Having a cute and cuddly pet will be an expertise like no different. But for some folks, furry animals can set off their allergies.
From cats and canines to hamsters and even horses, being allergic to sure animals is widespread, says Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergist and immunologist with the Allergy & Asthma Network.
And the signs aren’t all the time so simple as sneezing now and again, Parikh tells CNBC Make It.
“You want to make sure it’s not affecting your lungs or your breathing,” she says. This can result in extreme outcomes, like bronchial asthma assaults, in some folks.
But if you have allergies, it does not imply that you will not ever have the ability to undertake a furry buddy, Parikh says. Here’s what she recommends doing to ensure you’re adopting the “purr-fect” companion.
What to do earlier than adopting a pet if you have allergies
Before adopting a pet, Parikh suggests starting your course of with two steps:
- Spend time round the kind of animal you’re planning to undertake to see how your physique reacts.
- See an allergist and get examined for totally different pet allergies, particularly if you already have different allergies or bronchial asthma.
“Nobody knows how badly or how strongly you’ll react to something until you’re living with it,” says Parikh. “It is a good idea if you’re suspicious to really get those allergy tests done and come up with a plan.”
“You might be surprised that you’re allergic to one pet, but not the other, and decide to adopt the one that you’re not allergic to,” she provides.
Another possibility is adopting a pet with out fur. These animals are a secure possibility if you have allergies and do not intend to see an allergist beforehand, Parikh says.
Here are a few animals that you can contemplate bringing house with you as an alternative:
three issues you can do if you’ve already adopted a pet that you’re allergic to
Perhaps you’ve already adopted a furry buddy, solely to find that they set off your allergies. Or you’ve determined you really need a cat or canine, even although you’re barely allergic to them.
Don’t fear, you can nonetheless reduce flare-ups by utilizing sure strategies, says Parikh. In this occasion, she encourages you to:
- Not let your pet sleep in your mattress or bed room
- Use air purifiers
- Consider going to an allergist to get allergy pictures that may reduce the severity of your allergies
Additionally, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences recommends these preventive methods to decrease your publicity to pet-related allergens:
- Wash your arms and garments after enjoying along with your pet.
- Dust your private home typically with a damp fabric.
- Remove or substitute your carpets.
- Encase mattresses and pillows in allergen-proof cloth covers.
- Clean your private home typically utilizing a vacuum cleaner that has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. If doable, have somebody who is not allergic to the pet full this step.
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