Dog Allergies: Strategies for Relief
Who gets 'em and why?
Thousands of people have dogs that they own and love. Unfortunately, thousands of people also have a dog allergy. Anyone can develop a dog allergy at any age. That may be the most frustrating fact; you develop the allergy. A common misconception regarding allergies is that a person is born with them. This is not the case. You develop a pet allergy through exposure. The only genetic statistic linking allergies to genetic makeup is that you are more likely to develop an allergy if your parents have allergies. Sadly, you won't know that you have an allergy or rather, you won't develop an allergy until you are exposed to the allergen. This hard learned fact can translate into disaster. Many people experience the heartbreak of falling in love with a dog and then developing a dog allergy after they have opened their homes to their beloved animal companions. Fortunately, developing an allergy to a household pet does not mean that you have to find your pet another home. There are ways to control your symptoms and promote natural allergy relief. Once you know what is causing the allergen, it is simply a matter of doing what you can to eliminate as much of it as possible from your home.
What am I allergic to?
People with dog allergies are not allergic to the animal's fur. The dog allergy is most commonly dander. People can also be allergic to a dog's saliva or urine. Dander is composed of tiny particles of dried skin that fall off of your pet and circulate in the air. These particles are so small that you can breathe them in and once they are in your system, an allergic reaction is triggered.
Dog Allergy Symptoms and Physical Reaction
Basically, when you have a dog allergy reaction to dog dander, your body is attacking a usually harmless environmental element. First, you breathe in the dander. In people that are not allergic, your nose mucus will simply trap the particle and move them from your nose to your throat where you will cough them out or swallow them. Problem solved. For those of you who are allergic to dog dander, the process is far more grueling. Your body identifies the dander as an invader and releases IgE cells. These attack cells attach to mast cells. When the allergen encounters the IgE cells, it attaches to them. Once this has occurred, a signal is sent to the mast cell to release a slew of chemicals including histamine. These chemicals are what cause the symptoms of your dog allergies. It is your body's way of trying to force out a foreign invader. Symptoms will vary in severity and type but some common dog allergy symptoms are listed below:
- Sneezing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Watery eyes
- Itchy eyes, nose and throat
- Wheezing, especially if you have asthma
- Rash or itchy skin, especially if you come into direct contact with the allergen (i.e. the dog licks you).
What can I do to control my dog allergy symptoms?
If you suffer from dog allergies, the most affective form of allergy control is to avoid contact with dogs. Of course, if you already have a dog and don't want to give up your cherished pet, there are other paths to take that will help to decrease the amount of dander that you come into contact with. Following some of the suggestions below will help eliminate dander from your home, help control your dog allergy symptoms, and make life with your dog more enjoyable.
- Keep your dog out of your bedroom. You spend a great deal of time in your bedroom, especially in your bed. Dander can get stuck in sheets, pillows and mattresses. If there is dander in your bed while you sleep, you are facing prolonged exposure to an allergen and that will make life unpleasant to say the least. Creating a dog-free bedroom aids in a healthy, recuperative sleep. Also, if your dog allergies start to act up, you have a place that you can go to recover.
- In addition to a dog-free bedroom, wash your bedding often. Even if you don't allow your dogs into your bedroom, dander can stick to you and your clothing and transfer itself from room to room that way. Wash your bedding in hot water to make sure that dander is removed.
- Get rid of carpeting or rugs. Carpeting and rugs collect dander. They will exacerbate your symptoms. Once dander gets in there, it is extremely difficult to remove so it is best to stick to surfaces that are easy to clean and keep clean. Hard surface floors are great. If you have drapes, consider blinds instead. For drapes or rugs that you absolutely do not want to get rid of, be sure that they are thoroughly cleaned regularly. Dander will gather on them so make sure that you are attacking it.
- Don't allow your dog on the furniture. Again, upholstered furniture is a place where dander will fall and stay. Upholstered furniture is also hard to clean and hard to keep clean. Make sure that your dog knows to stay off of the furniture. This will make the cleaning process easier for you and the house a bit more dander free.
- Bathe your dog frequently to avoid dog odor. Bathing your dog and brushing often will reduce dog dander and dog smell. We recommend bathing once a week and brushing daily. Be sure to use a mild shampoo. Since you are bathing your dog often, a harsh shampoo can cause your dog's skin to dry out and this will lead to more dander (making this tip counterproductive). Be sure to keep your dog's skin nice and healthy.
- Make sure that you also wash any dog bedding, toys or blankets frequently in hot water to avoid dog odor.
- Wash your hands immediately after playing with or petting your dog.
- Vacuum frequently using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Minimize the amount of dander in your home by vacuuming often. Sweep and mop hard surface floors and wipe down any tile. The cleaner the home, the less dander in the air and less dog smell.
Finally, one of the best solutions to your dog allergy is to get an air purifier with a HEPA filter like the IQAir HealthPro Plus. This air purifier is designed specifically for the removal of particles that cause dog allergies and noxious dog odor from your home. This dog allergy and dog odor solution is easy to use and trusted by many. Every minute over 250 cubic feet of air passes through the combined medical grade HEPA filter and expertly blended activated carbon. Because of this powerful filtration, 99.97% of airborne allergens, including pet dander, dust particles, bacteria, viruses, mold spores, and offensive dog odor are eliminated. This breakthrough filtration process makes the IQAir HealthPro Plus faster and more efficient than any other air cleaner on the market. This astonishing filter covers areas up to 1000 square feet making it ideal for large rooms in your home. This air purifier can provide you with reliable relief from dog allergy symptoms. The HealthPro Plus ships complete with filters, within 1 business day and comes with a five year warranty. IQAir is committed to quality and a five year warranty speaks for itself. If you own a dog and suffer from a dog allergy, help is an order away. The HealthPro Plus will clean your air of dander and dog smell. Less dander in the air means that you can spend your time at home enjoying the company of your dog instead of battling your dog allergy symptoms. Take a step toward a better life for you and your pet with the IQAir HealthPro Plus.