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"We have a three-pronged approach," Georgeson says. "First is avoidance. You need to limit the areas of the home where the animal is allowed, primarily the bedroom and the bed. Don't forget how much time we spend breathing and touching things in that room."
"Shut the bedroom door," Johnson says.
Other tips:
- Buy a HEPA filter. All three physicians recommended this. HEPA filters can be portable or home-wide.
- Remove dander-trapping carpets. "Install tile or wood that can be cleaned thoroughly," Georgeson says. (Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter too.)
- Wash bedding frequently in hot water (dust mites, which do not come from animals, are also powerful allergens). Washing flushes away dander that has settled on the bedding.
- In some cases, consider closing off house-wide ducts to the bedroom and using portable heating and cooling.
- Do not allow the pet in the car or use washable seat covers.
- Wash your hands after playing with the animal.
- Clean and vacuum regularly.
All the doctors recommended bathing pets frequently, which in the case of cats can be very entertaining. "Even a damp washcloth on the fur can help," Mitchell says (towelettes are also available at pet stores for this purpose).
Keeping the animal's skin healthy with vitamin supplements can limit shedding of dander.
"I have had people saying they would shave their pet," Georgeson says. "That might be helpful, but you will still get dander."
Counter to what you might think, the amount of dander an allergic person breathes does not make the symptoms worse or better. "Dose has no relevance," Johnson says. "Small animal, big animal, long fur, short fur, it doesn't make a difference."
So much for the new designer dogs, such as labradoodles, although some people swear they cut symptoms. One prominent vet has also advanced the theory that female animals cause fewer allergies. This is open to debate.
