I’m a terrible patient. All my life, doctors have told me that I’m severely allergic to cats and dogs, and that I must keep a pet-free home.
I own two dogs and a cat. One of the dogs is a giant floof (Akita/German Shepherd hybrid). The cat sleeps on my chest. I’ve been hospitalized five times for allergy-related reasons, including sinus infections, pneumonia, and asthma attacks. Still, I will not give up my pets.
What I did instead was seek out an allergist. The allergist told me I wouldn’t live to 30 if my allergic asthma couldn’t be controlled. Allergy tests determined that I was allergic to cats, dogs, and around 50 pollens and molds. The next thing to come out of her mouth was, of course, that I should live in a pet-free home. I told her giving up my pets wasn’t an option, and lo and behold, she gave me other options. She was the first doctor in two decades to even attempt to help me after I rejected her first piece of advice.
Here are seven ways I deal with my allergies. I hope you find them helpful, but, of course, I also advise a trip to an allergist.
1. I found the right combination of allergy medicine.
I’d grown up being treated with tons of allergy medications and being told not to mix any of them. The allergist explained what medicines I could take at the same time, the maximum dosages of those medicines, and how taking these medicines could affect my liver and kidneys over time. In a little over a month, we found the right combination and my symptoms were greatly reduced. We even did allergy shots, which reduced but didn’t eliminate my symptoms.
2. I eliminated carpet.
When I bought my home, I ripped out all the carpet and replaced it with vinyl plank flooring (any hard floor will do) before I moved in. Carpet holds dust, dust mites, dander, pollen, mold, and all kinds of unsavory things like germs and bad smells. If you think your carpet is clean, go tear up a corner and look at the dirt under it (or Google a video of someone tearing out carpet). Walking over carpet releases that trapped stuff into the air. A home with carpet will never have allergen-free air.
3. I tackled pet dander at the source.
I bathe my dogs regularly, and wipe my cat with allergen-reducing wipes. This reduces pet dander (nothing will eliminate pet dander; that’s why the allergy meds are #1 on the list).
4. I wash my hair before going to bed.
Pollen and dander can be trapped in hair. While you sleep, you’re breathing whatever is on your bedding and hair. If you don’t like sleeping with wet hair or using a blow dryer, you may only need this step during times when your allergies are acting up.
5. I wash everything that’s made of fabric often.
This includes bedding, clothing, couch cushion covers, rugs, my dogs’ blankets, and even curtains. How often they need washing will depend on how bad your allergies are and how many pets you have. I wash bedding every two weeks, couch cushion covers once a quarter, and curtains twice a year. I wash dog blankets and the sheets I use on my couches once a week (I use sheets on my couches so I only have to wash the cushion covers every quarter). I wash rugs once a month and avoid large area rugs (for the same reason I avoid carpet). Allergy-reducing sprays may help between washings, but aren’t as effective as washing.
6. I use an air purifier and clean filters.
My home uses window A/C units. I clean the filters once a month, but I found I also needed an air purifier. If you have central air, make sure you’re cleaning your filter as often as needed (check the filter directions). If you still find the air quality in your home bothersome, there are some really good and relatively cheap air purifiers to check out.
7. I create an allergy safe room when needed.
When my allergies are really bad, I don’t allow my pets in my bedroom. If you sleep 8 hours a night, a third of the air you breathe is the air in your bedroom. That’s why it’s so important to wash bedding and keep pets you’re allergic to out of your room. I break this rule a lot because my cat is adorable and demanding, but when my allergies are flaring up, she has to deal with it.
With lots of caution and a bit of work, it is possible to cope with pet allergies. Drop me a comment if you would like to share tips or advice on living with pet allergies.
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