Cat Allergy Medicine
Is There An Effective Cat Allergy Medicine?
It would be nice if there were a cat allergy medicine one could purchase that would work for everyone who is allergic to cats, or believe they are. That unfortunately is not the case. Allergy in general tends to be a complex issue. What works for one person may not work for another. In addition, being allergic to a cat can mean several things. One can be allergic to cat dander, cat skin, cat hair, or suffer an allergic reaction if bitten by a flea that has been living in a cat’s fur. Not all of these situations can be successfully treated with a single cat allergy medicine.
An effective cat allergy medicine is one that somehow succeeds in convincing our immune system that car hair, dander, etc., is not the danger the immune system is overreacting too. The medicine may be something that is taken internally to reverse the immune systems reaction, or something that is applied topically to reduce symptoms of the allergy, such as eye irritation or swelling, or skin irritation and itching. In the case of skin irritation, applying a moisturizer to the affected area may be all that is needed. On the other hand, one may have to visit a dermatologist and get a prescription for a topical solution that is stronger than anything that can be purchased over the counter. In the case of eye irritation, eye drops containing a histamine may do the trick of reducing or eliminating the symptoms. This of course does not do away with the allergy, but may be quite sufficient when the allergic reaction is mild and not frequent.
Cats Have Allergies Too - As far as the cat itself is concerned, the most common allergy affecting it is from fleas. The saliva from the flea is what causes the immune system in the cat to react. A cat may also be allergic to certain types or brands of cat food. Treatment with a spray or shampoo is usually effective for the one case, and changing the brand or type of cat food usually works in the other.
For we humans of course, things are not so simple unless we simply get rid of the cat, which most people understandably are reluctant to do, so simply will refuse to do. The usual cat allergy medicine prescribed in an immunotherapy course of treatment contains antihistamines. A completely different approach is through acupuncture, which has proven to be effective for some sufferers. Whether acupuncture treatments are as good as or superior to immunotherapy treatment hasn't be determined, or at least the findings have not been documented.
Avoid The Cat – A Little Anyway - If you have a cat allergy problem, besides taking cat allergy medicine you can do several things to lessen the severity or frequency of the symptoms. You probably don't want to get rid of your cat, but at the same time want to keep a little more distance from, and have a little less contact with your pet. Let your cat sleep in a separate room (it will get used to the bathroom fairly quickly) instead of at the foot of your bed, or worse yet at the head of your bed. Close the bedroom door during the day so the cat can't enter. If cat dander is the culprit, keeping the house well ventilated, and more frequent vacuuming can help the situation significantly.
Medicines Worth Trying - If you do need to rely on a cat allergy medicine, Singular is one which is very often prescribed. The steroid prednisone, is another commonly recommended medicine. As far as over the counter medication is concerned, we've mentioned antihistamines, and one medicine in this category is Benadryl. Zyrtec and Claritin may also be effective. You may have to try more than one of these to find out which works the best. There is always the possibility of course that none will do the job effectively, in which case its back to the doctor for further testing and trials.