The the amount of allergy cases are on the rise each year and there are quite a few kinds of allergens that can cause our body’s defenses to go hay-wire. What we are going to take a look at today are the allergic reactions caused by pets, namely dogs and cats.
Normally for pet allergy sufferers, they start sneezing badly once they’re nearby any cats or dogs, or when exposed to pet hairs left around the house – this is the first sign. Other common symptoms to look out for are also blocked noses or runny ones, not too much different from a cold really. It is easy to tell the difference between the two though as once you get away from the allergen, the symptoms will subside just as quickly as it came.
You might also develop itchy eyes if you pat a dog and touch your eyes after. To stop this from happening, always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after play with any pets. Despite popular belief, it isn’t the dog or cat’s hairs that cause our immune system’s to be trigger, it is in fact the dander of the creature.
Dander is similar to pollen, and they are microscopic. They’re only visible under a microscope, that’s why most people don’t know that they’ve been in contact with these particles of skin until it’s too late!
Dander can easily spread through any household environment, and they can sit around a home for several weeks or months if not cleaned thoroughly. This is why people can still get reactions when entering a home even without the dog or cat being present.
Does this mean that allergy sufferers cannot own a dog or a cat? No, in fact, they can. If you decide that you really want to have a pet at home, you will need to select specific breeds of dogs or cats that are hypoallergenic – yes there is really such a thing. The Maltese and Australian Terrier are just 2 examples of hypoallergenic dogs.
If you already have a pet and you really don’t want to give it away, consider installing an air cleaner in your home to reduce airborne contaminants such as pet dander.
If your allergies are particularly serious, you may have to spend a fair amount of money to install an air purifier for the whole apartment to be certain that the air is thoroughly clean.
If ever you are looking to get a solution for allergen hypersensitivity and to cleanse the air of pollutants, here is additional information for whole house air purifiers together with other excellent makes of allergy air cleaners.
