Pet Allergies: Causes and How to Treat Them

So many people are choosing to bring a dog or cat into their home. This decision of having a pet can be a great blessing to many, but to those who are suffering from pet allergies, it can be a very difficult situation. In this three part series related to the allergies that may be triggered by having a pet in your home, we will be discussing what triggers pet allergies, how to treat pet allergies naturally, and “traditional” ways to treat pet allergies. Pet allergies have been found to be one of the number one reasons why people end up giving their pets away. Many people struggle as they go to visit friends and family members that have pets in their homes, due to their pet allergies. Pet allergies range in severity of symptoms, but all are disabling to some degree, due to the large number of homes that have pets.

Pet allergies are caused by fine dust in the animal's fur known as “dander.” Pet dander is brought about when the dried saliva from your dog or from your cat flakes off of their fur and from their skin. There are some breeds of dogs, such as the Shih Tzu, that do not have fur, but have hair that does not typically shed. This type of dog would be far better for someone who suffers from pet allergies, but not be a cure for many people.

Pet allergies are becoming are more common as more and more individuals are choosing to adopt or buy dogs and cats over other animals or rather than opting out of having a pet in the first place. Contrary to popular belief, pet allergies are not necessarily brought about by the animal's fur. The part of the animal that truly triggers the allergy is the animal's saliva. The proteins found in the pet's saliva, dander, and urine are what truly triggers allergies in their human companions. Though your pet's saliva is one of the greatest factors tat bring about pet allergies in people, it is not the only cause of your pet allergies.