Pets can bring a wealth of joy into our lives, but they can also introduce allergens into our homes. Even if your furry friend is the sweetest, most well-behaved pet in the world, they can still produce histamines and other substances that can make you sneeze, have itchy eyes, or even break out into hives.
One study found that up to 30% of people in the United States are allergic to cats and dogs. However, research has said exposure to a cat or dog during early life can help to desensitize people to those animals’ allergens.
Getting a pet as an infant can also help reduce the risk of developing a pet allergy later.
However, to ensure that you can enjoy a bond with your puffball in this article, we have encased nine ways to prevent pet allergies.
Also, you can scroll through the infographic included in the blog to get a crisp idea of the prevention tactics to prevent pet allergies!
How To Prevent Pet Allergies: 9 Key Tips
The rise in awareness about canine and feline allergies has led to many pet owners rushing to get their pets vaccinated. Apart from vaccination, there are fundamental ways to keep yourself safe from pet allergies. Let’s have a look :
1. Keep Your Yard And Surroundings Clean
Keeping your yard and surroundings clean can help prevent pet allergies in people. Dirty surfaces may contain allergens that can trigger a reaction in people with pet allergies. By keeping your yard and surroundings clean, you can help to avoid exposure to allergens that can cause an allergic reaction.
2. Keep Your Pet’s Paw Clean
Many pet owners choose to keep their pets’ paws clean as keeping pets’ paws clean can help reduce allergens in the home. Pet dander, saliva, and hair can trigger an allergic reaction in people and environmental triggers of allergies, such as pollen and dust mites. Keeping your pet’s paws clean will help reduce the number of allergens it brings into the home. Additionally, regularly washing your pet’s fur will help remove dust mites and other allergens that may be present on its coat.
3. Avoid Using Dust Mite Covers Or Bedding
People with dust mite allergies should not use bedding, covers, or any other material that would trap the dust mites bedding, covers, and other materials that trap dust mites can also contribute to moisture build-up and the spread of pathogens, such as asthma-causing mites.
Besides, avoid areas where dust mites are likely to be found on furniture, mattresses, around the edges of curtains and upholstery, under beds, and in closets.
Also, using air filters on air conditioning units and washing bedding in a hot water cycle rather than machine washing helps remove the allergens.
If you have dust mite allergies also need to be alert for symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and itchy eyes. If you experience any of such symptoms, ensure to contact your doctor.
Notable that an anti-pet allergy cover does not protect you from other pets in your home; it only protects you from the dander on the pet’s fur.
If you are allergic to pets, it is best to keep that pet outside the home or on an allergy-proof mat during the day.
4. Have Your Pet Spayed/Neutered
Having a pet spayed or neutered helps reduce the pet’s exposure to specific allergens.
Pets that are spayed or neutered are also less likely to produce litters, which reduces the number of allergens in the environment.
Although it’s not frequently possible to avoid all the allergens a pet may bring into the home, it’s essential to take steps to reduce your pet’s exposure.
Spaying or neutering a pet decreases the number of potential allergens in the home by up to 90%. In addition, it also reduces the chance of your pet becoming pregnant and giving birth to offspring with allergies.
5. Get Rid Of Clutter In Your Living Space
Clutter also creates a dirty environment, a breeding ground for allergens. These allergens can cause symptoms in people with allergies, such as watery eyes, sneezing, and coughing.
In addition, clutter can make it challenging to keep your home clean.
This can lead to health problems, such as respiratory infections, as it can trap the pet allergens; the fur and dander of pets can contain pollen and other allergens that can trigger allergies in people.
Removing clutter from home can help reduce the primary causes of allergies in the environment. Also, it makes the home more comfortable and relaxing, which can help improve moods and sleep patterns.
6. Keep Your Pet Away From Common Allergen Sources
Keeping your pet away from common allergen sources can help prevent pet allergies, and it can help reduce the incidence of allergies in people.
Allergies are caused by exposure to allergens, which can come from pets, food, dust, plants, or other people.
Pets can carry different allergens than people, and these allergens can cause symptoms in pet owners who are allergic to them.
One of the common allergens found in pets is hair. Pets can bring pollen and other allergens from their fur to your home.
If you have allergies to hair, you may be at risk of developing an allergy to pets. By keeping your pet away from common allergen sources, you can reduce your risk of developing a pet allergy.
7. Get Your Furry Friend Vaccinated
Vaccinating your pet regularly against common allergens can reduce the number of allergic reactions in both pets and their human caregivers. Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a vaccine treatment that uses extracts from allergens to help the body build immunity to those allergens.
The vaccine stimulates the antibody production to the allergen, and over time this leads to reduced allergic symptoms.
Vaccinating a pet regularly against common allergens to reduce pet allergies in humans is one of the best ways to minimize pet allergies. Pets can be vaccinated against numerous allergens, including dog, cat, mouse, bird, and grass pollens.
8. Keep The Home Clean And Well-Air-Conditioned
Among the best ways to reduce allergies in humans is to keep their homes well-aired and conditioned. This is because the cooling system removes allergens from the indoor air.
Air conditioning also reduces humidity levels, which can aggravate allergies.
It helps reduce the dust, pollen, and other allergens that can accumulate in the home and trigger allergic reactions.
9. Fleas and Ticks Prevention For Your Furry Friend
Fleas, ticks, and other parasites can spread allergens throughout a home, leading to allergic reactions in susceptible people.
Prevention is the best cure, so ensure to keep your pet clean and free of fleas and ticks. Regularly comb your pet’s coat and check for ticks.
Remove them immediately using a tick key or tweezers if you find them. If you witness any signs of illness such as lethargy, vomiting, or diarrhea, take your pet to the veterinarian for a check-up.
How Can A Vet Help Reduce Pet Allergy?
Veterinarians are able to help reduce pet allergies by performing a comprehensive examination of your pet, including their skin and respiratory systems.
This examination can help identify any potential allergens that your pet may be allergic to and provide treatment for any identified allergies.
Additionally, veterinarians may prescribe medications, or they may refer your pet to a specialist who is more experienced in treating pet allergies.
Veterinarians are experts in diagnosing and treating diseases in animals. Some of the things that veterinarians can do to help reduce pet allergies in humans include:
- Treating pets for parasites, worms, and other intestinal problems can help rid their systems of allergens.
- If there is an underlying food allergy, the veterinarian may be able to prescribe a restricted diet for the pet.
- You also can consult your veterinarian and recommend a diet for your pet that’s rich in vitamins and minerals to reduce hair shed and to keep the pet’s skin retaining its moisture.
If you are finding it challenging to find a veterinarian with a good reputation in your local area, you can rely on online vet discovery platforms such as Greatvet.
The platform allows you to find vets by location and specialty.
Besides, scheduling a vet appointment is easy with Greatvet.To find reputed vets in your area, you also can ask for a personal recommendation from your friends, family, or peer group.
Final Thought!
Allergies in humans can be life-threatening, and sometimes they can be triggered by something as innocuous as a dust mite.
Along with the aforementioned prevention tactics, also ensure keeping your pet food supply fresh so that all ingredients are fresh and uncontaminated.
It helps reduce the allergens in your pet’s environment and helps reduce the number of allergens in your home.
By keeping your pet food supply fresh, you can help to protect both your pet and yourself from allergens. Besides, whenever you feel any allergic symptoms, consult a doctor as soon as possible.
