• first ever book about human pet allergies
• includes profiles of 21 "allergy friendly" dog breeds and tips on managing allergies
• by Diane Morgan
• TFH Publications, March 2006

• another new book about human pet allergies
• advice on living with cats, dog, small furry pets, and horses
• by Shirlee Kalstone
• Bantam, January 2006

Aaron's Awful Allergies - children's book

• by Troon Harrison, Eugenie Fernandes
• Kids Can Press, 2002
• Aaron loves animals more than anything else in the world. But when he is diagnosed with allergies, the doctor tells him that his dog, cat, six kittens, and six guinea pigs have got to go.

HEPA room air cleaners

If you have asthma or allergies and don't have a central HEPA filter in your house, you want to use portable HEPA room air cleaners. True HEPA filters remove 99.97% of all airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, dust, smoke and other sources of indoor allergens. HEPA air cleaners can really make a difference in the quality of life for asthmatics, hay fever sufferers, and pet allergy sufferers.

Allergen air filters

If you don't have a central house air cleaner, you can use disposable allergen air filters (purple or red) that help capture microscopic allergens like dust, smoke and smog particles, and large allergens like mold spores and pet dander.

Allergy bedding covers

Asthmatics and allergy sufferers, especially if you are allergic to dust mites, should have their bedding enclosed in anti dust mite covers. Cover your mattresses, box springs, pillows, and blankets with allergy covers to help keep dust mites and other allergens in check.

Anti-allergen detergents

If you are allergic to dog dander or dust mites, you could try using an anti-allergen detergent to wash yours and your dog's clothing and bedding.

Anti-allergen sprays

You can also try spraying areas where your dogs spend most of their time (carpets, sofas) with an anti-allergen spray. These sprays are formulated to neutralize and deactivate allergens created by dust, dogs, cats, dust mites, pollens, insects and mold.

Baby gates

If you are allergic to dogs, your bedroom should be a dog-free room. Use baby gates to keep your dogs away from the bedroom or any other room. My favorite ones are the hands-free gate and the sure & secure gate. I use them both because they are strong, pressure mounted, and swing-open gates. When there is no need for a gate, you can just prop the swing door open or easily uninstall the whole gate from the doorway.

Slipcovers

Machine washable easy-on and easy-off furniture covers are great for sofas that your dogs spent time on. Frequent washing helps keep the dog dander levels down on the furniture.

HEPA vacuum cleaners

If you are allergic to dogs or dust mites, try to vacuum a lot and use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

Vellux blankets

Vellux blankets are the most recommended blankets for allergy sufferers. They are soft and pleasant against sensitive skin. They are very durable, last wash after wash, and they can be washed in hot water. I use Vellux blankets myself and I cut them up to smaller blankets for my dogs as well. My dogs like them because they are soft are fuzzy.

Vent guards

For additional allergy protection, cover your home's air vents with vent guards.

Free & Clear Shampoo

If you are itching on your face, neck, scalp, chest, and/or upper back areas, you could be allergic to your shampoo or other hair care products. Free & Clear shampoo is ideal for anyone with sensitive skin conditions like eczema and contact dermatitis. It contains no dyes, fragrance, masking fragrance, protein, lanolin, parabens, or formaldehyde. Free & Clear and Vanicream products by Pharmaceutical Specialties were recommended to me by my allergist. I use them all.

Free & Clear Conditioner

Free & Clear conditioner to go with the above shampoo. Free of common irritants.

Vanicream Lite Skin Care Lotion

Vanicream Lite Skin Care Lotion is gentle and soothing for dry and itchy skin. Vanicream Lotion is ideal for extremely sensitive skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and eczema  It is dye free, perfume/fragrance free, lanolin free, paraben free, and formaldehyde free. Non-greasy.

Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream

Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream is a thicker and creamier than the lotion. I use the Vanicream Lotion as a soothing head-to-toe moisturizer after a shower and the Vanicream Cream as a facial moisturizer and night cream.

Vanicream Cleansing Bar

Vanicream Cleansing Bar for face and body. It is free of common irritants. Unscented Neutrogena bars are also marvelous for sensitive skin. The Neutrogena unscented dry skin formula bar is gentle and non-drying.

Wearable Air Purifiers

Visiting friends or relatives who have pets? Try these. Great for travel, too.

Allerpet D for Dogs

Allerpet is a solution applied on your dog's coat. Allerpet cleanses your dog's skin & coat and reduces allergens. Some people find it helpful while others notice no difference.

Washable dog beds

Great for pet allergic dog owners.

Oatmeal dog shampoos

If you are allergic to your dog, you should bathe your pooch frequently (allergy studies suggest 1-2 times a week) to remove allergens from the coat. You should use a mild dog shampoo to avoid overdrying the skin. Oatmeal shampoos are ideal because they are gentle and help soothe dry and itchy skin. You could also try other gentle hypoallergenic dog shampoos.

Automobile Air Cleaner

This true HEPA Automobile Air Cleaner filters dust mite allergen, animal dander, pollen, mold spores, bacteria, and tobacco smoke.

Vehicle Air Cleaner

Has a three-stage filtration unit that captures submicron particles (dust, pollen, smoke, etc.), removes odors and absorbs gases and fumes while completely recycling the air in your automobile every six minutes. Mounts safely behind the seat and takes up no passenger space.

Vehicle Air Purifier

Plugs into your 12-volt connection. Effectively removes up to 90% of road pollutants including exhaust fumes, allergens, road dust, and mold.