How Do You Control And Relieve Pet Allergies?

Suffering from allergies caused by pets can be a tricky situation for those of us who love our pets and want to spend more time with them. Most pets shed their fur during the warmer times of the year, which is why you may notice your allergies becoming worse over spring and summer. 

Below, you can discover some useful tips that can help you to alleviate your pet allergies so that you can be more comfortable around your furry friend, all-year-round. 

What Causes Allergic Reactions From Pets?

When you experience allergic reactions, it’s a way of your body responding to allergens that are usually harmless. These allergens can come from food, pollen, the environment, and pets. 

The allergic reactions caused by pets can be especially grueling because saliva and pet dander can latch itself onto everything in your home. This includes bedding, drapes, mattresses, clothes, furniture, floors, and other surfaces. 

Furthermore, their pet dander particles can be airborne where you’re more susceptible to inhaling it and experiencing allergic reactions. 

Bathing Your Pet

Bathing your pet frequently is an effective way to remove any dead skin cells which can drastically reduce the pet dander that they release into the air. 

It’s recommended to wash your pet every week, but you may want to ask your vet for them to provide you with an expert view on your specific pet. 

When you wash your pet, be sure that you avoid drying out their skin too much. There are specific shampoos that aren’t harsh on your pet’s skin to avoid it becoming too dry. 

In addition to this, if you don’t want to bathe your pet weekly, you can use wipes that have been made to minimize allergens. 

Brush Your Pet

Brushing your pet is another incredibly effective way to remove excess hair to prevent it from shedding and spreading around the home. For those who experience severe allergic reactions to their pets, it may be a good idea to have someone else brush your pet. 

Carpet Alternatives

Allergens from pets, such as dander and saliva, are prone to getting caught up in carpets very easily. When these allergens get onto carpets, they can end up going deep down where they’re harder to remove. 

That’s why replacing carpets with laminate floors could be an option to consider. It may seem like a drastic decision, but if your pet allergies are severe, it may be worth it. For some, the only other alternative is to give up their pets. 

If this is something you want to avoid, you can reduce your allergic reactions by replacing carpets with laminate floors, as well as using shutters and blinds to replace curtains. 

If you have the option, it may be wise to pick leather sofas instead of fabricated ones. Pet allergens aren’t able to penetrate leather sofas as much and they’re easier to clean. 

You may also want to consider giving your carpet a deep clean if you didn’t want to completely replace it. 

Vacuuming

Regularly vacuuming your home is incredibly important for reducing pet allergens in your home. Ideally, you’ll want to use a vacuum that comes with a HEPA filter. This is because HEPA filters are fantastic at being able to target microscopic pollutant particles, such as pet dander, with a success rate of 99.97%.

Be sure that the vacuum you use has a tightly sealed feature to prevent any pet allergens that you’ve collected from being released back into the air. Furthermore, we recommend that you empty the vacuum outdoors to avoid allergens spilling out inside your home. 

Keep Your Pet Away From Certain Areas

Keeping your pet away from certain places in your home can be an excellent way to ease your allergy symptoms. For most people, keeping their pets away from their bedrooms may be the best option as it provides you with a space where your allergies are less in severity to allow for a more comfortable night’s sleep. 

Furthermore, having a space in the house that’s free from pets enables you to escape there if your allergies get particularly bad. 

Medication

If you’ve implemented the tips above and your allergy symptoms are still pretty bad, you may want to consider using medication. You can find over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines which can be great for relieving pet allergies. 

However, if you’ve used over-the-counter medications and they haven’t worked, you’ll want to consult with your doctor to see if they can provide you with stronger medications. 

Your doctor may also give you allergy shots as a way to minimize your strong allergies to pets. Being sure to get a diagnosis from your doctor before using medications is recommended as they’ll be able to narrow down what the cause is more specifically. 

Conclusion

Now that you know more about some of the best ways to control and relieve your pet allergies, you can start implementing them. The above tips can help you to enjoy bonding with your pet and feel more comfortable.