When you’re tested for allergies, there are some common pet allergies, where they tell you you’re allergic to cats, rabbits, dogs or so on. But what exactly does the term "dander allergies" mean, what should you avoid, and how do you prevent a reaction?

What Dander Is

When someone talks about dander allergies, what they’re actually talking about is an allergy to the protein left on the pet’s skin when they lick themselves. This protein, from the saliva, dries, and, like dust or dried skin cells, can become airborne, resulting in the allergic reaction.

What this really means is that when you have dander allergies, it’s not the pet itself, or even its hair, that makes you react to them, with hay fever, itching or other dander allergies symptoms, but rather that dried saliva.

How to Manage Dander Allergies

If you are an animal lover, being diagnosed with dander allergies can be a severe blow – does it mean that you cannot ever have pets?

Actually, the answer is that you could still have pets. Your dander allergies will make managing them a little trickier though, and you will need to take special precautions to minimize your reaction to your dander allergies. Here are a few helpful tips that will make coping a little easier.

• Make sure that you bath your pets regularly. By removing the dander buildup, you’ll remove the likelihood of a negative reaction. You could do this yourself, or book them in to a grooming parlor – either way, removing the dander buildup will go a long way to removing your symptoms.

• Of course, if they are bathed regularly, and receive appropriate flea treatment, your pets are less likely to lick themselves, therefore meaningless dander to deal with!

• Regular brushing in between baths, outside of your house, should also help prevent hay fever and other reactions. Ask a family member or friend who does not suffer dander allergies to help out, as you may find yourself in the throes of an allergy attack if you do it yourself!

• Regularly wash bedding and so on, removing the microscopic flakes that cause dander allergies, and you should find you have less adverse effects.

• Make sure you vacuum your house regularly, as dander finds its way into ordinary house dust too, and if you do suffer dander allergies, you will find that you will suffer more otherwise!

• Speak to your doctor about an effective anti histamine, or another form of treatment for your dander allergies.

Pets enrich our lives immensely. They are a source of joy, and unconditional love, and if you’re an animal lover, the prospect of living without Fido or Moggie might be more than you can deal with. The good news is that you can live with pets, and dander allergies, if you follow these tips, and make sure that you minimize the amount of dander that finds itself into your environment! So feel free to adopt a puppy or kitten, as long as you can commit to these guidelines.