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Pet Allergies

They bring love, affection and happiness into a home, but for those with allergies giving pets the push may seem like the only solution.

But just as there's more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, there's more than one way to remain at one with your pussy, and with your other pets too. Not long ago, good friends of mine decided the time had come to allow their children to have pets and home came two wonderful kittens. It was family bliss personified. Well, it was until a few days later, when mum started wheezing. But the cats are still with them, and there's been no more wheezing either. So how did they do it?

Despite popular myth, cat or dog fur is not actually the problem. Even if you were allergic to your pet and took it to the barber for a number one haircut, you'd still find yourself with watery red eyes and coughing. Not because the sight of your best ex-furry friend would reduce you to tears, but because it's actually glands in the animal's skin that secrete allergy-triggering proteins, or allergens, which linger in the animal's fur and float easily into the air. These allergens can be present in the animal's saliva and urine too, and may become airborne when the saliva dries on the fur. So, apart from producing the world's first short-haired Afghan, your trip to the barber's would have achieved nothing. So scalping it isn't the solution. Taxidermy might reduce the number of allergens, though it's a bit extreme, and I've yet to see a stuffed animal obey a command.

The problem with these allergens is that they're not only invisible to the naked eye, they're also lightweight. Just walking through your house is enough to waft them into the air, and what happens next is all too predictable. You inhale these proteins and your trouble starts all over again.

In theory, the answer is simple: reduce your exposure to the allergens. The obvious and, indeed, the best solution, therefore, is to find your loved one a new home. No cat, no exposure. Simple. But don't be tempted to re-home them with friends or relatives, unless, of course, you're looking for an excuse not to see them. 'I'd love to come visit, really I would, but you know what happens.' But understandably you want the best of both worlds, and that means keeping your pet and keeping your allergy at bay.

To begin with, as far as indoor allergy management is concerned, increased ventilation equals decreased allergen, so open a window from time to time. A hi- tech approach is to use a gadget called an ioniser which gives an electrical charge to anything that floats in the air, causing it to sink to the ground and stick. Nowadays HEPA (that's High-Efficiency Particulate Air, if you're interested) air cleaners and HEPA filters in vacuum cleaners can also help remove allergen from indoor surroundings. When animals give themselves a good licking, or rather a wash, they produce lots of allergen that finds its way into the air, so putting them outdoors to do this can help. This can also avoid those embarrassing moments when your pet insists on a quick genital scrub as your guests are sitting down to their canapés!

In fact, the pet should ideally be kept outdoors in a comfortable and safe environment if you really want to reduce allergen levels indoors, but hey, why do we have pets in the first place? Instead, make some areas of your home off-limits to your pets. The bedroom should without doubt be a no-go area. If you want your pet to follow you wherever you go, then soft furnishings and fitted carpets may need to be shown the door and materials that can be easily wiped clean, such as vinyl, leather and wood, welcomed instead. There's no escaping the need to clean frequently and thoroughly to remove dust and animal dander, and this should include pet beds and blankets too, where allergens are just waiting to take off and irritate you.


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