
create an "allergy free" zone in the home, preferably the bedroom, and strictly
prohibit the pet's access to it. Use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner
(available at almost any home and garden store or discount department
store) in the bedroom. Consider using impermeable covers for the mattress
and pillow because allergen particles brought into the room on clothes
and other objects can accumulate in them.
Use HEPA air cleaners throughout the rest of the home, and avoid dust-and-dander-catching
furnishings such as cloth curtains and blinds and carpeted floors. Clean
frequently and thoroughly to remove dust and dander, washing articles
such as couch covers and pillows, curtains, and pet beds. Use a "microfilter"
bag in the vacuum cleaner to effectively catch all the allergens you vacuum
up.
Bathing your pet on a weekly basis can reduce the level of allergens
on fur by as much as 84%. Although products are available which claim
to reduce pet allergens when sprayed on the animal's fur, studies show
they are less effective than a weekly bath. Even cats can become accustomed
to being bathed; check with your veterinarian's staff or a good book on
pet care for directions about how to do this properly, and use whatever
shampoo your veterinarian recommends as best for your pet.
Don't be quick to blame the family pet for allergies. Ask your allergist
to specifically test for allergies to pet dander, rather than making an
assumption. And understand that allergies are cumulative. Many allergy
sufferers are sensitive to more than one allergen. So if you're allergic
to dust, insecticides, pollen, cigarette smoke, and cat dander, you'll
need to reduce the overall allergen level in your environment by concentrating
on all of the causes, not just the pet allergy. For example, you may need
to step up measures to remove cat dander from your home and carefully
avoid cigarette smoke during spring, when it is difficult to avoid exposure
to pollen.
Immunotherapy (allergy shots) can improve symptoms but cannot eliminate
them entirely. They work by gradually desensitizing a person's immune
system to the pet allergens. Allergy-causing proteins are injected under
the person's skin, triggering the body to produce antibodies (protective
proteins) which block the pet allergen from causing a reaction. Patients
are usually given one dose per week for a few weeks to months (depending
on the severity of their allergy) and then can often manage with one injection
per month.
Additional treatments for allergies to pets are symptomatic, including
steroidal and antihistamine nose sprays and antihistamine pills. For asthma,
there are multiple medications, sprays, and inhalers available. It is
important to find an allergist who understands your commitment to living
with your pet. A combination of approaches medical control of symptoms,
good housecleaning methods, and immunotherapy, is most likely to succeed
in allowing an allergic person to live with pets.
Of course, if you do not currently have a pet and are considering one,
and know you are pet-allergic, be sure to consider carefully whether you
can live with the allergy before you bring a new pet home. Except in the
case of children, who sometimes outgrow allergies, few allergy sufferers
become accustomed to pets to whom they are allergic. Too many allergic
pet owners obtain pets without thinking through the difficulties of living
with them. And too often, they end up relinquishing pets, a decision that
is difficult for the owner and can be life-threatening for the pet. Pets
deserve lifelong homes.
Reprinted with permission from the Humane Association
of the United States. |
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