What should you know about dog allergy asthma treatment?

Dog allergens can be present in dander, saliva and particles carried on clothing, even when a dog is not nearby. In a sensitised person, exposure may narrow and inflame the airways, leading to wheezing, cough or chest tightness. Asthma symptoms can also be triggered by infections, dust mites, smoke or exercise, so testing and a symptom history help identify the pattern.

Follow the written asthma plan and use inhalers exactly as taught. Reduce exposure by keeping the dog out of the bedroom, washing hands after contact, cleaning surfaces and changing clothes after close contact; these steps may reduce but cannot remove allergens completely. Do not stop a preventer medicine because symptoms improve. A clinician may discuss inhaler changes, allergy treatment or nebuliser treatment when appropriate.

Use your urgent asthma instructions when reliever medicine is not helping, breathing is becoming harder, speech is difficult or the chest feels severely tight. Call emergency services for marked breathing difficulty, blue or grey lips, confusion, collapse or rapidly worsening symptoms. Arrange review when symptoms wake you, limit activity or recur around dogs despite the current plan.

Ask how dog allergy will be confirmed, which inhaler is a preventer or reliever, how to check technique, and what action to take after exposure.