How to Deal with Allergies to Animals

Many people don’t realize the cold symptoms they have been experiencing are due to allergies until they are able to get away from what is that is causing the reaction.

As with reactions to cats and dogs, allergies to animals involving reactions to rabbits, guinea pigs and gerbils are caused by the dander, or loose flakes of skin that the animals shed. All animals, including people, shed skin cells as they no longer need them. The only animals that do not shed dander are snakes and reptiles. A human being sheds 1.5 grams of cells every day. These cells dry out, flake, and become part of the dust in our homes. Allergic reactions are caused by an assortment of things. Children who had rodents as pets, and this includes gerbils, rabbits, were four times as likely to have suffered four times or more during the year than children who did not have any animals as pets. Children who had cats or dogs were only twice as likely to have had such allergic experiences as children who had none. Pet bird allergies may affect a person for years without not believing he or she is allergic to anything.

Histamine is a natural substance found throughout our bodies. Its job is to protect us from elements in our environment that could be harmful. Occasionally, being exposed to something every day for years can raise our sensitivity to that substance. Periods of unrelenting emotional stress can weaken every system in the body, but the damage will be seen first in whatever system is the weakest at that time. This can include our response to common allergens. We have all known people who exhibited an allergic reaction to something that had never bothered them before.

There are some things we can do to ease the symptoms, or even prevent such reactions. First of all is to remember that regularly vacuum cleaning your home often raises more dust than it cleans up. Even double bagging or using micro-pore filters on your vacuum may not be enough to actually contain the dander you are trying to get rid of.

First, you should keep the animal contained in one or two rooms of your home. This way, you can have some hope of making the rest of the rooms in your home allergen free. Though you do need to remember that it can often take up to six months to get all the dander residues out of curtains, upholstery and floor coverings, so have patience. It is possible to make things better.

The next step is to remove the carpeting from the floors in those rooms where you will be keeping your pet. It may also be necessary to remove the furniture from those rooms that is upholstered in fabric, as dander collects in the fabric and stuffing, waiting to rise up in clouds as soon as anyone sits in those chairs. Furniture covered in leather may be a good substitute, as it can be washed clean.

And then, be very careful about not letting the little animal in bed with you. You spend several hours every night in your bedroom, so this room should be kept as free as possible from animal dander. Many people find that an air filtration system is a tremendous help in keeping nasal allergies under control.