Bird Allergies can be very frustrating due to the lack of contact with your pet. I have a friend who owns a parrot that she loves dearly and can not get near him without reacting to the bird. She will not part with the parrot, so she keeps him on the porch and looks at him through the sliding glass doors. Every once in a while, she will venture out and play with the bird for about 15 minutes. After that, her face starts to swell up and she has to leave the bird alone again. What a shame that some of us have to live like this.
The problem with a Bird Allergy is when you come in contact with them, the immune system reacts to the allergens found in the birds feathers and skin. My friend also owns a dog but does not react to the dog like she does to the parrot. Strange world is not it. She has a cleaning person that takes care of the mess the bird makes all over the porch so she does not react when she first goes out to the parrots cage. She gets Asthma like symptoms if the porch is not cleaned up before she visits the bird. The porch gets HEPA Vacuumed every week to prevent this from happening. I was surprised to find out that there are more people allergic to dogs and cats than suffer from bird allergies.
Bird Allergies are triggered when the dander and feathers are blown up into the air when bird preens itself or ruffles its feather during their flying around the cage. I guess that's their way of stretching like humans do. I was watching the bird the other day and you could see the dander and feathers flying into the air when they get excited and start flapping their wings. They do make a mess, but they make great pets especially when they start talking to you. This parrot will mimic what you say. Its cool to here it say, Hello, how are you?
They key to keeping a bird if you have Bird Allergies is HEPA Vacuuming the area on a constant basis. It works for my friend, so there is a work around for some individuals with Bird Allergies. I would not recommend all individuals with Bird Allergies to do this unless they consult with their Doctor first.
Some individuals with this allergy suffer from what is called Bird Lung. What a strange name. It basically is hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Symptoms are fatigue, poor energy recovery and a shortness of breath. It is very similar to damage from pneumonia to the lung tissue. This is the serious type of Bird Allergy when the lungs become inflamed.
I would recommend a high quality HEPA Rated Air Cleaner like the Austin Air. It will make a really big difference in the severity and frequency of Bird Allergy attacks. Avoid all forms of Ozone because of the oxidizing nature of ozone. I have several clients who can not tolerate any form of ozone and they have a lung condition.
In conclusion, HEPA Vacuuming and Air Cleaners are important for individuals with Bird Allergies. Keeping the house clean is the number one priority. This way, you will be able to live your life and try to act normal like others.