Allergy to dogs

Do you want to get a dog, but are worried that someone in your family or yourself may develop allergies?! Perhaps you’ve had a dog before and found yourself suffering from allergies?! It’s not all bad: people with allergies and dogs can live together!

Allergy to dogs is a reaction of the body to certain proteins contained in the secrets of the animal’s skin glands and its saliva – wool itself does not cause allergies. When your dog’s hair falls out or his skin flakes, these proteins are released into the environment and can cause an allergic reaction.

Don’t rely on immunity

Some people develop immunity to their own dog, ie. they are “allergic”. Although such cases do happen, don’t count on it when getting a new dog. It is possible that with an increase in the duration of contact with the dog, the severity of the allergic reaction will only increase.

Despite everything you may have heard, there are actually no “hypoallergenic” dogs. It has been suggested that the coat of some dog breeds, such as poodles, prevents allergens from entering the environment, but many people have the same severe allergic reaction to dogs of these breeds. Small breed dogs may cause less of an allergic reaction than large breed dogs simply because they have less flaky skin and fur.

If you have a dog in the house, then accuracy is the key to success in the fight against allergies. Wash your hands after petting a dog, never touch your face or eyes after petting a dog. Regularly wipe down smooth surfaces around the house and vacuum. Use air sterilizers and vacuum cleaners with filters. Also, wash everything your pet sleeps on regularly.

Access limitation

You may need to limit your dog’s access to certain areas of the house, especially your bed and bedroom.

When choosing which rooms your dog is allowed into, keep in mind that hardwood floors tend to accumulate less hair and skin flakes and are easier to clean than carpets. Upholstered furniture also tends to accumulate a lot of dandruff, so it’s best not to let your dog jump on the couch or keep him out of rooms with such furniture.

The more often you brush your dog, the more successful your fight against allergies will be, as this allows you to remove falling hairs and prevent them from getting into the air. It would be nice to do this at least once a week, and if possible, more often.

Be especially careful when grooming in the spring when your pet is shedding. If possible, grooming should be done by someone else who is not allergic to dogs, and preferably outside the home.

Discuss with your doctor which allergy medications you can take to make your life easier, as well as other alternative solutions to this problem.