Reducing Environmental Allergens for Pets

Environmental allergies are an extremely common problem seen in dogs and cats (as well as other animals) in our area. While diagnosis can be difficult, there are some simple things that pet owners can do at home to help reduce their pets’ exposure to certain types of allergens. Some of the more common offending allergens that we see in our area include allergies to house dust mites, storage mites, molds, grasses, pollens, and insect bites. While the following steps may not eliminate or even reduce your pet’s allergic skin symptoms, they are simple and inexpensive steps that can be take prior to more advanced and costlier diagnostic testing or pharmaceutical interventions.


Avoidance is the ideal method of managing allergies. Measures to lessen exposure to pollens include limiting time outdoors, using central air conditioning with HEPA filters, and keeping windows closed. Pets should be bathed or rinsed (especially their paws) when coming inside after outdoor exposure. This should be done for all animals in the household to avoid having nonallergy pets serve as carriers for the allergens.


Exposure to dander can be minimized by keeping pets out of bedrooms and restricting cats to one room of the house. Permethrin and other insect repellants may help to lessen bites by mosquitoes. Molds can be a year-round problem. Molds in pet foods can be minimized by freezing kibble. Owners should be encouraged to use exhaust fans in their bathrooms and kitchens and to wipe down damp surfaces regularly with products that kill molds.


Garbage should be removed from the house daily. Water pans below refrigerators should be cleaned monthly. Pet food and water bowls should be scrubbed weekly. Pets should have limited access to areas with compost, leaves, grass clippings, etc. and should not be allowed to dig in soil. Housedust mites can be minimized by using hypoallergenic coverings on mattresses, pillows, and furniture and washing bedding (human and pet) weekly. HEPA filters can help as well as the use of dehumidifiers (be sure to clean these regularly to prevent mold growth). Chemical control of housedust mites with boric acid or tannic acid containing products is controversial. Freezing of dog food is helpful in curtailing the growth of storage mites.