Guide to Dog Allergies

If you have a pet pooch, or if you come into contact regularly with a dog, do you ever experience symptoms including: redness and irritation of the eyes, a stuffy nose and sinus irritation, and/or skin rashes?  These are all common symptoms of dog allergies. Various forms of pet allergies are extremely common, and are most often caused from the dead skin (or dander) that collects on the skin of domesticated animals such as dogs and cats. But suffering from these types of allergies does not necessarily mean that you need to give up your beloved pet or steer clear of animals forever. This article will explain some of the facts and myths about dog allergies, and give you suggestions on how to protect yourself when you're in the company of pets.

It's a common misconception that if you experience dog allergies, they are caused by canine hair or fur. In actuality, the allergens most likely come from the dog's skin dander, urine, or saliva - with dander being the most common culprit. Because dander (just as with human skin cells) is one of the main attributing factors to household dust, it can be difficult to determine if your allergy symptoms are from household dust in general, or are directly related to the presence of pet dander. You will want to consult your doctor or an allergy specialist to do testing to determine the true cause of your allergy symptoms.

If you are indeed suffering from dog allergies, and there is a dog currently living in your home, the best course of action (outside of prescription medications), is to move your dog's primary living environment to be outside, or as far away from your living space as possible. Although this is hardly the ideal solution, separating your pet from your main living area will work very well in tandem with allergy medications to greatly lessen your occurrence of canine allergy symptoms.

Additionally, making sure that your dog is clean and well groomed will help to reduce the amount of dander that builds up on its skin and becomes airborne in and around your home. You can purchase special vacuums with filtration systems that specifically target common allergens. Another great remedy is to install an air purification and filtration system in your home, which will work wonders to remove airborne dust and allergens.

Although dealing with dog allergies is certainly no fun, these tips and suggestions will go a long way towards making living with canine allergies more tolerable, while allowing you to still enjoy spending time with your favorite pooch.