About one in 10 people has pet allergies. They cannot be in the same room with a cat or dog without sneezing or experiencing other allergy symptoms.<\/p>\n
For these people, hypoallergenic pets may seem like the obvious solution. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not that simple. In fact, hypoallergenic dogs or cats might be a myth after all.<\/p>\n
A study of 60 dog breeds, including 11 of which were allegedly hypoallergenic, revealed that there is really no difference between regular and hypoallergenic breeds. Homes that have hypoallergenic dogs like Portuguese water dogs, poodles, and schnauzers have as much of the dog allergen known as Can F1 as homes with \u201cregular\u201d dogs. Any dog that has skin, saliva, and urine can never be truly hypoallergenic!<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no comparable study on cats, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it\u2019s pretty much the same story. Cat allergies are twice as common as dog allergies, so the chances of finding a hypoallergenic cat are really low.<\/p>\n
Practical Tips For Pet Owners With Allergies<\/strong><\/p>\n Having a pet allergy doesn\u2019t always mean that you can\u2019t be a pet owner.<\/p>\n Depending on the severity of your allergies, the benefits of pet companionship can sometimes outweigh the challenges of allergies. In fact, about a third of the people who suffer from these allergies live in a home with at least one pet.<\/p>\n If you have a non-life-threatening pet allergy and want to get a cat or a dog, start by figuring out the breeds that you\u2019re least allergic to. It\u2019s highly unlikely you will be equally sensitive to all breeds, so take your time and do your research. In fact, the only reason why people believe that certain dog or cat breeds are hypoallergenic is because those breeds are less irritating to some people than others.<\/p>\n If you already have a pet, create \u201callergy-free\u201d zones in your home and restrict your furry friend\u2019s access to those areas. One of these areas should definitely be your bedroom.<\/p>\n Using a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner can prevent dander from sticking to the furnishings. Moreover, using a \u201cmicro filter\u201d bag in the vacuum cleaner and washing curtains, pet beds, and carpets regularly can go a long way to reduce allergen levels in your home.<\/p>\n Bathing your pet every week is another great way to reduce allergen levels in your home. It can reduce the amount of allergens on the pet\u2019s fur by up to 84%.<\/p>\n Lastly, allergy shots can also help to gradually desensitize your immune system to pet allergens. This will improve the symptoms, but, unfortunately, it won\u2019t eliminate them entirely.<\/p>\n The encouraging news is that a combination of allergy shots, treatments, and good cleaning methods can make it much easier for animal lovers with allergies to live with pets.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" About one in 10 people has pet allergies. They cannot be in the same room with a cat or dog without sneezing or experiencing other allergy symptoms. For these people, hypoallergenic pets may seem like the obvious solution. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not that simple. In fact, hypoallergenic dogs or cats might be a myth after all….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2756,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1533,1562],"aware":[1753],"class_list":["post-6277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","tag-allergies","tag-pets","aware-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n