Pet Dander & Carpet

Pet dander sticks to carpet.

Pet allergies can trigger symptoms such as wheezing, watery eyes and skin rashes. If you live in a home with pets, then your home's carpeting could contribute to how bad your allergies are because the carpeting could increase your exposure to pet dander.

Pet Dander

Pet dander contains the allergens that trigger people's allergic reactions to animals such as dogs and cats. An animal's fur is not the problem; it's the allergens. These tiny bits of protein are found in an animal's dander as well as in its saliva and urine. When an animal sheds dander, it's also sheds allergens. Dander is small enough to drift through air, sticking to walls and furniture and landing on carpet.

Carpet

Carpets can be a major source of trouble for allergy sufferers. They attract and hold onto everything from dust to pet dander. Vacuum cleaning helps to remove dander, but it can stir up dander and blow it into the air. In the short term, that makes the vacuumed room more likely to trigger allergies than before it was vacuumed. The best way to avoid pet dander trapped in carpet is to remove the carpeting in your home, especially from your bedroom. You spend too much time in that room to risk overexposure to pet dander.

Control

If removing carpeting from your home isn't a viable option, then take steps to control levels of pet dander. Someone in your household who isn't allergic to animals should brush pets daily. If you have a dog, bathe it weekly with a moisturizing shampoo. Doing so will reduce the overall amount of pet dander in your home. Vacuum carpets at least every two days. Put down throw rugs or beds for pets to sleep on instead of the carpet, and launder the beds often. Keep pets out of your bedroom.

Considerations

Certain types of carpet are more difficult to clean than other kinds when It comes to reducing levels of pet dander. Tightly woven Berber carpet is simple to clean, while shag carpeting is more difficult to clean. Your doctor may prescribe allergy treatments such as pills or injections to help control your pet dander allergy symptoms. In combination with regular cleaning and control measures in your home, they can give you relief and prevent you from needing to find a new home for your pets.

References

• "Asthma for Dummies"; William E. Berger, MD, MBA; 2011
• "Starting Out Right With Your New Cat"; Kim Campbell Thornton; 2005