Allergic to Your Dog or Cat? These OTC Allergy Medications Can Help

It’s likely that you own a pet or know someone — such as a friend, coworker, or neighbor — who does. If you’re allergic to pets, it can be very difficult to avoid what causes your allergies.

Pet hair itself doesn’t directly cause allergies, but it often carries the substances that do. This includes dander (dead skin cells), saliva, and pet urine. Plus, pet hair often carries allergens from the environment, including mold, pollen, and dust. In addition to directly touching a pet — most commonly cats and dogs — you may come into contact with pet hair that’s shed on clothing and other surfaces.

Common allergic reactions from pets can include symptoms of allergic rhinitis — sneezing and runny or itchy nose — and allergic conjunctivitis, or itchy, red, and watery eyes. In many cases, over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medications can help prevent and manage these symptoms. But not all OTC allergy medications are created equally, so it’s important to keep a few tips in mind.

What types of OTC medications are there for pet allergies?

Many OTC medications can treat symptoms from pet allergies. The right pet allergy medicine for you will depend on your symptoms and how often you experience them. Nasal corticosteroids, antihistamines, and decongestants are all potential options for relief.

OTC allergy medications are available by themselves and as combination products. Before you purchase any product, it’s important to read the package label to see which ingredients are contained in the product.

Nasal corticosteroids

Corticosteroids work by lowering inflammation (swelling) that can be caused by an allergic reaction. These medications work by acting like a hormone called cortisol that’s naturally produced by your body. Many corticosteroids are available, but corticosteroid nasal sprays can be used to help treat allergy symptoms.

OTC corticosteroid nasal sprays include:

• Budesonide (Rhinocort Allergy)

• Fluticasone propionate (Flonase Allergy Relief) 

• Fluticasone furoate (Flonase Sensimist)

• Triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy)

• Mometasone (Nasonex 24HR Allergy)

These nasal sprays are considered first-choice medications for pet allergies. They can be used when you have symptoms that affect your nose, such as sneezing, itchy, or runny nose. They can also help manage eye-related symptoms, such as itchy or watery eyes.

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Antihistamines

Histamine is a chemical that your body releases when you encounter an allergen, or a substance that it doesn’t recognize. This often causes allergy symptoms such as runny nose, teary eyes, and itching. Antihistamines are a group of medications that work by blocking histamine to help relieve allergy symptoms.

Examples of popular OTC antihistamines include:

• Azelastine (Astepro)

• Chlorpheniramine (Aller-Chlor)

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

• Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

• Fexofenadine (Allegra)

• Levocetirizine (Xyzal)

• Loratadine (Claritin)

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Diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine are examples of older first-generation antihistamines. First-generation antihistamines cause drowsiness and are often in medications used for sleep. Other side effects can include:

• Dry eye

• Dry mouth

• Constipation

• Dizziness

• Higher risk of falls for adults ages 65 and older

Second- and third-generation antihistamines include loratadine, cetirizine, and fexofenadine. The main difference between these medications and first-generation antihistamines is that they’re less likely to cause drowsiness. They help relieve mild allergy symptoms such as runny nose, teary eyes, and itching. They’re often recommended over first-generation antihistamines.

Most antihistamines are oral medications. But azelastine is a nasal spray. Experts have found that azelastine may work slightly better than oral antihistamines. It also starts working faster than many of its oral counterparts. Most oral antihistamines take a few hours to start working. But azelastine can provide relief within 15 to 30 minutes.

Decongestants

Decongestants can help relieve nasal congestion and make it easier to breathe. Popular decongestants include:

• Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) tablets and oral liquid

• Oxymetazoline nasal spray (Afrin)

• Phenylephrine nasal spray (Neo-Synephrine)

During an allergic reaction, your body may signal your blood vessels to open up. This allows substances like white blood cells to come in and fight what it believes to be harmful to your body. As a result, blood vessels in your nose can swell and cause a stuffy nose. Decongestants work by causing blood vessels to shrink, which can lessen nasal congestion.

Decongestants can help clear your sinuses and relieve a stuffy nose, but you shouldn’t use them for long periods of time. In fact, decongestant nasal sprays, such as oxymetazoline, can make your congestion worse if used for more than 3 days. Oral decongestants have a 7-day limit.

Decongestants aren’t used to prevent allergy symptoms and can cause side effects such as high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. You should avoid these medications if you have medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart problems.

In some states, pseudoephedrine may require a prescription or may only be available for purchase behind the pharmacy counter. There are also federal limits about how much pseudoephedrine you can purchase at one time.

Good to know: The FDA has found that oral phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) isn’t effective for relieving nasal congestion. But it’s unlikely to cause harm for most people. Keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to phenylephrine nasal sprays. Your pharmacist can suggest alternatives that work better than oral phenylephrine.

How long does it take OTC allergy medications to manage symptoms?

Each OTC allergy medication starts working in different amounts of time:

• Decongestant nasal sprays: 5 to 10 minutes

• Oral decongestants: 30 to 60 minutes

• Antihistamine nasal sprays: 15 to 30 minutes

• First-generation oral antihistamines: 15 to 30 minutes

• Second- and third-generation oral antihistamines: 20 minutes to 3 hours

• Nasal corticosteroid sprays: A few days to 2 weeks (some people notice initial relief within 3 to 4 hours)

You can take an antihistamine as needed for symptomatic relief or every day for allergy prevention. However, decongestants should only be taken as needed for short-term use.

On the other hand, corticosteroid nasal sprays may take several days to a couple weeks until they reach their maximum effect. They’re another preventative option.

If you’re experiencing consistent pet allergies, you can also consider seeing an allergist. They can help you decide the best treatment strategy for you.

Take our quiz: Allergy medications

Can you take pet allergy medications every day?

Yes — but only some of them.

Corticosteroid nasal sprays may take up to a couple of weeks before they reach their maximum effect. So, it’s recommended to use them daily to manage your symptoms over time. These medications may be a good option if you encounter pet allergens and a bothersome stuffy nose often.

Antihistamines can be taken daily to treat mild symptoms like itching, sneezing, and runny nose. If you’re taking an antihistamine regularly, it’s recommended to select a newer-generation antihistamine to help avoid drowsiness.

Decongestants are different. You should only take them as needed. Nasal decongestants should only be used for up to 3 days at a time, while oral decongestants should only be used for up to 7 days at a time.

And although there are no major safety risks associated with taking nasal corticosteroids and oral antihistamines together, studies have found that combining them doesn’t provide a greater benefit. However, there’s evidence that combining azelastine nasal spray and a corticosteroid spray can provide more relief than either does on its own.

It’s a good idea to ask your healthcare team before using multiple allergy medications. In most cases, this isn’t necessary to manage symptoms. And some combinations, such as taking multiple oral antihistamines, may not be safe.

Good to know: Long-term use of cetirizine or levocetirizine may cause itching when you stop taking them. Other antihistamines have not been linked to this side effect. If you’re taking antihistamines daily for pet allergies, speak to a healthcare professional about which one would be best for you.

Can you cure allergies to cats or dogs?

There is no known cure for cat or dog allergies. But there has been research looking at the potential benefits of immunotherapy. This is when people are exposed to small amounts of pet allergens to help lessen long-term symptoms.

This type of immunotherapy is sometimes called an allergy shot. It aims to gradually improve your allergy symptoms by desensitizing your body to the allergen(s) that don’t agree with your immune system.

If OTC medications and other management options aren’t cutting it, you could ask your allergist if allergy shots are an option for you. Allergy shots are initially administered 1 to 2 times per week at their office or clinic. After you reach your target dose, you’ll likely continue to receive doses once every 2 to 4 weeks. Depending on your response, you may receive these under-the-skin injections for months to years.

What are the best alternatives for managing pet allergies?

It may not be a surprise, but the best alternative for managing pet allergies is to prevent symptoms by avoiding exposure to pets.

Understandably, this isn’t always realistic. Cats, dogs, and other animals can improve our lives in many ways. So, you can try to minimize exposure in other ways. Preventative measures like these may lessen — or even eliminate — the need for OTC medications:

• Limit the pet to certain rooms.

• Keep pets off of furniture and carpets.

• Wash your hands after you touch the pet.

• Vacuum regularly to remove pet hair.

• Invest in a HEPA air filter to help prevent dust and dander from sticking to surfaces like furniture and carpet.

While there are certain dog breeds that have been said to be less likely to cause allergies, there’s no evidence of an allergy-free dog or cat. This is because pet allergens can be found just about anywhere, including in their fur, skin, and saliva. Even shorter fur can still carry dust and pollen.

How to save on pet allergy medications

There are ways to save on pet allergy medicine. GoodRx can help you navigate your options. You can find allergy medications for as low as $3 with a free GoodRx discount. And if a healthcare professional writes you a prescription for an OTC allergy medicine, you can use a GoodRx discount.

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Written by:

Abe Amos, PharmD

Abe Amos, PharmD, is a clinical advisor for health plans and has experience working with large national government-funded programs. He is a postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) managed care residency coordinator and also has community retail pharmacy experience.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

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