Itching & Allergies in Pets Caused By Pollen, Perfume, Cigarettes and Air-borne materials

Fleas, food, airborne materials, and contact materials are common causes of itching and allergies in pets. In our recent Caring for Pets entries, we’ve discussed how to stop itching and allergies caused by foods and fleas, now it’s time for airborne allergens.

Airborne allergens
Because exposure to airborne allergens can be irregular and fleeting, we may have difficulty identifying them, but there are so many possibilities, we could almost become paranoid.

Some of the air-borne materials that cause pet allergies are those we commonly think of, such as ragweed pollen, and some are materials we seldom think of as allergenic, such as perfume, floor cleaners, and cigarette smoke.

How to Stop allergies caused by airborne allergens
Here are some tips that help limit or remove allergens from your itching pet’s environment
1. Use an air filter in the room it most frequently inhabits.
2. Turn on the fan over the stove to suck allergens from the kitchen.
3. Open windows in the laundry room.
4. Don’t ask your pet to spend much time in a garage or a workshop.
5. Double rinse the soap from your pet’s bedding so that you can’t sniff the bed and smell the detergent.
6. Rinse the floor after scrubbing with a soap or damp Swifter.
7. Don’t use perfumed soaps or sprays directly on your pet.
8. Don’t let the groomer express the anal sacs and cover the odor with a perfumed spray.
9. Don’t use perfumed ear cleaning medications.
10. Remove the perfumed air freshener from the bathroom and the car.
11. Clean up the dust and feathers from birdcages and rabbit hutches.

Air Vigilantes
Feels as though we need to be paranoid because everything can upset our pets and send them scratching. Instead of being paranoid, be vigilant. The new army--Air Vigilantes, all we need are brains. No bombs. No land mines.

What’s next?
In our next Caring for Pets blog, we’ll discuss what to do about contact materials that cause allergies.