Dallas Allergy

Identification and avoidance of allergens represents the first and most important step in treating allergic disorders. For those who suffer from respiratory allergies (e.g., allergic rhinitis, asthma), avoidance of outdoor allergens such as pollens and molds is very difficult or impossible, as these substances are widely found in the air we all breathe. However, it is possible, by using relatively simple control measures to significantly reduce one’s exposure to allergens in the home environment. The following recommendations are intended to help you identify and eliminate potential sources of allergens in your home.

We all know that “pets are people, too”. Unfortunately, these much loved family members shed dander (tiny skin flakes) that trigger allergy. There is no such thing as a “hypo-allergenic” dog or cat (despite some breeders’ claims), and the length of the hair or the amount of hair shed has nothing to do with the allergenicity of the species. Without question, the best way to avoid animal danders is to have no warm-blooded pets (e.g., dogs, cats, birds or rodents) in the home. Although removing a pet from the home is an emotionally charged issue, in the long run this intervention alone often has a significant impact in reducing the need for medications to treat allergies and asthma. If a new home cannot be found for a pet, the following measures may reduce one’s exposure to animal danders:

1. Decide whether a pet will live indoors or outdoors. With the exception of bringing an outdoor pet indoors into a designated area during foul weather, outdoor pets should remain outdoors.

2. If a decision is made to have an indoor pet, you should plan to: keep the pet out of the bedroom at all times by keeping the bedroom door closed. Let the pet outside briefly or walk with a leash on a scheduled basis for “business” purposes. Bathing pets makes sense, but in studies, does not appear to make a difference.

3. Please do not destroy or abandon a pet in an attempt to comply with these recommendations.

4. The level of animal dander in the home can be significantly reduced by cleaning the home thoroughly (particularly carpets and sofas) following a pet’s departure. This is the only situation in which steam cleaning might be helpful.

5. Because it may take as long as 4-6 months for the dander left behind to lose its potency, you should not expect immediate improvement in allergy symptoms after a pet is removed from the home.

For more information visit http://www.aaaai.org/patients/elements/2009/06/.