Has Using An Air Purifier Really Helped You?

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 17, 2019

There is pretty much one last thing we haven't tried in our house yet to help combat our cat Milly's allergies/asthma and our own allergies: an air purifier.

We have a purifier with HEPA filter and activated carbon filter on its way to us this week. I am really hoping it can help decrease Milly's coughing attacks, especially during winter months.

Have any of you tried using an air purifier in your home specifically for your cat's asthma symptoms, and if so, has it helped significantly?

Furballsmom · Sep 17, 2019

Hi! We don't have too much trouble with Poppycat having asthma or allergies here in this house so I can't speak to the air purifier, but I do try and keep up with changing the AC/furnace filter regularly and fairly frequently. I finally got tired of trying to remember the last time it was changed lol and started keeping a date-changed log.
In any case, wishing you all the best that it works for you-all!

Tobermory · Sep 17, 2019

Purely anecdotal here, but two years ago—late summer 2017—I bought two air purifiers with HEPA filters because the whole valley was full of smoke from wildfires. Dangerous levels of smoke as in don’t-go-outside-without-a-mask smoke. I could smell it in the house. They helped with that.

In the spring of 2018, I opened the windows because it was so nice out, and Mocha immediately began sneezing and her eyes were red and watery. I closed the windows and turned on the air purifiers, and she improved.

It can’t hurt to try!

Mother Dragon · Sep 17, 2019

This area is actually made of pollen and other irritants, so sneezing, coughing, and runny eyes are the norm. Years ago we bought a Honeywell room air purifier and it really helped. However, the rest of the house was an allergy come alive. We bought a semi-commercial, large area purifier with five filters and it's made a world of difference.

Allergy season still strikes, and we bring allergens in all the time, but the misery we and the cats used to suffer is gone.

This what we got. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

HealthPro® Series

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 17, 2019

Mother Dragon , I spent a month researching, doing the numbers (filter replacement costs, our square footage, etc.) and

found that I had to approach my DH with my wished-for purifier: $$ AGH!

$$
There it was, the HealthPro Plus, which is what I thought would work for us in the long run. (I think @zed xyzed mentioned getting one of these too.)

I can't believe the cost, but yet -- I can. Look at those filters! All we can say is that we are treating it like a 25th anniv. present for ourselves. So I hope it helps both Milly and us! I really, really want it to help us. I need to get Milly's (longterm) Pred dosage lowered too, so I am hoping an air purifier will allow for that.
:crossfingers:

Mother Dragon · Sep 17, 2019

The three filters that need replacing are $$$ but ww eonly have to do it about every 18 months.

The HealthPro is very quiet. It's on the large side compared to the cheaper home ones. We've had ours about three years with no problems.

Happy 25th!

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 17, 2019

Thank you!

And thank you for all of your input everyone. I am more hopeful. :crossfingers:

She's a witch · Sep 17, 2019

I bought the honeywell air purifier and returned it after a month, it literally made no difference. Where I live the air is of a good quality so maybe it wasn’t triggering the attacks. Plus we use robot vacuum at least daily so there’s not much dust around. From my experience the humidifier helps a lot, and we use it only in winter when the air is dry. Having said so, each asthmatic kitty is different and triggers vary as well. Hopefully it will help your kitty and it seems you Bought a better quality purifier.
Have you considered inhaler? It works great with our cat without any side effects. I’m just lowering the dose to the smallest possible and it seems to be working as well.

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 17, 2019

I tried the flovent inhaler with Milly for 2.5 years. Turns out, using that tipped the scales for her and it actually made her "get" demodex cati mites on her right jawline and on parts of her chin/face, etc. (that is, it helped cause an overpopulation of what would be a normal "low population mite" on the cat's skin that doesn't cause trouble or overpopulate unless the cat is immunocompromised, like Milly). Local or even general cases of d. cati have been found with chronic glucocorticoid use (both inhaled and oral). Turns out, Milly was just such a case... and it definitely seemed mainly tied to the flovent use (it was located just at the outer edge of where her facemask would be placed over her muzzle each day). She got an overpopulation in her ears, too.

She's been on steroids in general for 3 years; she does better on smallish doses of oral Pred anyway. I stopped the Flovent, after a gradual taper, on July 21st. We are aiming to lower her oral Pred use even more (we see an internal med specialist next month).

We are treating the d. cati mites using Bravecto, extra-label, and it has worked well. whew. But we do want to increase her body's ability to not be so immunosuppressed and hence, want to try lowering her Pred to the lowest dose we can without her coughing or bronchial inflammation getting much worse. I'd rather not have her be reliant on Bravecto for life (sheesh- scary!) Steroids are, of course, scary as well -- but bronchial inflammation and severe coughing is worse, long-term. It's a fine balance. That's why we want to try an air purifier.

susanm9006 · Sep 17, 2019

I just got one about a week ago and love it! From the thrift store of course but it is a Honeywell and was barely used. I was looking for a small quiet fan for my bedroom and finding a purifier was a bonus. I do have allergies, especially to dust and I have noticed I am much less stuffy in the morning with it running.

She's a witch · Sep 18, 2019

PushPurrCatPaws said:
I tried the flovent inhaler with Milly for 2.5 years. Turns out, using that tipped the scales for her and it actually made her "get" demodex cati mites on her right jawline and on parts of her chin/face, etc. (that is, it helped cause an overpopulation of what would be a normal "low population mite" on the cat's skin that doesn't cause trouble or overpopulate unless the cat is immunocompromised, like Milly). Local or even general cases of d. cati have been found with chronic glucocorticoid use (both inhaled and oral). Turns out, Milly was just such a case... and it definitely seemed mainly tied to the flovent use (it was located just at the outer edge of where her facemask would be placed over her muzzle each day). She got an overpopulation in her ears, too.

She's been on steroids in general for 3 years; she does better on smallish doses of oral Pred anyway. I stopped the Flovent, after a gradual taper, on July 21st. We are aiming to lower her oral Pred use even more (we see an internal med specialist next month).

We are treating the d. cati mites using Bravecto, extra-label, and it has worked well. whew. But we do want to increase her body's ability to not be so immunosuppressed and hence, want to try lowering her Pred to the lowest dose we can without her coughing or bronchial inflammation getting much worse. I'd rather not have her be reliant on Bravecto for life (sheesh- scary!) Steroids are, of course, scary as well -- but bronchial inflammation and severe coughing is worse, long-term. It's a fine balance. That's why we want to try an air purifier.

oh no, this is so unfortunate with the mites! I hope she'll be better soon!

If her attacks increase in the winter, maybe dry air is contributing to it; I'd try humidifier if you don't already use it.

susanm9006 · Sep 18, 2019

I don’t know what kind of flooring you have but by far the biggest help for my allergies was removing all the carpeting from my home and going with hardwood and laminate floors. When you pull up a carpet, even in a home where you vacuum daily you see how much dust and dirt settled down through the carpet where a vacuum can’t reach.

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 18, 2019

She's a witch said:
oh no, this is so unfortunate with the mites! I hope she'll be better soon! ...

She is already, with the help of a dermatologist's diagnosis and the use of Bravecto extra-label.

Even though she is only on a small amount of Pred, I just want to decrease it if possible --while keeping the asthma at bay-- so that I don't have to be so reliant long-term on fluralaner to destroy the microscopic monsters. As long as she is on daily Pred, we may have to use fluralaner. But... we'll see. She reached that immunosuppressed 'tipping point' at least on the surface of her skin, with the mites! Her blood work and UAs have been great and pretty good, respectively, for three years, and no signs of any of the possible, worrisome Pred-induced health issues.

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 18, 2019

susanm9006 said:
I don’t know what kind of flooring you have but by far the biggest help for my allergies was removing all the carpeting from my home and going with hardwood and laminate floors. When you pull up a carpet, even in a home where you vacuum daily you see how much dust and dirt settled down through the carpet where a vacuum can’t reach.

We have hardwoods, with some throw rugs. We've been managing the allergies and asthma for years, doing the right things. However, our apartment is lined with birch trees, there are honeysuckle bushes about (she reacts to those pollens), and there are about 6 construction sites within 2-3 blocks of us all around (no joke) which contribute to the dirt, dust, soot, and who knows what else. We sweep and vacuum constantly -- but it is obvious we need a very good air purifier!

(mods, if this thread needs to be moved to the Health thread, I understand! lol)

She's a witch · Sep 18, 2019

PushPurrCatPaws said:
We have hardwoods, with some throw rugs. We've been managing the allergies and asthma for years, doing the right things. However, our apartment is lined with birch trees, there are honeysuckle bushes about (she reacts to those pollens), and there are about 6 construction sites within 2-3 blocks of us all around (no joke) which contribute to the dirt, dust, soot, and who knows what else. We sweep and vacuum constantly -- but it is obvious we need a very good air purifier!

(mods, if this thread needs to be moved to the Health thread, I understand! lol)

Well, given the pollens and construction dust around, I’d be surprised if air purifier will not do the job, I’m sure it’ll help!

Furballsmom · Sep 18, 2019

PushPurrCatPaws said:
there are about 6 construction sites within 2-3 blocks of us all around (no joke) which contribute to the dirt, dust, soot, and who knows what else

Oh lordy!! Hang in there!!

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 18, 2019

Willowy · Sep 18, 2019

I have a couple Rabbitair Minus A2 units, and I think they do a good job. I'm not going to turn them off to confirm though

.

PushPurrCatPaws · Sep 18, 2019

That one was my 2nd choice. But it seemed like over a 2-4 year period, I might spend approx equal or just a bit less in filter replacements &C than the cost of the 2-4 year lifespan of the IQAir's HEPA and carbon filters' lives. So I just went with the IQAir: better quality.

Willowy · Sep 18, 2019

Yeah the refills are pricey. The last time I got the off-brand and they seem just as good, so far. But yikes.

Has Using An Air Purifier Really Helped You?

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