Pet dander is composed of tiny, even microscopic, flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs, rodents, birds and other animals with fur or feathers. These bits of skin can cause reactions in people who are specifically allergic to these triggers.
Minimizing Dust-Bunnies: 9 Ways to Prevent Your Home from Becoming a Furball Haven
- Provide your pets a good diet. …
- Play with your pets outdoors. …
- Get a good pet brush or comb. …
- Wash your pet. …
- Get an air purifier. …
- Use a moist rag to dust. …
- Shake couch cushions and pet beds outdoors. …
- Change bed sheets weekly.
Sweeping and vacuuming the floors frequently helps keep dog-based dust and hair to a minimum. Carpeting and rugs, especially plush varieties, trap these materials deep within their woven fibers. Besides the hair and dust in these fur magnets, the carpets and rugs eventually smell like dogs in dire need of a bath.
The dirt from shoes and pet paws and particles in the air that settle into carpet fibers can be a major contributor to dust in the home. Frequent vacuuming (daily or every other day) can helpas long as you don’t recirculate some of the dust back into the living space while vacuuming.
The human lungs are not capable of processing this material, which can lead to a health condition known as groomers lung. This pet groomers lung disease is a chronic condition that can affect your lung function. The tiny, sharp fragments of hair get deep into the lungs, leaving inflammation and scar tissue behind.
While every pet can respond differentlyand with varying levels of severityto dust mites, most pets will demonstrate allergies to dust mites through their skin, says Dr. Rossman. They may become itchy, the skin may become red and inflamed, and they may ultimately suffer with dermatitis, says Dr. Rossman.
Dead skin cells and dead hair are a major source of dustand unfortunately, our furry friends produce a lot of hair! Groom pets regularly to help keep dead skin and hair from accumulating. As a bonus, you and your pets will feel better too. Keeping kitty’s litter box covered will also help hold down the dust.
Your pets are a source of dust. Their dander becomes part of the dust mix. Pets also leave dried bits of their saliva all over the house. When they groom, the saliva sticks to their fur.
Hypersensitivity to house dust mites is a common problem for dogs, cats as well as people. House dust mites are microscopic and ubiquitous. They feed on human and animal dander, skin scales and hair. … The mites survive well in carpeting.
Although an air purifier cannot remove particles completely, with regular use it can provide a significant reduction in household dust. … That means less dust floating around, less need to clean, and better, cleaner air throughout your home.
How to Control Dog Hair & Dust in Your Home
- Brush your dog often and bathe it as often as your veterinarian recommends. …
- Block off rooms you do not wish your dog to enter, like the bedroom, kitchen and dining room. …
- Install an air filtration system. …
- Vacuum daily.
The easy and most effective way to deep clean them is by putting a couple of squirts of dog shampoo in a bowl and filling it with hot water. Pop the collars in to soak for at least 15 minutes, then rub the collars against themselves to extract any dirt. Rinse under a cool tap and pat with a towel before hanging to dry.
How to Reduce the Amount of Dust at Home
- Keep It Outside. …
- Groom Your Pets in a Clean Space. …
- Pack Up Paper and Fabrics. …
- Change Your Sheets Often. …
- Use a Vacuum With a HEPA Filter. …
- Get an Air Purifier. …
- Line Tall Surfaces With Newspaper. …
- De-Clutter and Cut Back on Fabrics.
It’s not the dog’s hair or fur that’s the real problem. Instead, people are usually allergic to the dander — flakes of dead skin — as well as the saliva and urine. So, no matter how long or short the hair, any dog can potentially cause an allergic reaction.
When pet hair and dander is inhaled, the tiny hairs and other harmful particles can travel down into the lung and stay there. In time this can inflame the lung lining and scar the airways, which can then progress into a chronic lung condition. We sometimes call this ‘Groomers Lung’.
An overly-sensitive immune system react to harmless proteins in the pet dander and can cause blood vessels to expand, triggering an allergic reaction that sends you into fits of sneezing, or breaking out in itchy hives, or watery eyes and nose.
Symptoms of Dust Mites Allergies in Dogs Hives. Moist or crusty skin. Red and watery eyes. Runny nose.
What are the signs of dust mite allergy in pets? Such allergies tend to be nonseasonal, but they can peak in the spring and fall. In dogs, recurrent pyoderma, pruritus (generalized or involving the face and feet), recurrent otitis or seborrheai.e., all the usual signs of atopymay be present (Photo 2).
Make sure you wash the cover of your dog’s bed on a high heat at least once a week. Steam clean your carpets. If you can’t get rid of your carpets, the next best option is to steam clean on a weekly schedule. This can kill bacteria and dust mites more effectively than just vacuuming.
Make a paste of baking soda and water, and brush it into the stain. Let dry and then wipe off with a damp cloth. If any stain still remains, repeat.
While it’s impossible to completely rid your home of dust, here are some easy tips for keeping it at bay.
- Change your bedding once a week. …
- Keep tidy closets. …
- Remove clutter from floors. …
- Say no to carpeting. …
- Take it outside. …
- Duster do’s and don’ts. …
- Clean from top to bottom. …
- Air purifiers.
Research from North Carolina State University published Wednesday in the journal PLoS ONE found homes with dogs have both a greater number of bacteria and more types of bacteria than homes without dogs. … All those germs tracked in on dirty paws don’t mean dog-free homes are necessarily healthier, though.
Most of indoor dust comes from outdoors. In the study, David Layton and Paloma Beamer point out that household dust consists of a potpourri that includes dead skin shed by people, fibers from carpets and upholstered furniture, and tracked-in soil and airborne particles blown in from outdoors.
Maintenance
- Wear a filter mask when cleaning.
- Clean the room thoroughly and completely once a week.
- Clean floors, furniture, tops of doors, window frames and sills, etc., with a damp cloth or oil mop.
- Carefully vacuum carpet and upholstery regularly.
- Use a special filter in the vacuum.
Some of the symptoms you dog may have mites include:
- Hair loss (either in patches, or all over their coat)
- Dandruff.
- Excessive scratching.
- Visible irritation, such as red skin.
- Crusty patches of skin.
- You may be even able to spot the mites on their skin by parting the fur and looking closely.
You might be able to tell if your dog has mites by carefully studying their skin. If they’re scratching, biting, or chewing themselves excessively you might suspect they have mites, and take a closer look. Your vet, however, is the best person to diagnose mites in your dog.
Scabies mites usually begin to itch several weeks to a month after infestation. They do not produce a biting or crawling sensation.
