Animal Grooming Equals Allergy Minimization

I am an allergy sufferer.  Not only do I suffer from the seasonal ‘bout of Hay Fever but I also suffer from pet allergies.  Yes, pet allergies.  I have the paperwork from the allergist to say that I have severe allergies to cats and some allergies to dogs.  So what am I allergic to exactly?  The dander.

Let’s face it, for those of you who suffer from some sort of seasonal allergies, we can all agree, allergies suck.  The itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, etc is just not what anyone could call fun.  So what does this mean?  Simple, imagine how your guests feel when they step foot into your home.   So how do you minimize allergens?  Simple.

Groom your pets!

Yes, grooming your pets can mean the difference between having allergy suffering guests and not.  Minimizing your pet’s shedding fur can and most often will, minimizing dander.  Brushing your pet brings and distributes your pet’s natural oils to the surface and cause dander (flakes) not to be seen and drop.  Your dog should be brushed, on average, every few days, more if your pet seems to need it. 

As an allergy sufferer, I brush my dog daily as she is a constant shedder.  As for my cats, I do what I can to groom all of them.  Not only does the brushing help in terms of allergies, the grooming helps keep the fur on the floor to a minimum!  Granted, grooming will not eliminate the need to sweep and vacuum but it will help with making the house more manageable when you have those unexpected guests drop by. 

Another thing to remember to do is bathe your dog.  This will help keep dander under control by using a moisturizing shampoo.  With this, I have been told to avoid shampoos with the SLS (sodium laurel sulphate), a degreasing agent which dries a dog’s skin.  I have found Pet Head (Yes, by the makers of Bed Head) No More Ruff Skin Soothing Shampoo for Dogs works well if you must go with a fragranced shampoo or any other shampoo with botanical oil extracts and fragranced-free shampoo.

The last thing that I would like to mention is the importance of the between baths cleanings.  There are a variety of products on the market that can do this.  Although it is fragranced, I have had good luck with Pet Head’s Dry Clean Waterless Spray shampoo, however, it usually is recommended that pet parents use wipes instead. 

Although I am neither a doctor nor a vet, yet, I have found that I have had excellent luck with these methods and products.  Not only have I noticed a decrease in my allergies, but I also have noticed that there is less pet hair to clean up which is another big plus, especially when you have in-laws dropping in unannounced.

Take care and keep those pets well groomed!  After all, not only will you get great compliments about how great your pet looks but your friends with allergies or your own body will thank you for it!

 Be well!

Kim

PS - Pet Head’s Dry Clean Waterless Spray shampoo and Pet Head's No More Ruff Skin Soothing Shampoo for Dogs  are both available in PetSmart, PetSmart.com, and Amazon.com in both the US and Canada.

Intoduction

Hello, my name is Kim.  I am currently living in the beautiful land of Alberta, Canada but I am originally from New Jersey.  My typical pack consists of myself, my common-law husband, a dog and three cats (four if you count our housemate’s cat).  I'll quickly give you an introduction to my pack.

The Dog

Ashrah is a four year old Labrador/Australian Shepard cross.  She’s a wonderful pup and a great companion.  She was adopted from a rescue group called Prarie Animal Rescue Society (PARS) in Alberta who was only able to give me minimal information about her past as they don’t even know what her past is like.  She was with them for nine months before I adopted her.  She has a sweet personality and is being trained to be a therapy dog to visit the nursing homes and hospitals.  Her favorite things consist of cuddles, food, her ball, frisbee, and being with her humans. 

The Cats

Taven is a long haired, black male who just loves people.  He loves his people and is the ever curious cat about dogs.  He came with me into the relationship and he’s also the youngest.  He’s easy going and loves to be petted.  His personality is that of a sweet cat who just wants to be around his humans.  He seems to enjoy following dogs and has never hissed in the time he’s lived with me.  He was adopted in Canada and is a rescue as well. 

Riley

Velcro

Velcro and Riley came with my common-law husband, Justin.  They are littermates and are the offspring of a feral cat.  They were born beneath a shed where a dog killed a few of their siblings.  Luckily, this hasn’t stopped them from loving Ashrah.  Velcro is our black, short haired female who sometimes tries to nurse on Ashrah.  Riley is our grey, short-haired male who enjoys being in the highest spaces that he can find ways up to.  They are both very skittish but they do come for their nightly cuddles and love being brushed when they see me with a brush in my hand.

Misty, our housemate's cat, is long-haired grey female who is a complete lap cat.  She is a sweet little kitty who has a random playful side to her.  While being petted, she will turn onto her back and try to play with your hand.  If you sit down, expect her to be coming up.

I hope you enjoy this blog and you learn lots from it.

Take care!

Kim