Cat allergen immunotherapy, an attractive option to treat your allergy to cats
Getting rid of your favorite pet is no longer the only option
Cat allergy is not like any other respiratory allergy especially if this pet is cherished by all in the family. Although the burden of symptoms may vary, the traditional advice to « Get rid of the cat » is not always easy to follow. The emotional bond may be inescapable for some.
It is now fairly common for a person allergic to cats to fall in love with a person for whom a cat is more than a pet, for whom the cat is not negotiable… Although moving the cat away may help the symptoms to some extent, one needs to realize that the main cat allergen, a light and sticky protein, may yet continue to contaminate the household for several months in spite of best cleaning efforts. This allergen is most common in public places and in schools.
The decision to let go of one’s cat must hold into account the severity of the symptoms involved. Poorly controlled asthma and nasal obstruction interfering with sleep raise greater concern obviously. Most of the time however, it is possible to respect a person’s decision to keep the cat by considering the following adjustments :
The allergenic protein most often responsible for cat allergy comes from its skin and its release is regulated by the male hormone. A person allergic to cats will usually tolerate kitten and female cats more easily.
It is certainly a good idea to rid the sleep area from contact with the cat allergen. The cat should not have access to the allergic person’s bedroom let alone the bed. This relative avoidance measure aims to provide better quality sleep. It is also important to review the ventilation and consider an appropriate HEPA compliant system.
In most cases, it is possible to consider immunotherapy to change the course of one’s cat allergy and offer an alternative to the outright eviction of the pet. The option of sublingual immunotherapy is particularly appealing in this situation. Beyond just treating the symptoms of cat allergy, duly supervised sublingual immunotherapy with attentive monitoring of intercurrent asthma may represent a choice d’AVANT GARDE MédicalMD for people with cat allergy.
