Allergy symptoms usually appear during or shortly after contact with the animal and last for some time because the allergens remain in the air, on furniture or clothing. If you experience runny nose, nasal congestion, watery or itchy eyes when you are around a pet, you probably have allergies; in some cases, you may also experience skin reactions, difficulty breathing or asthma.

Your doctor will prescribe an allergy test and an immunological examination for a more accurate diagnosis and to define a treatment that will help you keep the symptoms at bay, possibly without having to separate you from your four-legged friends.

In addition to the therapy prescribed by your immunologist, obviously the best way to avoid allergic reactions is to limit contact with allergens.

Here are some tips.

1. keep pets out of the bedroom and away from sofas and armchairs;
2. remove carpets and rugs that can trap large amounts of allergens;
3. ask a non-allergic person to brush the animal regularly at least once a week, outside the home;
4. change bedding often and use hypoallergenic mattresses and pillows;
5. do not hug or kiss the animal to avoid direct contact with the eyes and respiratory tract;
6. use only Hepa vacuum cleaners. Vacuum cleaner models with Hepa filters allow you to retain impurities, even the smallest ones including pollen and mites. The outgoing air is not only cleaner because it is free of dust, but also healthier and purified;
7. change clothes after prolonged contact with the animal;
8. Using an air purifier with a HEPA filter for at least 4 hours a day can help remove allergens from the air, however it will have no effect on those that are deposited on surfaces;
9. Steam clean all washable surfaces in your home to break down allergens before vacuuming.

In this case, water vacuum cleaners with a Hepa filter are ideal: they prevent the re-emission of allergens into the air not only during cleaning operations, but also in the subsequent phase of emptying the collection container since the impurities slide away together with the water.

The British Allergy Foundation has awarded  Polti's Vaporetto Lecoaspira and Forzaspira Lecologico  its “Seal of Approval” as  products that are effective in eliminating allergens .