Treatment options for animal allergies include eliminating contact with the animal entirely (avoidance). It may take as long as six months for the dander, saliva and airborne urine allergens to dissipate to the point that they no longer cause symptoms. Therefore, people who remove a pet from the home due to allergies may not experience immediate relief. Furniture, carpets and air can harbor animal allergens for months. A thorough house cleaning, from replacing furniture to scrubbing down walls, can accelerate the process and is recommended.

Giving up a pet is an emotional issue, and many people with allergies are unwilling to take this step. Leaving an animal outside can be unsafe and unhealthy for the pet and is not usually effective for the patient. Because dander is very light and sticky, it can be carried indoors by wind or even by someone’s clothing, a process called passive transfer.

Many allergy sufferers continue to keep an animal in their home most of the time and seek other remedies. Sensitivity to animals can sometimes be lessened by immunotherapy (allergy shots). Potent antigens are administered by injection under the skin in order to desensitize the patient. This triggers the body to produce antibodies that help block the pet allergen from causing a reaction. Initially, patients are given one dose per week for several weeks or months.

Studies have shown that immunotherapy can improve but not completely prevent allergic symptoms. Cat and dog allergen immunotherapy is more successful when the patient has only occasional exposure, rather than when the animal stays in the home all of the time. In addition, immunotherapy can have potential side effects. This treatment is usually considered after medications and environmental measures have already been tried. 

There are a number of medications that people with animal allergies may use for symptom relief. Some are available over-the-counter, and others require a prescription. Patients should consult their physicians before taking any medications or supplements. Medications used in the symptom-relief of animal allergies include:

• Steroid nose sprays. Similar to the body’s own hormones, this medication is used to lessen nasal inflammation.
  
  
• Antihistamines. Medications that block the effects of histamines, chemicals released in an allergic reaction that produce symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing.
  
  
• Decongestants. Medications that shrink swollen nasal tissues, which promotes easier breathing.

Although allergy medications and immunotherapy can help some people control their allergy symptoms while keeping their pets, it should be noted that individuals with severe allergies to their pets, or animal allergies that lead to asthma, must remove their pets.

In the rare instance that anaphylaxis occurs, patients will require immediate medical attention. An injection of epinephrine is required to reverse the symptoms.