How to manage pet allergies without getting rid of your pet

If you're allergic to your pet, you may not have to give it up.

     It's an all-too-common unfortunate situation: You've adopted an adorable puppy, kitten, bunny or guinea pig, only to find that being in the same room with your new pet makes you cough, sneeze and break out in hives. When diagnosed with an allergy to their own pets, some people do opt to put their furry friends up for adoption, but just as many decide to keep their pets and try to manage their symptoms instead. In fact, according to one study, only 21 percent of people who were told by their doctors to give up their pets due to an allergy actually did so.

     Here are a few tips to help you live in harmony with your pet despite allergies:

  • Take an allergy test. If you seem to be allergic to your pet, it's important to have tests done to determine whether you're actually allergic to that kind of animal or to something else in your home or environment. Sometimes, animals bring in pollen and other allergens from outside, so that may be what's causing your allergies rather than the pet itself, especially if you've never felt allergic to your pet before.
  • Limit the pet to certain areas of the house. A dog or cat won't mind being limited to the main room or certain bedrooms, so make your bedroom an allergen-free zone where you can detox from allergies every night.
  • Use air purifiers in the rest of the home. A home air purifier can provide much-needed relief to sufferers of pet allergies and make it possible for them to be in the same room as their pets. An air purifier won't remove all problematic pet dander, but it will at least reduce the concentration of allergens in the air. 

     For more information or help finding an air purifier for allergies, contact US Air Purifiers today.