Anyone who has an allergy to dogs is best advised to avoid contact with their four-legged friends for health. Since this is not always possible or, in many cases, not desirable, there are various ways of alleviating the allergy symptoms.
Of course, avoiding the allergy triggers is the surest way for a dog allergy sufferer to feel better again quickly – but if you already have a dog at home, you understandably don’t want to give it away at any price. In this case, strict hygiene and possibly drug treatment are on the daily schedule from the diagnosis onwards.
Here’s how you can alleviate the symptoms of allergy to dogs
The following applies to people with a strong dog allergy: Wash your hands after every contact with the dog. If you wash your hair in the evening before going to bed, you also avoid allergy-causing dander from the dog getting on your pillow and thus getting into your mucous membranes when inhaled.
Allergy sufferers: Keep the bedroom free of dog hair
From now on, sleeping on the bed and sofa is taboo for the dog. It’s best if you don’t let him into the bedroom in the first place, so he gets used to it. Wash and clean textiles as often as possible. Dust collectors such as carpets, in particular, should be vacuumed and beaten out regularly. An air filter can also help alleviate allergy symptoms by filtering the allergens out of the air.
Miniature shedding dog breeds for allergy sufferers
If you know about your allergies before getting a dog, you should choose one of the dog breeds that shed little. The poodle, for example, is a well-known representative of the sparsely-shedding water dogs. They were initially bred to work with anglers, so their fur has a specific curly texture.
Breeds with no undercoat and no seasonal shedding are also suitable for people with dog allergies. Maltese and Bichon Frisé look cuddly and are also a good choice for allergy sufferers because of their fur structure.
There are even particular dog breeds for allergy sufferers. These include species such as the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle.
Desensitization and medication for allergies
The doctor can carry out desensitization (also called hyposensitization) to make life easier for allergy sufferers with their dogs in the long term. With this therapy, the immune system is gradually exposed to the allergens so that the body slowly gets used to them and no more allergic reactions develop.
The antihistamine in tablet form is also often used for allergies to dogs. It can be supplemented with eye drops, nasal sprays, and care products containing aloe vera or other soothing active ingredients if skin irritation has occurred. In many cases, however, allergy medications should only be used for short-term treatment and not permanently.
