If you live with a dog or cat and are experiencing symptoms like sneezing, runny nose or itchy eyes, you might be one of the millions of Americans living with pets that cause allergy symptoms. It can be distressing to consider changing your relationship with your pets based on suspected allergies, so here are five tips for getting to the bottom of your symptoms and seeking relief.
1. Know the symptoms of dog and cat allergies
If you suspect you’re allergic to a dog or cat, you may be sensitive to an allergen (proteins that can cause allergy) like cat or dog dander. When you are exposed to pets, your body releases an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) to fight what it sees as a threat. This immune response is what causes your allergy symptoms. Common dog and cat allergy symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Facial pain (from nasal congestion)
- Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing
- Watery, red or itchy eyes
- Skin rash or hives
Pet allergies can trigger an asthma attack or worsen asthma symptoms if you also have asthma.
If you experience allergy symptoms around pets, talk to your provider or allergist about allergy testing.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between pet allergy symptoms and those caused by seasonal allergies or even the common cold. If you’re experiencing symptoms for more than two weeks or if your symptoms become severe, you should reach out your healthcare provider for evaluation.
2. Get tested for dog and cat allergies
There are a couple of ways to find out if you have dog or cat allergies: a skin prick test or a blood test. Both tests detect IgE, but they do it in different ways.
During the skin prick test, a healthcare provider will prick your skin and expose the skin to a small amount of a suspected allergen. Your provider will then examine your skin for a response to the allergen (swelling, redness, resembling small hives).
Blood testing, like Labcorp’s OnDemand Dog and Cat Allergy Test, detects your IgE level in your blood. Unlike skin tests, blood tests don’t require you to stop taking antihistamines or allergy medications before testing, which may be difficult if you have severe allergy symptoms.
Blood testing also allows for allergen component testing, a much more detailed look at the specific proteins that may be causing your symptoms.
Pet allergies can affect you even if you don’t own pets
Animal dander is very light, and its particles can stay in the air for a long time (especially cat dander). According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), allergen levels may remain high for several months and can cause symptoms up to six months after the animal has been removed. It can also stick to furniture, bedding and clothing, easily hitching a ride with pet owners to homes, buildings and other surfaces where pets aren’t present. So even if you don’t have a furry pet, pet allergy testing may still provide important information about what’s causing your symptoms.
3. Consider allergen component testing
When your body has an allergic reaction to a pet, your body is reacting to a very specific protein or set of proteins found in the animal’s dander, saliva or urine. Sensitivity to these specific proteins, or components, is different from person to person and can provide insight into things like symptom severity, sensitivity to other allergens with similar proteins, and more.
Whole allergen testing can determine whether you are sensitive to an allergen (in this case, a cat or dog), but it can’t be used to tell us which specific protein may be causing allergy symptoms.
Allergen component testing goes further, measuring your sensitivity to these specific proteins and providing more detailed information than tests that simply look at the whole allergen. For example, allergy component testing may discover that someone who is allergic to dogs may be able to tolerate a female dog instead.
This level of detail in an allergy test can help you and your provider or allergist determine the most effective treatment and symptom management plan for you.
4. Make the most of life with your pet by reducing allergens in your home
Having allergies to your cat or dog doesn’t necessarily mean you have to rehome your pets. Along with allergy testing and working with your provider or allergist on an allergy plan, there are a few steps you can take to make life more comfortable without giving up your pet:
- Keep your pet away from beds and upholstered furniture
- Bathe your pet and clean their bedding, litter boxes and crates/kennels weekly to help reduce airborne allergens. Consider wearing gloves and a mask if doing this yourself, or ask a friend or family member without allergies to help
- Use towels or pet-friendly wipes to clean your pet after it has been outside; this can help remove pollen and urine
- Clean your face and hands whenever you touch your pet or its bedding
- Make a pet-free zone. Excluding pets from one or more rooms in your house can help provide you a comfortable space with less exposure to dog and cat dander. To improve your comfort at night, consider making your bedroom a pet-free zone
- Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifiers and vent filters to help reduce the allergens in the air
- Remove surfaces that allergens can cling to. This includes carpet, upholstered furniture, cloth curtains and horizontal blinds. Consider wood or tile flooring, which is easier to clean and doesn’t hold onto allergens as well as carpet
5. Stick to your allergy treatment plan as prescribed
Allergy treatment can vary depending on your symptoms, medical history and more, so it’s important to work closely with your healthcare provider or allergist on a treatment plan. Allergy treatment often consists of allergen avoidance, prescription and nonprescription allergy medications and, in some cases, immunotherapy.
Is your dog or cat behind your itching and sniffles? Stop wondering. Go test yourself.
It’s easier than ever to purchase your own health tests with Labcorp OnDemand. With our Dog and Cat Allergy Test, you can bring the power of component allergy testing to inform your next conversation with your healthcare provider.
