Choosing the right dog and taking it home is often a happy and fulfilling time for most pet owners. But when trouble strikes in the form of allergic reactions whenever your new dog comes near you, that happy decision can quickly take a turn.
But an allergy to dogs doesn’t have to mean the end of the road for you and your pets! In fact, many people with allergies to dogs can still continue to live with and take care of them.
Not sure what your next steps should be? We’ve put together this helpful guide for what you should do and know after discovering an allergy. And if you’re looking for a reliable source for tips, tricks, and guides for dog owners, check out our other fur baby articles!
What’s a Dog Allergy?
When people talk about being allergic to dogs, they are most likely talking about being allergic to dog dander, which are dried skin flakes that can be found in fur.
That’s why people with dog allergies may find more relief from dogs that are hairless or that are hypoallergenic. Dog owners know that dog fur gets absolutely everywhere and is the reason why there are so many good pet vacuum cleaners on the market.
When dog dander comes into contact with someone with a dog allergy, it may result in any number of allergic reactions. That includes coughing, shortness of breath, itchy eyes, a runny and itchy nose, and sneezing. Some may also develop hives on their face or chest.
Besides dog dander, dog saliva can also cause allergic reactions on the skin, though less commonly so.
Dog allergies can range from person to person from being manageable to being deadly (for people with asthma, for example). If you start to show signs of a dog allergy, make sure to keep note of all your symptoms and their severity and consult your doctor as soon as possible.
What To Do If You’ve Got An Allergy To Dogs
If you have a dog allergy, we absolutely understand the concern you may have about having a dog in your home. People with dog allergies will have to decide what they wish to do and to help you make a decision, we’ve put together all the possible steps you can take, starting with:
* Giving away your dog
We know it is the advice that most dog owners with allergies dread, but we would be remiss if we ignored the advice you will probably hear from your doctor when you tell them about your dog allergy.
For people with severe dog allergies or for people with asthmatic people living with them, giving away your dog might be the best thing to do. Not only will you keep your health in check, but you will be able to give your dog a better home with people who are not allergic to them, and can therefore do more things with them.
However, we also understand that giving away your fur baby is a heartbreaking decision to make. So if you have a strong attachment to your dog and are prepared to take extra steps to keep them, you can consider other alternatives.
* Limit your contact with your dog
If giving away your dog is an absolute no-no, then you will have to consider how to alleviate your allergic reactions. The first thing you will need to do?
Limit your contact with your fur baby. That means little to no cuddling, not allowing them on your bed, or maybe even transitioning them to living outside your home permanently. The best decision for you will differ, but the result should be less contact and fewer allergic flare-ups.
* Groom them more often/Clean your home more often
Giving them more regular baths and brushing them more often is also another way to help alleviate any allergic reactions you may have. This is because there’s less dander to go around when your dog is regularly groomed.
Cleaning your home more often and more thoroughly also helps remove any allergy triggers from your environment. The downside for this step is that you will need someone without a dog allergy to do all the grooming because of the risk involved, which can be expensive if you do not have someone at home to do it for you.
* Consult an allergist
If all other alternatives fail to help your allergic reactions, it may be time to book a consultation with an allergist who can prescribe an antihistamine to help with your dog allergies.
A daily dose of allergy medications may help alleviate your allergies, but you will still need to try and limit your contact as allergy medications don’t always solve the problem 100%.
* Choose more dog-friendly floors
Your interior design might not be the first thing you think of to help you with your dog allergies, but as we’ve talked about in the past, choosing the right flooring for dogs can make a lot of difference. For example, a hardwood floor or a tile floor is much easier to clean and also won’t be susceptible to dander build-up.
On the other hand, carpeted floors can be a source of fur build-up and they are also much harder to clean. So for someone with a dog allergy, we would definitely recommend floors that are easier to clean.
Conclusion
A dog allergy may seem like a death knell for anyone with fur babies or for people who plan on becoming fur parents, but that doesn’t always have to be true. While people with severe allergies should probably stay away from dogs as pets, people with milder reactions have a number of alternatives available to them to deal with their allergies to dogs.
That includes choosing a hairless dog, cleaning your home more often, only allowing your dog into certain parts of your home, and choosing to go on allergy medications.
Whatever you choose, what matters is that you are safe, happy, and healthy and that your fur baby is loved and well-taken care of.