Allergies to Pets - What's the Alternative?

Is your pet making you suffer? Many people put up with an allergy, because they wouldn't be without their much loved pets. Others desperately want a pet but their allergy is preventing them from homing one. Fortunately, there's help at hand with an effective range of anti-allergy products for cat and dog owners, which are now available on line at www.petclubuk.com. According to the Royal College of Physicians, there are 18 million allergy sufferers in the UK and it is estimated that 26% of the population in approximately 6 million households in the UK are allergic to pets.

Careful preventive measures can help to minimise the symptoms that affect many people. The only way for an individual to be certain that they are not allergic to a particular breed of animal is to spend some time with them and see how they react. For virtually every breed, there is a person allergic to it. Proteins from the hair and dead skin flakes (also known as dander oil secretions), saliva or urine of household pets are the culprits. These cause an allergic reaction that attacks the eyes and the airways, like hay fever and can result in asthmatic symptoms. Allergens may also cause atopic dermatitis or a 'nettle rash' effect. When these allergens become airborne, they land on the lining of the eyes or nose or are inhaled directly into the lungs, causing irritation.

The most important steps to follow are to try and minimise your pet's access to soft furnishings and to certain rooms in the house, such as the bedroom. Regular vacuuming is essential to remove as much of the allergen as possible, as well as good ventilation, grooming and hygiene. If you have carpets throughout your house, lay vinyl or wooden floors instead, this dramatically reduces the amount of pet allergen present.

Perhaps the answer for some is to consider a different animal? Cats are the number one pet allergy complaint in the UK and for those who can afford it there are now expensive hypo-allergenic cat breeds. One of these, the Allerca GD, is the world's first cat which has been scientifically proven not to produce the protein that causes the allergic symptoms. Ultimately if you are not prepared to suffer with an allergy from pets such as dogs and cats, then fish and reptiles are a popular alternative.

Last, but not least are products which can help sufferers. A highly effective allergy reducing solution from www.petclubuk.com is Petal Cleanse. This product is available as a lotion for cats, small animals and dogs. There is also a spray for birds, as well as products that cleanse your clothes, carpets and help keep your living environment fresh and clean.

Pet lovers' website www.petclubuk.com offers advice and tips on how to choose the right pet for you and has useful articles on allergies to pets. Publisher of the site Chris Jones says "People with allergies should be cautious when deciding what type of pet they can safely bring into the home. Some people don't even realise they have an allergy to their pet until it's too late and then end up giving them away, yet there are many preventative steps which could have been taken to reduce the level of allergens throughout the household."