5 Tips About Kids and Pet Allergies

Children love to pet animals, maybe even more than adults do. That can leave them more exposed to pet allergens than their parents. Here are some important tips that may help manage your kids’ pet allergy symptoms.

1. Reduce Dander

Pets’ skin glands produce a substance intended to keep their coats in good condition. But this substance also carries a protein that dries and flakes off with dead skin. To reduce this dander, make sure to practice good pet grooming habits, including regular baths and brushing. Learn more about how human allergy symptoms can be caused by pets, such as dogs, here.

2. Cut Down Saliva

When your child comes in contact with pets, the protein in saliva left after the pet licks itself can also cause a reaction. To reduce allergens, make sure to have your dog groomed and bathed.

3. Separate Sleeping Quarters

Although children may love to cuddle with their pets at night, training pets to sleep in a pet bed is a better option. The bed will contain the dander, and you can easily throw it in the washing machine. Setting up your dog or cat’s bed in a different room may also help if you are seeing signs that your child might be allergic to the family pet.

4. Watch For a Reaction

Be sure to monitor your child closely to see if he or she develops a pet allergy, watching for symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and itching of the nose or throat¹. If you discover that your child has a pet allergy, Children’s ZYRTEC® can help provide 24-hour relief for fewer sneezy-itchy-runny distractions.

5. Guard Against Hidden Allergens

Like fur, pet allergens can remain in the carpet for weeks. They may also linger in the air for up to six months, even after the animal has left. Make sure you know what pets have lived in your house, as well as at any house your child may visit.

However, pets aren’t the only trigger for kids’ allergies. To learn more about other allergy causes and discover more useful tips, explore our helpful Allergy Guide.

^[1]https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pet-allergy/symptoms-caus...