People Aren't The Only Ones Who Have Allergies
If you have pets and allergies, or allergies to your pet keeping things clean is super important.
That means vacuuming or mostly in my case using my trusty swiffer to capture all that hair and dander. Frequently washing any bedding or fabrics they use and of course dusting are all great ways to reduce symptoms.
Another great tool is a lint brush or roller especially if you're like me and have a fondness for dark coloured clothing.
Sometimes our cloths seem like a huge magnet for pet hair.
There are also things like hair and lint catchers that you can use when you're doing laundry. Some work better than others of course. I purchased one a year or so ago to use in the dryer and it seems to help a little bit.
Air purifiers can also help with your pet allergies along with your overall indoor air quality.
But people are not the only ones who can have allergies our pets can too.
Did you know that the common food allergies in dogs and cats are not all that different than in people?
Just like in people a food allergy can develop over years of eating that food and your pet may show signs of a hives, rash, itching and even gastrointestinal distress.
Environmental and seasonal allergies tend to present as body wide itching which can result excessive scratching, licking, biting than can lead to hair loss, skin irritation and even infection. And just like us they can also occasionally experience itchy watery eyes, stuffy or runny, sneezing, and even coughing.
This winter my thirteen year cat (who typically gets dry and sometimes itchy skin in the winter) started getting itchier than usual as she could no longer reach certain areas of her back and tail. Usually regular brushing does the trick to help, but not this time.
She actually started pulling out her fur leaving her skin even more irritated so I had to do something. The first thing I did was take a good look at her diet. I added a supplement (better known as her favourite morning treat) and tried to supplement half of her regular food with another.
I began to notice an improvement in her fur and reduced shedding. But it wasn't enough and she was still at times miserably itchy. She has from the moment I adopted her been scared of water and a real bath just was not an option. So I would clear the bathroom floor have a container she could fit in, and with a washcloth I would give her her oatmeal bath. At first it was just a washcloth dipped in the oat water directly on to her back, slowly adding more water until it penetrates down to her skin. Each time slowly trying to work her into the container in hopes to pour water over her. Slowly we have worked up to about three minutes in the actual container, while the rest of the time I continue to use just the wash cloth. It's a somewhat messy slow process but I wanted to make sure it was and is as stress free as possible. Although she doesn't like being in the container that much when she's not in it I think she finds the whole process helps. Since she's purring and happily rubbing up against my legs getting me soaking wet I'm pretty sure she is ok with it all.
I've also started applying Vitamin E to the itchy and irritated areas of her back and tail. So now I'm doing an "oat bath" only when she needs it along with regular brushing sessions and lots of Vitamin E. Finally she is much less itchy, her skin is healing and her fur is growing back. Yeah!!
She has already discovered that if she goes and stands where I keep the Vitamin E and meows at me I'll put some on for her. Thank goodness I speak cat!
I've had a few dogs and cats in my home over the years and the oatmeal bath and vitamin E have been a lifesaver. They're proven to be a safe and effective way to help many itchy skin issues. Because you know they will try to lick anything you put on them off.
Many Vet Clinics also have websites with information or places where you can ask questions.
If your looking for some helpful pet health information check out these helpful sites.
Petmd
Petlifetoday
If your looking for some helpful pet health information check out these helpful sites.
Petmd
Petlifetoday
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