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Animal Health Care
The official site of the veterinary profession in Canada. Chock full of excellent information on taking care of the pets in your life.
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| Minimizing and Copeing with Pet Allergies
February 18, 2009
Persons
who have allergies to dogs or cats are actually allergic to the saliva,
dander (i.e. shed skin) and the secretions from the hair glands of
these animals. Dog and cat hairs by themselves do not cause allergies,
but the allergens on the hair shafts do.
The severity of your allergic
reaction depends on the amount of allergens you are exposed to. This in
turn depends on such variables as the size of the pet (i.e. a bigger
dog means more shedding) and on how often you groom and wash your pet.
By bathing pets frequently, allergens are washed off and this results
in a decrease in symptoms in allergic owners. The less hair and dander
a pet produces (and sheds), the less likely a person with allergies is
to react to that animal.
For this reason, some breeds of dogs are
thought to cause fewer allergic reactions.These include all three sizes
of poodles and schnauzers, Kerry Blue, soft-coated Wheaten and
Bedlington terriers, Bichon Frisé and Irish water spaniels.
Some
suggestions to minimize your allergic symptoms include the following:
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- Restrict your pet, if not to the outdoors, then at least to a
certain area of the house, and especially out of the bedroom. Cat
dander can take up to 5 months to disappear after a cat is removed from
a house. In fact, cat allergens have even been found in houses and
schools in which cats have never been present (the cat allergens are
carried in on people's clothing!).
-Wash your pets every 1-2 weeks.
Studies have shown this to be a highly effective way to reduce
allergens on the pet's hair coat.
- Control house dust (especially in the bedroom) by removing
carpets, reducing the amount of upholstered furniture, and washing
materials that can readily trap animal dander (i.e. drapes, bedding,
stuffed toys, etc.). Install a high efficiency electrostatic air
filter.
- Polish and vacuum floors regularly and use a damp cloth or mop to
wipe all surfaces and floors weekly. Certain solutions (e.g. 3% tannic
acid) applied on carpets will destroy animal allergens without harming
the carpet.
- In very sensitive individuals, allergy shots may help reduce the
degree of allergic reactions to occasional unavoidable animal contact.
Consult both your physician and veterinarian for advice if you suffer
from pet allergies.
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