You consider your pet to be a part of the family. Unfortunately, you’ve discovered that at least one member of your family is actually allergic to pets. Now you are trying to figure out how you can live with pet allergies, or more specifically, how to coexist with a pet despite the fact that it is causing unpleasant allergy symptoms.People who suffer from allergies should know they’re not alone. About 3 out of 10 individuals have allergies to dogs or cats, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Allergies to cats occur about twice as often as allergies to dogs.

Symptoms of Pet Allergies

A range of symptoms can occur when you have an allergy to your animal companion, including:

 
• Coughing
 
• Runny nose
 
• Stuffy nose
 
• Sneezing
 
• Tightness in the chest
 
• Wheezing
 
• Rash or hives on skin
 
• Pain in the face (due to congested nasal passages)

Dog allergens are located in urine, saliva, dander and dog hair. Cat allergens can be found in the animal’s saliva, skin and fur. So, it’s no wonder that you will start to experience an allergic reaction just by petting your beloved dog or cat.

Managing Your Pet Allergies

To avoid unpleasant allergic reactions, there are things you can do to manage your pet allergies starting today.Begin by installing an air filter for use with your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Take note of how often replaceable filters must be changed and mark the date on your calendar to avoid clogging the filter and causing your HVAC system to work harder than it should.Give your dog or cat baths on a regular basis.If your home has carpeting, consider removing it, since it’s easier to sweep floors clean of allergens than it would be to vacuum them away. You should also vacuum upholstery.Start taking allergy symptom medication, available over the counter at your pharmacy. If conventional allergy medicine doesn’t work, you can visit your doctor for a prescription allergy medication.Coping with pet allergens can be difficult, especially when symptoms seem to worsen even when you try using stronger medications and are vigilant about keeping the home clean and free of clutter.

Stop Suffering From Pet Allergy Sinus Problems

Sometimes allergies caused by exposure to pets do not respond well to standard allergy symptom methods of treatment, such as using medications (prescribed by a doctor or something milder available over the counter at the pharmacy) or inhaling steam.If you have been experiencing nasal discomfort because of an allergic reaction to your pet, there is no need to choose between which gets to stay in the home and who must leave. Texas residents with sinus problems can now take advantage of balloon sinuplasty.This procedure was granted approval by the FDA in 2005 and is available now at the American Sinus Institute. You can take advantage of balloon sinuplasty, which uses a balloon inserted into the nasal cavity to inflate and adjust the nasal passageway with no need for a surgeon’s knife. Please contact us for an appointment today.