Among the most common pet allergies is an allergy to ‘dander’, the tiny particles of dead skin and saliva which are shed by an animal and subsequently become airborne. Spending more time inside during cooler months, meaning increased contact with pet allergens, can cause symptoms to flare up and become difficult to manage. However, unless you are severely allergic to animals, there are lots of ways to avoid the allergens so you can live comfortably with your pet.
“Indoor allergy symptoms caused by pets can be very similar to the more well known hay fever symptoms,” explains airborne allergens expert of allergen barrier balm HayMax, Max Wiseberg. “Common symptoms include sore, itchy, watery, red eyes; sneezing and wheezing; and cold like symptoms such as a runny nose and sinus pain. In fact, many people believe they have a ‘winter cold’ when their symptoms are a result of spending more time inside amongst pet allergens than in the summer.”
“Try taking a two pronged attack to manage your symptoms by avoiding the allergen, so there’s less in the body to cause a reaction, and treating the symptoms with a combination of one or more natural and conventional products.”
“Use a natural organic drug free allergen barrier balm to reduce the amount of allergen in your body. HayMax, applied to the nostrils and bones of the eyes in the morning and throughout the day, has been proven to trap pet allergens before they enter the body [1], where they can cause symptoms. Less allergen, less reaction!”
Pet allergies – proactive steps
“Create your own First Aid Kit for pet allergies consisting of one or more natural product, one antihistamine, one nasal spray and eye drops. The interesting thing about this is that many of these remedies can be complementary to each other. So if one helps, but doesn’t do the whole job, you may be able to try other remedies at the same time and get a better result. But there are rules: never take 2 anti-histamines together, never take 2 steroid nasal sprays together, and consult your pharmacist or doctor if you are already taking any other medication.”
“Make sure that your dog or cat is well groomed and shampooed as much as possible to remove pet allergens and pollen particles from its coat.”
“Make sure you keep pets out of the room in which you sleep, so it is as free from pet ‘dander’ as possible. Use allergy friendly mattress covers and bedding. Keep blankets, as well as cuddly toys, in a cupboard to prevent the build up of allergens on them.”
“Consider using an air filter/purifier with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filter to capture the pet allergen particles. Damp dust surfaces regularly; this prevents particles being dispersed into the air compared to ‘dry’ dusting. And vacuum regularly. It may also be beneficial to install “Allergy Friendly” flooring.”
For more tips for living with allergies see our health channel.
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