Is it possible to outgrow pet allergies

Nasal corticosteroid sprays reduce nasal swelling, sneezing and congestion. For more persistent symptoms, prescription medications, such as montelukast, or Singulair, also may help. I would encourage you to speak to your pediatrician about any specific medications or other efforts that may be valuable, given your personal family situation. If your daughter's symptoms worsen, you will want to visit with an allergist to discuss whether allergy testing and shots are needed.

Allergy shots are a form of immunotherapy that involves receiving allergens in small incremental doses. Shots are initially given weekly, and the concentration of allergen is gradually increased to a maintenance dose over three to six months. The maintenance shot is then given monthly for three to five years.

Allergy shots reduce symptoms by desensitizing the body's immune system to the allergens to which one is reactive. A combination of allergy medication and environmental changes often can help control pet allergies, making it unnecessary to remove a family pet from the home. In almost all cases, the physical and emotional benefits pets can offer children far outweigh the issues allergies might cause.

You'd be surprised to know how many people with allergies that aren't life-threatening are able to live happily with their pets. It is important to see a doctor and be tested to determine what allergies you actually have. You may find that you're allergic to something else and not your pet at all!

For example, you may assume that you are allergic to your beloved dog, only to find out through an allergy test that you're actually allergic to a specific tree pollen that got on his fur during a walk together, and that's actually what's bothering you. If an allergy test shows that you are allergic to your pet, it is important to understand what causes your allergic reaction to them.

There are allergy-triggering proteins called allergens in saliva and skin glands that cling to an animal's dry skin dander and fur. The fur and dander then stick to walls, carpets and clothing. The reaction of someone to these allergens is different from one person to the next.

The reaction may range from mild sniffling and sneezing to life-threatening asthma. The reaction can be made worse if a person is additionally exposed to other things he is allergic too, such as pollen, dust mites, cigarette smoke, and mold. Whether someone has an allergic reaction depends on both the individual person and the individual animal.

A person with animal allergies may react less to dogs with soft, constantly growing hair, or one specific cat or dog may cause more or less of an allergic reaction than another animal of that same breed.

You may hear claims about breeds of dogs and cats that are non-allergenic don't cause an allergic reaction or cats and dogs that are hypoallergenic cause less of an allergic reaction.

However, even hairless breeds may cause a severe allergic reaction. Belgium - Belgique. Brazil - Brasil. Canada English. Costa Rica. Croatia - Hrvatska. Denmark - Danmark. Finland - Suomi. France - France. Germany - Deutschland. Greater China - Taiwan. Italy - Italia. Latvia - Latvija. Malaysia Bahasa. Netherlands - Nederland. New Zealand. Norway - Norge. Philippines English. Poland - Polska.

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