When You Are Allergic To Your Dog

When you first bring your dog home you are probably very excited about your new family addition. However, after a few days when you notice that you are having allergic reactions to your dog you may realize that you are allergic to your dog.

This is much more common than you may think as there are a lot of people that have dog allergies. There is nothing worse then realizing that you are allergic to your pet but there are some things you can do about it.

First, you want to make sure you really do have a dog allergy. Since dogs are constantly going outside they may be bringing in with them what you are really allergic to such as pollen and mold. Keep an eye on them while they are outside and take a wet paper towel and wipe them down when they first come in. If you are still having allergies then you may want to look for other symptoms that happen frequently when your dog is in the house.

Symptoms of a pet allergy are much like with any other allergy. You may feel congested, have watery or itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, skin rashes or you may have a hard time breathing when your dog is around. Before just getting rid of your dog take a trip to your doctor or allergist to determine if it really is a dog allergy. They are able to do a prick test to determine if the dog is causing your problems.

If it was concluded that you are allergic then your next step is to remove the allergens from the home the best you can. This includes keeping your dog off your bed and out of the bedroom. You will need to find them an allergen free dog bed or just allow them to sleep on the floor. If you have carpets it is best to remove them completely so that there is not a lot of dander on the floor. You should give your dog a bath weekly and brush his coat outside to keep much of the fur and dander out of the house. An air purifier will help keep the air in your house cleaner, as well a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove a lot of the dander and allergens out of the house.

By limiting your exposure you may notice a lessening in the allergies. However, if you have tried everything and are still having moderate to severe allergic reactions then it may be time to consider removing the dog from your home which is the only real way to get rid of your symptoms. Try to find a trusted family or friend to take the dog in so you can still visit every once in a while. It is tough to have to give up a “member of the family” but in some cases it may be the only relief you have from these symptoms.