Tips For Animal Lovers With Asthma

A couple years ago, I made a video called “Would Having A Dog Be Good For My Asthma?”. Well, I still don’t have a dog, but a week into dog-sitting Guide Dog Murray (aka my #bestdog), I reflect on the original video, reframing the question to figure out if my initial hypotheses were correct! (Answer: Yes… and no. And maybe?) Are dogs good for asthma? What has your experience been with asthma and dogs? Tell your story here. Read more at "Tips for Animal Lovers With Asthma" [lead_gen showIfLoggedIn="0" campaign="shortcode" source="site"] My partner and I recently went to visit my dad. The visit was brief, but unfortunately, my partner had to stay in the backyard for the majority of the time. He hung out outside because my dad has cats, and animal dander is a major trigger for his asthma. My dad doesn’t just have 1 or 2 cats, he has a grand total of 8 cats! If animal allergies are a trigger for your asthma, my dad’s house is an absolute nightmare. What is animal dander? Dander consists of minuscule, dry skin flakes that can come off a pet that has either fur or feathers. Cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents, and even birds can all have dander. These skin particles are very small but can trigger major allergic reactions amongst asthmatics. Since dander is so small, it easily sticks to furniture, carpet, and clothing. It can even float in the air with other dust particles. Since dander is so “sticky”, it can be carried into rooms that have never even had pets before. My partner has had an allergic reaction from sitting next to someone in school that had a cat at home. Why is animal dander an asthma trigger? Many people believe that the hair of cats, dogs, and other furry pets is what causes the allergic reaction. This is almost true. It is not actually the hair that is a trigger, but dander that falls from the hair. Dander contains a protein that causes an allergic reaction. When you inhale these proteins, your immune systems will react. Your body releases histamine, and then all the typical symptoms of an allergic reaction start to appear. Ever had an itchy, constricted throat, and watery, red eyes? It may seem that the furrier the animal, the more of an allergic reaction you have. This is true in a sense; if the animal has thick fur or feathers, it makes it easier for animal dander to get trapped. Everyone has different degrees of an allergic response to dander. Can you control your exposure to animal dander? The best way to avoid dander is to obviously stay away from pets, but this is not always possible! There are several ways to control your exposure to dander. Some pets may be kept cleaner than others, resulting in a lower amount of dander on the animal. You may find that animals that have fewer baths are more of a trigger for you. If you or another person in your life has a pet, bathing the pet more frequently may help reduce your allergic reaction. A friend or family member might also offer to put their pet outside or in another room. While this is very kind, it may not be effective at all. As previously stated, animal dander is microscopic and easily sticks to furniture. Even if a pet isn’t in the room, their dander probably still is. A friend or family member may also offer to vacuum before you come over. Vacuuming may rid of some of the triggering dander, but it can also be hard to completely do away with it. Dander can lurk in the couch cushions, under furniture, and on windowsills. Vacuuming may actually disturb dander, and cause it to float about the room. If you are planning on coming over to someone’s house within an hour or so, ask them not to vacuum right before. Vacuuming is best done a couple of hours in advance! Animal dander and asthma Knowing what animal dander is and why it is a trigger might help you manage your allergic reaction to it. Dander can definitely be a tricky trigger to navigate around! Keep in mind that everyone can have different degrees of an allergic reaction to dander. My partner can be very allergic to some dogs and most cats, but be totally fine around others. Discuss with your doctor a plan for being around dander. Additionally, communicate this plan to your friends and family so they can help accommodate you! Read more at "Tips for Animal Lovers With Asthma" [lead_gen showIfLoggedIn="0" campaign="shortcode" source="site"] This month our spotlight feature is on Pets & Health! Living with asthma and owning a pet can certainly have it's challenges, and we know that sometimes certain pets may trigger your asthma. But, owning a pet (with hair or without) can actually have health benefits. There's nothing better than the affection you can get from your pet when life isn't treating you so well. So we're sharing some articles and stories on how pets can impact your health, things to consider when owning a pet, and even how you can care for your pet when you aren't feeling so great. If you #LoveYourPet, we've got something for you to check out. Follow us on Twitter to talk about how you #LoveYourPet. Use #LoveYourPet and tweet us about how your pet helps you each day, or how it impacts your day. Don't have a pet stay tuned, our daily articles may give some asthma tips! [poll nexus_id="720"] Related articles on pets and asthma Read how other community members talk about pets and their asthma. Pets Can be Good For Your Health! By Theresa Cannizzaro Cats were definitely a source of comfort and calm when my asthma was acting up. There is just something about petting an animal, whether it be a cat or dog etc that can be incredibly therapeutic.... READ MORE Dogs Heal In More Ways Than One By Lorene Alba Marley has taught me so much about life and unconditional love. He never seemed to mind when I stopped to catch my breath or use my rescue-inhaler... READ MORE I Have Asthma, Can I Still Have A Dog? By Lorene Alba So, what do you do when your health care provider makes a quick assumption and suggests you remove your beloved pet from your home... READ MORE How have your pets made your life easier? Share your story with the community. Share your story Discuss how your pets help your asthma. [lead_gen showIfLoggedIn="0" campaign="shortcode" source="site"], I’m a cat person. Thankfully my asthma is not allergy-driven (and this article is more driven to asthmatics like me who don’t have animal allergies.) I’ve always had cats since I was little. We had dogs as well but I felt more attached to our kitties. Cats were definitely a source of comfort and calm when my asthma was acting up. There is just something about petting an animal, whether it be a cat or dog, that can be incredibly therapeutic. Well, we got a dog Four weeks ago we welcomed a Yorkie puppy into our family. He was a gift to our son for his 8th birthday. He had been begging for a dog for the longest time. We’ve had dogs in the past but our poodle sadly passed away a year ago. This little guy (who our son named Stewart) has completely stolen our hearts more than we ever thought possible. I’ve always had the idea that only larger dogs are good to get out and exercise with. BOY WAS I WRONG! My son was very eager and determined to take Stewart to the dog park down the street from our house to start training him. It amazed me how much energy was wrapped up in this tiny 3-pound body. I found myself running around with him and playing fetch with a tiny tennis ball. It didn’t feel like I was exercising, but I totally was! The next day we decided to try walking to the park instead of driving. With as much energy as he has I wanted to see if he could make the half-mile walk each way on his leash. Not only did he have no problem, he wanted to run the entire way there and back! I walked at my pace and even was able to jog a little bit with him. We all had such a great time. Once we got home, both Stewart and I took time to relax and cool down. Tips for exercising with a dog Exercising with your pet definitely makes it more fun. Here are some tips to help manage your asthma while exercising with your dog: Start slow! Don’t push it right off the bat. Your pup will go at your pace (hopefully, haha!) and will just be elated to be spending time with you in the great outdoors. Even just a short walk with your dog is enough! Taking your rescue inhaler 15 min before exercising can also help your asthma from acting up. As always, check with your doctor and your asthma action plan for your specific guidelines. Make it fun! I’m one of the people who find most workouts boring. I definitely like to have fun while I’m exercising because then it doesn’t feel like I’m actually exercising. If you’re throwing a ball to play fetch with your dog, try marching in place while waiting for him to retrieve it and bring it back to you. If you feel extra adventurous, add in a few lunges, squats, or jumping jacks. Give yourself time to recover Pay attention to your body. If you feel your lungs start to tighten, stop and rest. Don’t push yourself. You’ll slowly work up your stamina over time. Studies have shown that playing with or petting an animal (more specifically dogs or cats) increases the level of oxytocin in the body (the stress-reducing hormone), as well as decreases the production of cortisol, which is the stress hormone. Stress can be a major asthma trigger and it is one of my main triggers personally and having animals has definitely helped me keep my stress under control. Have you exercised with a dog? I’d love to hear how you managed your asthma while exercising with a pet. Share your tips in the comments below! 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