Steer pets clear of the bedroom if you have allergies

Feeling a little headache when you wake up in the morning?

This time last year, we were in full blown allergy season – no thanks to a mild winter. This year, Dr. Joe Mittel with Arizona Asthma & Allergy says he’s just starting to see the first wave of pollen-induced allergies.

“Johnson grass, Bermuda grass, also rag weed,” he listed before naming a few trees, “Elm tree, ash tree, cottonwood,” are all dropping pollen now according to Dr. Mittel.

A lot of it, he added, is landing on your clothes as well as the dog and the cat’s fur. To limit the irritants, he suggests keeping the dog and cat out of your bedroom and changing clothes in another room.

“That way,” he reassured, “you’re at least giving your body the eight-to-10 hours of non-allergen exposure.”

Wiping down the dog and cat with a slightly damp cloth when they come inside can also help reduce the pollen count around the home.

“A HEPA filter in the bedroom will also help,” he said.