Ask someone who is allergic to pet dander and they will tell you that pet dander is a big indoor air quality problem and they will avoid entering a person's home because of it.
Pet dander is tiny microscopic flecks of skin shed by pets of all varieties. The fur or feathers of a pet are not the dander, but can contain some of the flecks of skin. Dander is so tiny and light weight that it easily floats in the air to places where your pet may not even go. Dust on a high ledge will contain dander in a home with a pet. Dander can include proteins in saliva, urine and feces as well. When dried these can fleck into small pieces and become airborne.
Airborne dander can be inhaled by the allergic person and cause a reaction. Pet dander remains suspended in the air for a long time, and can stick to bedding, furniture, drapes, and even clothing that is worn out of the house into another building or home. Pet dander hitchhikes its way around on fabrics so easily because the edges are jagged. Cat dander is said to be the stickiest. That means pet dander can be in buildings, homes, schools, offices and anywhere indoors, even when no pets actually live there!
Lung function declines for people who are allergic to pet dander and they experience nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, wheezing and chest tightness, and even, swollen glands and hives. They also experience watery, itching eyes and rashes or eczema. People experience different reactions at different concentrations of pet dander. Some are more sensitive than others. Pets can trigger asthma.
Pet dander, sometimes called pet pollen can even stick to walls and ceiling and become airborne again. Pet dander enters our bodies through our eyes, nose and mouth. It touches our mucous membranes and bronchial tubes. It's the protein in the skin and and saliva that it the allergen.
Washing and HEPA vacuuming of interior surfaces helps remove dander. Also air duct cleaning, commercial steam cleaning of carpet and wiping down walls and dusting surfaces with a damp cloth rather than a dry duster may help.
Pet dander is also food for dust mites who's fecal matter adds to indoor dust causing allergic reactions too. High humidity further adds to the problems.
In conclusion, pet dander has a bigger effect on indoor air quality than most non-allergy suffering people realize. It's hard to completely get rid of because it is airborne and sticks to fabrics and other materials. Even in public buildings that are well cleaned, pet dander will return on clothing of people who have pets at home.
Pets are popular even when their owners are mildly allergic to their dander. Removing a pet from a home and doing a thorough cleaning including air ducts, washing clothing and fabrics, steam cleaning carpeting, wiping down walls, replacing air filters and so on will help improve the indoor air quality for someone who suffers from pet dander allergies.
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Friday, February 25, 2011
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