Lifestyle and remedies
While medical treatment can help control symptoms, the best approach to avoiding an allergic reaction is simple: avoid direct exposure to an animal with fur or feathers.
Be aware of the fact that, in the presence of an allergy, you may need to find another home for your pet, so as not to risk aggravating your health.
In the absence of a pet
If the patient decides to remove the animal from the home, the allergy symptoms will not disappear immediately. Even after thorough and thorough cleaning, significant levels of allergens may remain in the home for several weeks or months.
Meanwhile, the following measures can help to further reduce contact with allergens:
- The most obvious advice is to avoid touching or hugging cats or dogs, paying attention to indirect exposure with people who own animals (clothes, luggage, etc.);
- If you are planning to stay in a home where a pet is present, ask the owner that this is kept outside the room where you will be sleeping. Furthermore, it is possible to schedule a preventive therapy a few weeks before arrival at the destination: once an allergic reaction has started, it may be difficult to control, but taking an adequate drug can prevent it from being taken seriously.
In the presence of a pet
Generally, a very intense emotional bond develops with a domestic animal, so the hypothesis of moving it away is often not even taken into consideration. Although it is possible to take some precautions, if you decide not to give up your pet, it is necessary to remember that the cause responsible for the allergic reactions will not be eliminated and can hardly be controlled. The allergen is able to spread throughout the home, attaching itself to clothing and other textiles, so exposure is virtually inevitable.
The following operations can help reduce the allergenic load in the presence of pets :
- Avoid direct contact with the pet, to limit direct exposure to hair, saliva and other body fluids. Another family member should take responsibility for the care they need, such as cleaning the spaces where the animal sleeps and eats.
- As far as possible, do not bring the animal inside the house. If your pet can live comfortably outdoors, you can reduce the amount of allergens you are exposed to in your home. This option, of course, is not appropriate for many animals or in certain climates.
- Restrict access to certain areas of the home. Establishing a "pet-free" area, such as bedrooms, can help reduce allergen levels.
- Every time you touch a pet, wash your hands thoroughly. Above all, avoid bringing your hands to your face or contact with your eyes.
- If it is necessary to transport the animal by car, cover the seats with a washable material. Remove carpets, rugs and furniture that can "catch dust" (curtains, cushions, etc.). Pass clothes with adhesive rolls (do not brush them). Use washable covers for upholstered furniture and chairs. Do not allow the cat or dog to climb on sofas or armchairs.
- Keep the house strictly clean to remove allergens in the dust, furniture and linens. Regularly wash sheets, curtains, blankets and pillows that can retain allergens. Regularly wipe the floors and the vacuum cleaner with a damp cloth (preferably if the appliance is equipped with a high efficiency HEPA filter).
- Use air purifiers with a HEPA filter that can trap airborne allergens.
- Wash the pet about once a week (or at least once a month for cats), so as to reduce the allergens on their coat as much as possible. Alternatively, specific wet wipes are available on the market to help keep the hair clean. Ask a family member or friend not susceptible to animal allergens to bathe their pet, and take care of cleaning the litter, kennel or cage.
- Minimize the presence of other allergens in the home (dust, chemicals and pollen) and, above all, avoid smoking, as multiple exposure to these substances can aggravate allergic crises.
Final considerations
Some animals are less likely to cause an allergic reaction. For example, "hairless" cats, like the Canadian Sphynx, are totally lacking in fur, a characteristic that can limit the spread of allergens and reduce the intensity of the allergic reaction to sensitive people. The Siberian cat, on the other hand, produces a low amount of allergen Fel d1 (main responsible for human cat allergy) and, for this reason, is classified among the "hypoallergenic" cats.
If you want company, you can expand your definition of pet and consider creatures without feathers or fur, such as turtles, geckos, lizards, snakes, fish and tarantulas.
