Pets and Asthmatics: Can They Co-Exist?
Giving a cat or dog a new home can have many positive effects on your life. They become a new addition to your family and provide you with love, affection and companionship. It is a highly rewarding relationship to have, but it can be problematic if you’re an asthma sufferer. Asthmatics have triggers that cause their attacks and pet dander is a very common one. But with some preparation and planning, there is no reason why asthmatics can’t enjoy the love and devotion a pet can bring. So if you’re an asthmatic and wanting to get a pet, here are some important things you need to know.
Image via FlickrDo Your Research
Owning a cat or dog needs to be the right decision for you whether you have asthma or not. So it’s essential that you do plenty of research before going out and buying a new pet. Spend some time with friends and family’s pets to see how if they trigger a negative response. Or visit a re-homing shelter instead. This should give you a strong indication of how high your tolerance to pet dander is. Also, look at a list of dogs that don’t shed as this will inform you of breeds that you could own and how to care for them. Talk to other asthmatics on forums about what measures they have put in place to stay healthy around their pets. This should give you a wealth of knowledge that will help you determine whether owning a pet is right for you.
Image via FlickrTalk to your doctor
Now you have done plenty of research into owning a pet; it’s time to visit your doctor. Speak to them about how your body reacted when around cat’s and dog’s and if your breathing was OK. If you had asthma as a child, it’s likely that by now you know the telltale signs of when your asthma is under control or not. Your doctor can carry out an allergy test to see just how allergic you are to cats and dogs. This will help them establish the best course of action to keep your asthma under control.
Be committed
To reduce the risk of an asthma attack caused by pet dander, you need to be committed to changing your lifestyle. This can involve frequent cleaning and vacuuming all areas of your home. It could also include visiting a grooming service regularly and using specialist shampoo. You may also have to invest in gates to block access to certain rooms and filters to control the airflow and stop the allergens from spreading. If you are not committed to making these changes, you will find living with your new pet highly uncomfortable and hazardous to your health. So always make 100% sure that you can commit to these changes before introducing a pet into your life.
As you can see, there are ways that you can live with a cat or dog and prevent attacks caused by dander. You just have to make some smart changes to your lifestyle and have full control over your condition.