Living with Animals and Allergies

If you are allergic to your pet here are some tips to make life more bearable (short of sending Fluffy on a permanent vacation):

• Immediately wash your hands after touching or playing with your pet and change any clothing that has come in contact with the animal. Washing your hands before touching your face may dramatically reduce your chance of a reaction.
• Keep pets out of your bedroom. If this is not possible, "tarp" the bed with a cloth or plastic cover during the day to prevent animals from coming in contact with bed sheets and pillows. If you choose cloth, launder it often.
• Keep carpeting to a minimum. Carpeting and upholstery can trap pet dander for up to 6 weeks.
• Don't allow pets to lounge on upholstery. If your pets must lounge, identify their favorite spots and cover these with a cloth that you can launder often.
• Wear an air-filtering mask when cleaning litter pans, tanks or cages, and wash your hands immediately afterward. Frequent cleaning reduces the amount of dried waste particles that circulate in the air.
• If you have a cat, ask a non-allergy sufferer to brush your pet daily and bathe it weekly. If bathing is not an option, wipe the animal with a damp cloth to remove excess dander.
• If you must groom your pet, wear an air-filtering mask.

Animal allergy myths debunked