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Can Fido stay? But, Perzanowski cautions, "We haven’t shown that people who have allergies or asthma should go out and get pets. We can say that people who are at risk for becoming asthmatic or allergic don’t necessarily need to avoid getting a pet." However, "if symptoms occur, a family should still remove the pet," he says. "This is reassuring that people with kids don’t have to give their pet away if allergies run in the family," says New York City pulmonologist E. Neil Schachter, M.D., author of Life And Breath. "It’s a painful thing when people have to give away the pets that they have had for years." That said, there are ways to reduce allergens in the home, Dr. Schachter adds. "There should be no carpeting in the house — especially in the bedroom — and don’t let pets sleep in the bedroom or on the bed," he says. Animal dander and other allergens take up residence in carpet. Clear the air with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that captures airborne particles and common household allergens, such as pollen, pet dander, tobacco smoke particles, dust and mold spores." Dr. Schachter suggests designating one chair — such as a leather chair that doesn’t hold the allergen as much as an upholstered chair — where the pet is allowed, but the allergic family member is not.
Why go through all the trouble? If you have a dog or cat, you probably don’t have to ask. But recent studies have shown that there are multiple health benefits to owning a pet. Several studies also have demonstrated that pet owners tend to have lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels than non-pet owners do, and are therefore at a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
