This time of year, the APA receives a lot of calls and a lot of animals due to allergies. Helping keep an animal with its family is a top priority for us, so we want to help allergy suffers know that, if the allergies are not life threatening, there are options to living a happy, healthy life with your pet. Here are some basic tips for cohabitating with wheeze and sneeze-inducing furry friends.
Know thy allergies! Are you allergic to your pet’s dander or is it something else? Get tested by a doctor to know what is causing your symptoms. Your pet might be carrying another allergen into the house on his coat. Pollen, mold and other irritants are everywhere, especially at this time of the year. If it turns out that kitty’s outdoor adventures have brought home more than you bargained for, limit her time outside.
Wash, rinse, repeat. Wipe those fur monsters down with a damp cloth after being outside. You’ve seen how much pollen can accumulate on your car in the spring; your pet’s coat gathers pollen and other allergens, too. Wiping them off helps decrease other potential trouble makers in the air as well. You can also bathe your pet regularly. Giving him or her the full on spa treatment helps get rid of anything you missed with the cloth. Avoid washing any pet more than once a week, and use a mild, conditioning cleanser to avoid drying out their skin. Frequent fur brushing at this time of the year will also decrease the amount of dander buildup your pet is carrying. Choose a non-allergic member of the family for this task, if possible. Otherwise, many groomers are happy to help your pet shed the excess fluff.
Make your castle sparkle! Minimize household allergens all together. Dust, vacuum, sweep and/or mop to keep your home tidy and your allergies at bay. If you’re always cleaning up after your dog or other pets, it might be worth investing in a vacuum specialising in pet hair removal to ensure you are getting everything up, that typical vacuums might miss.
Keep separate quarters. Don’t allow pets to sleep in your bed with you. Keep them off the couch and other furniture, too, if you notice the fur buildup is bothersome. Buy bedding for your pets that is easy to clean and doesn’t gather fur. Kuranda beds are great for that purpose; they wipe down easily and dry quickly.
Recognize the cues. If you know your allergies are particularly bad when the magnolia trees begin to bloom, plan accordingly. Occasionally taking an over-the-counter antihistamine can treat your symptoms and give your peace of mind in the warm weather months.
As part of our mission of bringing people and pets together, the APA also strives to keep people and pets together. When both furry and non-furry members of the family can live together in harmony, we all breathe a little easier.