Staying away from the allergen and excluding the allergen is the most effective treatment method in pet allergies as in all allergies. Your symptoms will tend to improve as you minimize your exposure to the pet allergen. It may not always be possible to completely eliminate exposure to animal allergens. Even if you don’t have a pet, it’s extremely possible to be exposed to a pet allergen. Allergens that settle on other people’s clothes can cause you to experience a reaction. In this article, we wrote about pet treatment and the situations that cause allergies for you.
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Allergy Medicines
Your allergist may direct you to take one of the following medications to improve nasal allergy symptoms:
Antihistamines
Antihistamines work by blocking the action of histamine. It provides relief or disappearance of reaction symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itching. Antihistamines are available in nasal spray and tablet form.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids given as a nasal spray can reduce inflammation and control symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Nasal corticosteroids provide a low dose of the drug and have a much lower risk of side effects than oral corticosteroids.
Decongestants
Decongestants are effective in shrinking the swollen tissues in the nasal passages. This makes it easier for you to breathe more easily. Oral decongestants can increase blood pressure and should generally not be taken if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, or cardiovascular disease. Your allergist will determine if you can safely take a decongestant. Decongestants, also available as nasal sprays, can reduce allergy symptoms for a short time. If you use a decongestant spray for more than three days in a row, your congestion problem may come back.
Leukotriene Regulators
Leukotriene modifiers block the action of certain immune system chemicals. If corticosteroid nasal sprays or antihistamines do not provide relief, your allergist may prescribe this group of drugs.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy can be applied to make your immune system insensitive to an allergen. Immunotherapy is also known as allergy vaccination. The success rate of allergy vaccines lasting 3 to 5 years is quite high. In this treatment, your allergist will try to eliminate your body’s reaction to these allergens by giving you a small amount of allergen in small doses.
Pet Allergy Prevention Tips
Avoiding exposure to pets is the best option for treating pet allergy. However, most people do not want to get away from their pet. However, it would be helpful for people with severe allergies to find another home for their pet. If you find a new home for your pet, your allergy symptoms won’t go away right away. Even after a thorough cleaning, your home may still have significant levels of pet allergens for several weeks or months. The following steps can help lower pet allergen levels in a new pet-free home:
Comprehensive Cleaning
Have someone without pet allergies clean the entire house, including thorough washing of ceilings and walls. Replace upholstered furniture if possible, as cleaning will not remove all pet allergens from the upholstery. Move upholstered furniture from your bedroom to another area of your home. Change carpets. If possible, replace carpets, especially in your bedroom.
Change The Duvet Cover
Change sheets, blankets, and other bedding because it is difficult to completely wash away pet allergens. Change bed pillows. If you cannot change your mattress and base, cover them with anti-allergen covers.
Use High Efficiency Filters
High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters for your air ducts can trap airborne allergens, and HEPA vacuum bags can reduce the amount of hazards from your cleaning. HEPA air purifiers can also reduce pet allergens in the air.
If you have a pet, you can help minimize allergens in your home with the following tips:
Wash Your Pet Often
Ask a family member or friend who does not have allergies to bathe your pet on a weekly basis. Ask the vet for information about bathing your pet.
Create A Pet-Free Zone
Make certain rooms in your home, such as your bedroom, pet-free areas to reduce allergen levels in those rooms.
Remove Carpets And Dangerous Furniture
If possible, replace wall-to-wall carpets with tile, wood, linoleum or vinyl floors that do not so easily harbor pet allergens. Consider replacing other furniture that attracts the allergen, such as upholstered furniture, curtains, and horizontal blinds.
Get Help
When it’s time to clean your pet’s bedding, litter box, or cage, ask a family member or friend who doesn’t have pet allergies to do the job.
Use High Efficiency Filters
High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifiers and vent filters can help reduce airborne pet allergens.
What Causes Pet Allergy?
Allergic reactions occur when your body identifies a substance called an allergen as foreign. This causes your immune system to attack and release chemicals to fight the allergen. Allergens found in pets are proteins found in their fur (skin scales), saliva, and sometimes in their feces or urine. The most common pets are cats and dogs. Cat allergies are more common, although allergies can occur to both. However, you may also be allergic to other pets that live outside, such as horses.
Pet Allergy Symptoms
Pet allergy symptoms are similar to other types of allergies. If you are very sensitive to pet allergens, your symptoms may occur within 15 to 30 minutes of exposure. The severity of symptoms differs from person to person. These symptoms include:
- Sneeze,
- runny nose,
- Watery eyes,
- itchy eyes or skin,
- rash/hives,
- chest tightness,
- sinus pain,
- Shortness of breath.
