You Can Have Pets Even If You're Allergic
Kristine Sorensen of KDKA News from Pittsburgh reports:
Think you can't have pets in your life because you suffer from allergies? Think again. Animal experts say there are ways to make it work.
In fact, studies show that one-third of people with cat allergies actually have cats for pets.
The Toro family of Cranberry is one such family. Even though Kathleen Toro, her husband Renaldo, and their son Matthew all suffer from cat allergies, they have three cats, a dog, a rat and a horse.
So how do they make it work? Medication is key. Renaldo Toro uses Nasonex nasal spray daily and Kathleen takes Claritin.
"The medications are better than they used to be when I was younger," Kathleen Toro explains, "the allergy medication that I used to take would make me very, very tired."
Veterinarian Dr. Mike Hutchinson of Animal General in Cranberry says allergy sufferers can take some steps to rid their homes of pet dander - the small particles that cause the allergic reaction.
Dr. Hutchinson since dander attaches to cloth surfaces, these are harder to keep clean – so tile or wood floors are better than carpet and blinds are better than curtains.
Steam cleaning will help get rid of the dander. The Toros also use an air filter and vacuum the house every day.
Dr. Hutchinson also recommends that people with cat allergies "keep the cats out of their bedroom!" If the cats do get on the bed, Hutchinson says washing the bedspread in water hotter than 140-degrees will help kill the dander.
* If hot water washing is not an option - Allergen Wash will denature allergens in any temperature.
If washing isn't an option – putting the object in the freezer will [denature] the dander.
As for the cats themselves, Dr. Hutchinson recommends washing them every 4 to 6 weeks with this special formula: one gallon of water mixed with 10-percent white vinegar and one capful of Downy fabric softener.
Hutchinson says sponging that solution over the cat and letting it dry "holds dander to the cat." As a result, that dander will be "less likely to get up in the air and cause allergies."
* Special shampoos like Ecology Works Anti-Allergen Solution Pet Shampoo also help neutralize allergens.
Dr. Hutchinson says certain cats are less likely to cause allergies: females with lighter hair and healthy cats.
If you have severe allergies that cause breathing problems, you may not be able to have a cat; but a company called Allerca has bred a hypo-allergenic cat that can be ordered and sent right to you for about $3500.
See our Pet Allergy Solution Guide to learn more.
Think you can't have pets in your life because you suffer from allergies? Think again. Animal experts say there are ways to make it work.
In fact, studies show that one-third of people with cat allergies actually have cats for pets.
The Toro family of Cranberry is one such family. Even though Kathleen Toro, her husband Renaldo, and their son Matthew all suffer from cat allergies, they have three cats, a dog, a rat and a horse.
So how do they make it work? Medication is key. Renaldo Toro uses Nasonex nasal spray daily and Kathleen takes Claritin.
"The medications are better than they used to be when I was younger," Kathleen Toro explains, "the allergy medication that I used to take would make me very, very tired."
Veterinarian Dr. Mike Hutchinson of Animal General in Cranberry says allergy sufferers can take some steps to rid their homes of pet dander - the small particles that cause the allergic reaction.
Dr. Hutchinson since dander attaches to cloth surfaces, these are harder to keep clean – so tile or wood floors are better than carpet and blinds are better than curtains.
Steam cleaning will help get rid of the dander. The Toros also use an air filter and vacuum the house every day.
Dr. Hutchinson also recommends that people with cat allergies "keep the cats out of their bedroom!" If the cats do get on the bed, Hutchinson says washing the bedspread in water hotter than 140-degrees will help kill the dander.
* If hot water washing is not an option - Allergen Wash will denature allergens in any temperature.
If washing isn't an option – putting the object in the freezer will [denature] the dander.
As for the cats themselves, Dr. Hutchinson recommends washing them every 4 to 6 weeks with this special formula: one gallon of water mixed with 10-percent white vinegar and one capful of Downy fabric softener.
Hutchinson says sponging that solution over the cat and letting it dry "holds dander to the cat." As a result, that dander will be "less likely to get up in the air and cause allergies."
* Special shampoos like Ecology Works Anti-Allergen Solution Pet Shampoo also help neutralize allergens.
Dr. Hutchinson says certain cats are less likely to cause allergies: females with lighter hair and healthy cats.
If you have severe allergies that cause breathing problems, you may not be able to have a cat; but a company called Allerca has bred a hypo-allergenic cat that can be ordered and sent right to you for about $3500.
See our Pet Allergy Solution Guide to learn more.
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