When you are a dog owner and an animal lover, the last thing that you want or expect is to be diagnosed with pet allergies. However, if it does happen to you, it doesn't mean that you necessarily need to get rid of your pets. To avoid the unthinkable, get to know some of the ways that you can manage your pet allergies while keeping your beloved dog by your side.

Consider Immunotherapy

When you are diagnosed with pet dander allergies, your allergist may recommend a wide variety of different treatment options. One of these may be immunotherapy (also referred to as allergy shots), especially if you are also diagnosed with other allergies as well.

Allergy shots are weekly injections that are designed to help build up your immune system's tolerance to the things your are allergic to. A small amount of the allergens are mixed into the allergy shot solution with the amounts slowly increasing over time.

As such, after you have been undergoing your immunotherapy treatments for a while, you will notice your symptoms are not as bad when you are around your dog. After you complete the treatment (several months or even a few years after you begin), you will likely find that you have minimal symptoms if any around your own dog and fewer symptoms around unfamiliar dogs as well.

Consider Creating an Allergen-free Space in Your Home

While you go through the early rounds of immunotherapy and are still dealing with the worst of your allergy symptoms, you may need to take additional steps to give yourself some relief when you are at home. One step you can take is to designate at least one room in your house to be allergen free.

Preferably, this would be your bedroom so you can get a good night's sleep and breathe easily. This needs to be a room in which your dog is not allowed to enter and that you keep as clean as possible at all times. This will mean vacuuming every day and keeping it closed off when you are not home to ensure your dog does not go exploring while you are gone.

Now that you know a few of the ways that you can deal with your pet allergies while keeping your dog as a part of your family, you can get started with your treatments and lifestyle changes that you need to make to maintain your health and your family. For more tips or assistance, visit resources like http://www.oakbrookallergists.com. 

Share