How To Minimize Your Pet
Allergies
Dogs and cats can cause a chronic condition called pet
allergies in people that are allergic to them.
Sharing our homes and sometimes even our beds, pets are listed
as a common cause of irritation, inflammation and other related
problems to people who are allergic to pets.
For someone who is planning to have a house pet or for people
who already own a pet, learning about the facts concerning pet
allergies is a must.
Causes
Your body naturally produces antibodies to fight the onslaught
of common pathogens. Pet allergies happen when the body's
immune system sees animal fur, hair or saliva as a potential
risk to your health. In mistakenly identifying these forms of
protein as a health risk, the body produces inflammatory
responses in the nasal passages and in the lungs.
Virtually all pet allergens are proteins by nature. When they
come in contact with the skin or breathed in, it causes the
body to produce histamine, which results to swelling and
irritation of the upper airways, hay fever symptoms and
asthmatic symptoms.
Once pet allergies are suspected, it is important to
immediately seek diagnosis, medication and treatment to prevent
developing the complications associated with pet allergies.
Signs and Symptoms
The nasal inflammation caused by pet allergies often leads to
sneezing, runny nose, itchy and red eyes, postnasal drip, and
irritation on the nose, roof of the mouth and throat.
Once the condition worsens and leads to asthma, sufferers may
experience breathing difficulties, chest tightness and pain,
audible whistling and wheezing sound, sleeping problems and
chronic cough. Other symptoms may be manifested on the skin,
causing raised red patches and itchiness. Thankfully, the
attack of pet allergies can be controlled with the right
preventive measures, treatment and medication.
What to Do
If you suspect that you are suffering from pet allergy
symptoms, you need to write down all your symptoms as well as
your family's history of allergy and asthma. Make a list of the
medicines, vitamins and supplements that you are taking. This
should help your doctor diagnose whether or not suffer from pet
allergies. Early diagnosis is the key to successful pet allergy
treatment and management.
Common Treatment and Medication
People who are allergic to pets may encounter symptoms of
varying severity.
One way of preventing attacks or improving the condition of
common pet allergy symptoms, patients are given allergy
medications. Antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants
are few of the common medicines used to improve nasal allergy
symptoms.
Depending on the severity of a patient's allergic reaction, he
may be advised to undergo immunotherapy or nasal lavage.
Immunotherapy is the treatment process that trains the body to
not be sensitive to pet allergens. Nasal lavage aims to improve
allergic symptoms by rinsing off the nasal passages with saline
solutions.
Prevention
The best way of preventing pet allergies is by limiting your
exposure to animal allergens. To do that, you must establish a
pet-free zone in your home. Regularly maintain, scrub or vacuum
your homes carpeting and dander-collecting home furnishings.
You can also decide to keep your pet outside. But if you cannot
bear to part with your pet, invest on a high-efficiency air
purifier and filter to reduce the airborne pet allergens inside
your home.
Gene Sower is the publisher of www.healthwellness.biz. Learn more about
treating and preventing pet allergies in children and adults
by visiting http://www.health-wellness.biz/allergies3.html
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