Allergies don't have to mean life without pets

Animal lovers who suffer from allergies don't necessarily have to live without animal companions. Steps can be taken to allow pets and allergies to live together, according to Bruce Darkow, product manager for Aprilaire High Efficiency Air Cleaners.

For example, Dr. Brian Darrow, an Iowa veterinarian, has been living without pets because of his wife's animal allergy. Now, by following a few guidelines, the Darrow family is enjoying a new puppy.

"Until recently, I was known as 'the vet without a pet,'" Darrow said. "Our kids badly wanted a dog, and my wife and I didn't want them to miss out on that experience. We decided to try to take some steps to allow the kids to have a dog without making my wife miserable. We keep the dog out of our bedroom, we take turns vacuuming so my wife's allergies aren't aggravated, and we installed a high efficiency air cleaner. The air cleaner, built into our heating and cooling system, can remove most of the particles that carry animal allergens through the air."

"Allergists agree that the best treatment for animal allergies is avoiding animals. But that doesn't always mean you have to live without pets. Especially if the allergies are moderate," Darkow said. "There are steps you can take to limit your exposure to animal allergens at home."

The best strategy for eliminating animal allergens from the home is to keep the pet outside, but since that isn't always possible, some allergists recommend the following strategy:

-- Don't allow your pet in carpeted areas of the home.
-- Keep your pet out of the bedroom and off your furniture.
-- Eliminate carpeting and upholstered furniture as much as possible.
-- Provide good ventilation in the house.
-- Use a high efficiency air cleaner.
-- Operate your furnace fan continuously or for at least two hours after vacuuming.
-- Have a non-allergic family member do the vacuuming.
-- Leave combing, grooming and litter box clean-up to non-allergic family members. Brush your pet, preferably outside, once a day.

About The Author:

Jaime Hadie is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-pets.com. Pamper your pet and get up to date information on pet health, food, accessories, behavior, gifts and toys.