Pets and Allergies

Many people don't realize that the reason they may be experiencing symptoms of allergies may be because of their pets. Irritants don't only come from dogs and cats, however. A common misconception is that the only residue your pets leave is pet dander. In fact, symptoms of allergies can also be triggered by odors from a litter box, dust particles from a bird's wings, dried saliva from a cat's skin or fur, and waste particles from, well, every pet. These irritants end up triggering the worst allergy symptoms such as runny noses and eyes, sneezing, rashes, and watery eyes.

The best solution to the problems with pets, of course, is an air purifier. However, not just any air purifier will do. There are a few different technologies that are proven the most effective when it comes to pets. Air purifiers that use HEPA technology are great for trapping smaller, harder-to-see particles. Purifiers with a UV light are also great investments because they stop mold, fungi, and bacteria from reproducing on the hairs and secretions of your pets. The best type of air purifier for removing odors is one that uses activated carbon. Carbon filters absorb all types of odors, so you can start breathing fresher, healthier air. A great recommendation for pet owners is the Surround Air XJ3000E air purifier. This unit actually features all three of the technologies I listed above (and some more)!

Can an Air Purifier Get Rid of My Cat Odor?

I have cats; Link and Zelda. Well...they were kittens when we adopted them. My boyfriend I went to the shelter over a year ago for some kitty love; Someone special to fill that void in our lives like children would - minus the diaper-changing and college tuition savings. We had to visit the shelter a couple of times, since it had 500 puppy-eyed cats (LOL oxymoron) and we wanted to pick two kittens out. My BF and I decided that we needed two cats because, well, we thought it would be nice to keep them company when we're not around.

My home is about 900 sq. feet and I didn't really think two cats would be problematic. At the time I thought, "Hey, they're young...we'll train them to do whatever we want!" But, I was wrong about that. Despite wanting them to be "well-behaved", they're still cats. They do cat-things like eat Meow Mix and lounge in the sunlight. And the biggest habit that I'm sure all of us would wish away: they use the litter box.

Anyhow...with a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment...the bathroom has to be shared with the cats and it was a bit obvious to our guests that there was a litter box by the toilet. I began to get really concerned about the smell...so I had this genius idea that we should potty train them.

At first I thought..."Yes! They're using it right!" but you really had to be vigilant. It took a lot of effort to constantly clean up after them but I was determined that the training would take no more than 6 months. Link seemed to respond really well to the training and had no problem doing his business (yes that picture is of him doing #2...hence his "meh" expression), but it was hard to go to the next level with Zelda making so many mistakes. How did we know that she messed up? We caught her urinating on the couch a few times...and cat urine's concentrated...so the smell's very pungent. After two to three months of constantly washing cushions and gallons of Febreze, we converted back to the traditional kitty litter box but it didn't solve the odor problem one bit.

Most would think, "Oh, just get an air freshener," and I had one plugged in for weeks straight. The bathroom isn't roomy and the odor would get into the towels. The plug-ins only covered the underlying smell; The kind of smell that'd cause you to say..."Hey...it smells like ocean breeze, but...something smells funny still...what is it?"

So what next? Now that my couch smells like wonderful cat urine and the bathroom problem hasn't been solved, what other options do I have? I started researching information on air purifiers and found that carbon filters were pretty efficient at trapping odors.

Now, most people would go out to Walmart or something to find an air purifier, but their products usually aren't industrial grade. If you had your whole couch soaked in cat urine and your living space was condensed to a mere 900 ft...what could work? I borrowed my mother's ionized filter for awhile thinking that it'd do the job. It clearly helped with the danger and my cat-allergic friends were able to spend the night with no problems, but it didn't do anything for the smell. After I returned my mother's filter, I found out that ionized products can harm the environment and it doesn't feel all that great doing that.

I stayed in this limbo of washing cushions and spraying Frebreze every day. I was a bit too busy to keep it up and I was also looking for a new job. It started to become pretty frustrating and I wanted a solution, but didn't know much about investing in an air purifier. But thankfully, I was hired to an online company that researches and markets air purifiers. (Pure coincidence.)

At first, I was reluctant to shell out more than $100 for an air purifier. Most air purifiers from home retail stores cost around $100. But the biggest weakness to these cheaper models is that they're usually not dependable. I remember getting a wireless USB adapter from one of those stores and I had problems with the product after a week. My rule of thumb is: buy from the people who know it best...it'll save you the headache of having to replace/repair/exchange a poor product. I figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea to try out and invest in some high-quality products that I actually need at home.

So at the moment...I'm going to select an air purifier for my home, but I'm not sure on which one to get. I obviously want to have a bit of research done before I spend my money. I do know that there are a few specifications, though:

• something small and compact, not something the cats can tackle down
  
• has a washable filter or a cost-efficient filter
  
• under $300, lightweight (under 50 lbs.)
  
• has a design that compliments my home decor
  
• carbon filter (apparently these are the best for odors)
• relatively quiet (I already have computers, the cats' water filter, and machines buzzing around)
  

Children and Allergies: Some Useful Tips

Allergy season is upon us, and that means protecting you and your family from allergy related sickness. Children are of course, very susceptible to allergies and on any given day over 10,000 children miss school because of allergies. Forty percent of all kids suffer from a nasal allergy and millions more have food and skin allergies.

This is equally as hard on the child as it is the parent. Play dates can quickly be effected because of both outdoor and indoor allergies. Indoor allergies can range from dust mite fecal matter to pet dander. If you are hosting children, especially allergy sensitive children, over to your house it is important to be prepared with a variety of allergy precautions.

Always have anti-allergen fabric spray on hand. This spray can reduce allergens and is usually both fragrance and dye free so it is safe to use around children and animals. It has been developed to not irritate skin either. Be sure to wash fabric toys and blankets with an anti-allergen bleach as well because it can help destroy allergens that are found in fabric fibers and on hard surfaces.

Be sure to vacuum whatever room you plan on hosting the get together. Be sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to complete this task. This filter can eliminate 99.97% of dust, debris, dander and allergens down to 0.3 microns and comes recommended from a variety of health authorities.

Also, be sure to check out if the child has any allergic reactions in their diet. Food allergy and improper diet often speed up the effects of other allergies. Consult your child’s physician on planning a proper meal to help prevent and reduce the effects of allergens.

There are also some products on the market that offer superior sterilization over specific items, like toys, furniture and blankets.

Germ Guardian NS2000 Dry Heat Nursery Sanitizer



The Germ Guardian NS2000 Dry Heat Nursery Sanitizer is a perfect example of this. Toys are a prime location for germs, bacteria and other known allergens. This product allows you to sanitize toys, pacifiers, bottles among other infant instruments that they often come in contact with.

This tool can eliminate 99% of bacteria within 30 minutes making it both quick and effective. It uses dry heat to sanitize and kill bacteria without using any chemicals. Extremely easy and safe to use, the NS2000 shuts off automatically once the cleaning cycle is complete and will never shrink or fade colorful fabrics or melt plastic and rubber items. It has a proven success rate in killing germs that cause pneumonia, RSV, earlobes, diarrhea, colds, and flu and has been tested by third parties to help verify their results.



Germ Guardian LW18 UV-C Sanitizer Wand

For a more portable sanitizer you should look at the Germ Guardian LW18 UV-C Sanitizer Wand. All you have to do is run it over surfaces to kill 99 percent of bacteria and viruses. It also helps eliminates allergens like mold and dust mites as well as odors.

Utilizing UV-C light that is used in hospitals for superior sanitization, all you have to do is hold the wand over an object for 20 seconds at a distance of about 2 inches for quick and effective sterilization. The wand has a maximum of 8,000 hours of use and can be programmed from anywhere between 5-60 minute intervals. The LW18 UV-C Sanitizer Wand is the perfect tool for a quick bacteria and allergen sweep before a childes play date.

Austin Air Pet Machine HEPA Air Purifier - A Cure to Presidential Woes?

With the new president coming into office everyone is asking one thing, what kind of dog will he get? Due to his daughters being allergic to certain breeds his options seem narrowed. But what if there was some way he could pick any breed and curb his daughter's allergies.

You see, its not the pet hair that causes allergies it’s the constant shedding of fluids and dander from old skin cells that triggers symptoms. This dander can cause runny noses and eyes, sneezing, rashes and other undesirable effects that have become associated with allergies. All these droppings are a starting point for mold, fungi and bacteria.

While this may same unbeatable there are easy solutions. Air purifiers for pets combine multiple filtration techniques to let you breathe easier. Activated carbon, HEPA, ionization and UV light are all ideal to help remove these problems. In fact most of these filters can eliminate dander by 99.97 down to the .3 micron level. UV lamps also provide a way to stop mold or bacteria that are left in the air.

What We Recommend



The Austin Air Pet Machine HEPA air purifier is the perfect way to protect loved ones from pet induced allergies. Covering over 250 cubic feet of air per minute, Austin Air uses a unique 360 degree intake system. The purifier then uses four different filter to eliminate dog dander, cat allergens, bird feather dust, pet odors and all the germs, bacteria and gasses that go with them. There are three separate speeds with the highest being 400 CFM. It is extremely compact and comes with a choice of four neutral color finishes so that you can place it any room.

The HEPA filter is medical grade allowing for the finest filtration power possible. There is 60 square feel of HEPA filter so that you know you will be getting the best filtration possible. The Pet Machine also uses 15 pound specialty blend of carbons and Zeolite to maximize the absorption of ammonia, sulfuric acid and other odors. The outer pre-filters are designed to be vacuumed from the outside to save you money on constantly having to buy replacement filters. Plus, it comes with a five year manufacturer’s warranty on all parts and labor in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

The Austin Air Pet Machine HEPA air purifier is a comprehensive solution to your pet allergy problems. Powerful, yet compact this purifier has the power to easily get the job done. In fact, rather then spending so much time looking for a hypo-allergenic dog, President Elect Barack Obama should just purchase this powerful purifier. Then, the only vetting for the dog he needs to do, would be for an actual veterinarian.