Symptoms
Pet allergy is one of the challenges of living with pets. While most people are lucky enough not to have allergy issues, others aren’t that lucky. Unfortunately, allergy issues have prevented some people from living with their beloved furry friends. However, don’t let allergies keep you away from your pets. There are ways to manage pet allergies and some of them have been outlined below. First of all, you need to be able to identify common allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of pet allergies
If you constantly encounter some of the symptoms below when your pet is around, you may be having pet allergy problems.
- You may have swelling on your skin, rashes, or other skin conditions.
- Sometimes your breath may be short, when you are around your pet.
- Constant coughing, wheezing, or sneezing could be a sign of allergy issues.
- You may also have a stuffy nose and itchy eyes.
- Temporary face pain is one of the symptoms too.
- Although it is rare, pet allergies sometimes lead to chest tightness.
However, if you constantly encounter any of the symptoms above, you should not just assume that they are pet allergy issues just because you have a pet around. You need to see a doctor for confirmation. If you eventually find out that you have pet allergy issues, here are some of the few steps you could take.
How to manage pet allergies?
You can reduce the amount of allergens in your apartment by giving your pet a good bath at least once in a week. To reduce the chances of facing problems like these, you can clean your apartment with high-efficiency particulate air cleaners. In fact, it is better when the cleaners run continuously in your bedroom and living room since these are the places you spend most of the time.
This may be a little difficult, but it is necessary. Avoid kissing, hugging, or petting your dog and whenever you do, ensure you wash your hands with a sanitizer or use soap and water. Even though this may not be effective in keeping allergens at bay, it will make a significant difference. Restrict the movement of your pet to only one or two rooms. You may even keep your pets outdoors. You can also use any of the effective air purifiers on the market today. A simple Google search will give you many of them.
Treating pet allergies
Some of the most effective treatments for pet allergies are oral antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays. These are for nasal symptoms like a stuffy nose. Inhaling bronchodilators or corticosteroids will help with respiratory symptoms. In addition, antihistamine eye drops should take care of allergen-induced itchy eyes. Most importantly, it is better to let your doctor recommend the most appropriate treatment for you.
If you are yet to get a pet and you are worried about allergy issues, it is better to go for allergy-free pets. For instance, there are several allergy-free dog breeds. You can get one of them. This will save you from the emotional pain of having to part with your pets.