Living with a dog and dog allergies

Having dog allergies can be a difficult thing to deal with. Many people live with dog allergies for years suffering and then when they finally get diagnosed with the allergy they have to decide what to do with a beloved pet dog.

Most people will opt to continue suffering with the allergy rather that to get rid of their pet. Finding ways to alleviate the symptoms of dog allergies and to reduce the effects of the allergies will make living with dog allergies easier.

Decreasing The Dog Allergy Symptoms

There are some steps that can be taken that will help any dog owner reduce the problem of dog allergies. Some of these steps will require a diligent effort on the part of the dog owner but will be worth it to help with the allergies and allowing the pet to remain in the home.

The first thing is to keep the dog clean and groomed. Frequent bathing will reduce the amount of pet dander on the dog and in the air. A pet can be bathed once a week without any harm and sometimes even more frequent bathing may be helpful and necessary.

Another step to help alleviate dog allergies is to keep the home and dog areas extremely clean. A vacuum with allergy filtration will help immensely and keeping dust and dog hair cleaned up will be very beneficial. It is a good idea to keep the dog out of the bedroom areas but if they are in frequently in these rooms the bedding should be washed with increased frequency.

Purchasing a HEPA filtration system for the home is a great idea for someone with dog allergies. These units are easily found at many department and home improvement stores. They will run continuously removing dust and allergens from the air. The owner will need to make sure they change any filters and clean the units as recommended by the manufacturer. These units will require a small financial investment but will make a big difference. The systems come in various sizes for the treatment of a single room or for several rooms.

One last step worth mentioning in treating dog allergies is for the person to see an allergist. There are many medications and allergy shots which can help most people’s allergies to be manageable. The allergist will be able to recommend the best measures to be taken by the patient. If a person follows the advice of their allergist and uses the steps mentioned above living with a dog and dog allergies should be bearable.