Dust Mite Allergies in Dogs and Cats: How to Reduce Exposure at Home

Dust Mite Allergies in Dogs and Cats: How to Reduce Exposure at Home

By Dr Duncan Houston

A positive dust-mite allergy result can make owners feel as though they need to disinfect the entire house, remove every carpet and throw away every pet bed.

That is rarely necessary.

House dust mites are important environmental allergens in canine atopic dermatitis and may also contribute to allergic disease in cats. However, an itchy pet does not automatically have a dust-mite allergy, and even a positive allergy test only shows sensitisation unless the result fits the animal’s history and clinical disease. (Springer)

Dust mites cannot usually be eliminated completely. The practical goal is to reduce exposure in the places where your pet spends the most time while also treating the skin inflammation, ear disease, infection or respiratory condition that is already present.

Quick Answer

To reduce dust-mite exposure, focus first on your pet’s sleeping areas. Use washable bedding, launder covers approximately weekly, keep bedding completely dry, maintain indoor humidity below about 50% when practical, vacuum or damp-mop around resting areas and minimise difficult-to-clean fabrics.

These measures may help some mite-sensitive animals, but they are an addition to veterinary treatment, not a cure. Environmental cleaning cannot replace parasite control, treatment of bacterial or yeast infection, a food-elimination trial, anti-itch treatment or allergen-specific immunotherapy when these are required. Veterinary guidelines recognise dust-mite control as potentially useful, but the best combination of measures has not been established. (Springer)

What Are House Dust Mites?

House dust mites are microscopic environmental mites. The species most commonly discussed in allergic disease include:

• Dermatophagoides farinae

• Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

• Blomia tropicalis in some tropical and subtropical regions

They are not fleas, mange mites or parasites living permanently on your pet. They generally live within indoor reservoirs such as:

• Mattresses

• Pet beds

• Carpets

• Rugs

• Upholstered furniture

• Soft furnishings

• Fabric toys

• Accumulated household dust

They feed largely on shed skin material. Allergens associated with the mites and their waste can accumulate in these fabrics and may contact an allergic animal’s skin or become temporarily airborne when bedding, carpets or furniture are disturbed. (Wiley Online Library)

Does Having Dust Mites Mean Your Home Is Dirty?

No.

Dust mites can be present in well-maintained homes. Their abundance is affected by humidity, climate, building design, heating, air conditioning, ventilation and the types of furnishings within the home.

They are generally more successful in warm, humid conditions, but their distribution is not the same everywhere. One Finnish study detected very little house dust-mite allergen in the homes of atopic dogs despite frequent positive allergy tests in the local canine population. This is another reason a blood or skin test result must be interpreted in context rather than accepted blindly. (Wiley Online Library)

Can Dust Mites Cause Allergies in Dogs and Cats?

Yes, but the relationship is not as simple as “mites are present, therefore mites are causing the itch.”

In dogs

House dust mites are recognised environmental allergens associated with canine atopic dermatitis. Affected dogs may be sensitised to one or more mite allergens, but clinically normal dogs can also have detectable mite-specific IgE or positive intradermal reactions. (Wiley Online Library)

In cats

Environmental allergens, potentially including dust mites, may contribute to feline atopic skin syndrome. Cats do not develop one distinctive “dust-mite rash”. Instead, they show reaction patterns that may also be caused by fleas, food allergy, other parasites or infection. (PubMed Central (PMC))

What about respiratory disease?

Environmental allergens may be involved in feline asthma, which can cause coughing, wheezing and breathing difficulty. However, these signs cannot be attributed to dust mites without a proper respiratory investigation. Sneezing or nasal discharge alone is not enough to diagnose a dust-mite allergy. (PubMed Central (PMC))

What Are the Signs of Dust Mite Allergy in Dogs?

Dogs with environmental atopic dermatitis may develop:

• Paw licking or chewing

• Itching around the face

• Rubbing the muzzle against furniture or carpet

• Red or inflamed ears

• Recurrent ear infections

• Itching beneath the front legs

• Redness around the abdomen or groin

• Hair loss from scratching or licking

• Darkened or thickened skin

• Recurrent bacterial skin infections

• Recurrent yeast dermatitis

• Symptoms that continue throughout the year

• Year-round itching with worse flares during humid periods

The distribution can vary between dogs and breeds. No individual pattern proves that dust mites are responsible. (PubMed)

What Are the Signs in Cats?

Possible signs of feline atopic skin syndrome include:

• Intense itching around the head and neck

• Small crusted bumps known as miliary dermatitis

• Excessive grooming

• Symmetrical hair loss caused by licking

• Raw facial or neck wounds

• Eosinophilic plaques

• Eosinophilic granulomas

• Ulcers affecting the lips

• Recurrent ear inflammation

• Secondary skin infection

These are reaction patterns rather than diagnoses. Flea allergy and food allergy can produce the same appearance, and a cat may have more than one allergy at the same time. (PubMed Central (PMC))

How Serious Is a Suspected Dust Mite Allergy?

Risk level	What it may look like	What to do
Lower risk	Mild intermittent itching without wounds, pain or infection	Record the pattern and arrange a routine veterinary assessment if it persists
Moderate	Daily itching, paw chewing, recurrent ear redness, hair loss or disturbed sleep	Arrange a veterinary examination within the next few days
High risk	Raw skin, pus, strong odour, severe ear pain, widespread redness, bleeding from scratching or inability to settle	Seek same-day veterinary care
Critical	Difficulty breathing, open-mouth breathing in a cat, blue or grey gums, collapse, severe facial swelling or altered consciousness	Attend an emergency veterinary hospital immediately

Most environmental skin allergies are chronic rather than immediately life-threatening. The urgency changes when infection, severe self-trauma, pain or respiratory distress develops. Cats with open-mouth breathing should never be monitored at home to see whether it settles. (PubMed Central (PMC))

How Do Veterinarians Diagnose Dust Mite Allergy?

There is no single test that proves a dog or cat is clinically allergic to house dust mites.

Step 1: Diagnose the underlying allergic syndrome

Canine atopic dermatitis and feline atopic skin syndrome are clinical diagnoses. The veterinarian first considers the history, distribution of lesions, age at onset, recurrence pattern and response to previous treatment.

Other causes of itching must then be investigated or controlled.

Step 2: Rule out the common lookalikes

Depending on the animal, this may involve:

• Strict flea control

• Skin scrapings

• Hair examination

• Ear and skin cytology

• Fungal testing

• Treatment trials for parasites

• An elimination diet followed by food challenge

• Bacterial culture where appropriate

• Further testing for less common skin disease

In cats, fleas, food allergy, parasites and infection must be excluded before feline atopic skin syndrome is diagnosed. Similar diagnostic principles apply to dogs. (PubMed Central (PMC))

Step 3: Use allergy testing for the correct purpose

Intradermal testing or serum allergen-specific IgE testing may be performed after atopic dermatitis has been diagnosed.

The main purposes are to:

• Identify potential environmental flare factors

• Select allergens for allergen-specific immunotherapy

• Help interpret seasonal or household patterns

A positive result does not prove that the allergen is causing clinical disease. Healthy dogs and dogs with unrelated skin disease may also produce positive results, and serum results can vary between laboratories. (Springer)

The correct order is diagnosis first, allergy testing second.

Using allergy testing as the first step commonly produces an impressive list of allergens without explaining why the animal is itchy.

What Else Can Look Like a Dust Mite Allergy?

Common alternatives include:

• Flea allergy dermatitis

• Food allergy

• Sarcoptic mange

• Demodicosis

• Ear mites

• Cheyletiella mites

• Lice

• Bacterial skin infection

• Yeast dermatitis or otitis

• Ringworm

• Contact irritation

• Environmental pollen allergy

• Mould allergy

• Mosquito-bite hypersensitivity in cats

• Pain-related licking

• Behavioural overgrooming

• Autoimmune skin disease

• Cutaneous lymphoma or another skin tumour

In practice, fleas, food allergy, secondary infection and environmental atopic disease account for far more itchy animals than a rare immune or neoplastic condition. The appearance alone is not enough to separate them.

Does Reducing Dust Mites at Home Actually Help Pets?

It may help some animals, but the evidence is much thinner than many online guides suggest.

International canine atopic dermatitis guidelines recognise house dust mites as important environmental allergens. However, they also state that the individual measure, or combination of measures, most effective at preventing canine flares has not been determined. (Springer)

One uncontrolled study evaluated environmental treatment using a benzyl benzoate acaricide in 60 mite-sensitive dogs. Forty-eight per cent reportedly became free of itching and visible lesions, while another 36% improved but still required additional treatment. Because there was no untreated control group and several dogs received other therapies, the study cannot tell us how much improvement was caused by mite reduction alone. (Wiley Online Library)

A 2023 study involving 35 dogs with atopic dermatitis and 13 healthy dogs found no association between indoor Dermatophagoides farinae allergen concentration and itch or skin lesion scores. The study was relatively small, but it reinforces that a higher measured mite concentration does not automatically predict more severe disease. (Frontiers)

The reasonable clinical conclusion is:

Dust-mite reduction is a low-risk supporting strategy for a pet with compatible disease, particularly when mite sensitisation has been identified. It should not be sold as a guaranteed cure.

The Practical Dust Mite Reduction Plan

The most effective plan is usually not the most extreme one. Consistency matters more than turning the house upside down for one frantic weekend and then abandoning the routine.

1. Start With the Pet’s Main Sleeping Area

Identify where your pet actually spends time:

• Their main bed

• A crate or pen

• The sofa

• Your bed

• A favourite carpeted corner

• A window seat

• A fabric cat tree

• A blanket in the car

These areas should receive priority. There is little value in deep-cleaning an unused spare room while leaving the dog’s favourite sofa untouched.

Where possible, choose a bed with:

• A removable outer cover

• A washable inner layer

• Minimal deep seams

• Stuffing that can dry completely

• No permanently attached bulky fabric

2. Wash Bedding Regularly

Wash removable pet bedding approximately once a week during active allergy control, or as often as the fabric and household routine reasonably allow.

Laboratory studies found that water at approximately 55°C killed house dust mites. However, cooler washing with detergent can still remove a large proportion of mites and allergen, even when it does not kill every mite. One study found that washing removed approximately 84% of the measured Der f 1 allergen with water or detergent and up to 98% when detergent and bleach were used, although bleach will not be safe for every fabric or pet item. (PubMed)

A practical approach is:

1. Follow the bedding manufacturer’s care instructions.

2. Use the hottest fabric-safe wash cycle.

3. Use a normal, low-fragrance detergent tolerated by the pet.

4. Rinse thoroughly.

5. Dry the bedding completely before returning it.

6. Clean the washing machine filter and surrounding laundry area periodically.

Do not put damp bedding back into a crate or sleeping area. Moisture trapped within thick foam or stuffing can create a separate mould and hygiene problem.

3. Use a Washable Cover Over Bed Cores

When the inner mattress or foam cannot be washed, place it inside a durable, tightly woven or allergen-barrier encasement and use a separate washable outer cover.

Do not allow a pet to sleep directly on loose plastic. Plastic can be slippery, uncomfortable, easily chewed and potentially hazardous. The encasement should be fully enclosed beneath the normal fabric cover.

Allergen-barrier encasements are widely used in human dust-mite control, but their specific clinical benefit in allergic dogs and cats has not been established. They are best viewed as a practical way to prevent the unwashed bed core from repeatedly contaminating the clean outer cover. (PubMed Central (PMC))

4. Control Indoor Humidity

Dust mites depend on environmental moisture. Experimental household studies have shown that keeping average indoor relative humidity below approximately 50% can restrict mite population growth. A brief fall below 50% is less useful than maintaining lower humidity consistently. (PubMed)

Practical measures include:

• Use an inexpensive digital hygrometer

• Run air conditioning during humid weather

• Use a dehumidifier where needed

• Repair leaking pipes or windows

• Improve ventilation in damp rooms

• Avoid placing pet beds against damp external walls

• Dry laundry rather than leaving wet fabric indoors

• Keep pet bedding away from bathrooms and humid laundry areas

A target around 40% to 50% is often practical, but the building, climate and health of the occupants must be considered. Do not create an excessively dry, hot or uncomfortable environment simply to chase a number.

It is also important not to oversell humidity control. A recent canine study found that indoor mite allergen concentration did not correlate with itch or skin lesion severity, so lowering humidity should remain one component of a wider plan. (Frontiers)

5. Vacuum and Damp-Clean Resting Areas

Concentrate cleaning around pet beds, sofas, rugs and other resting sites.

A practical routine may include:

• Vacuuming rugs, carpets and upholstery once or twice weekly

• Using a well-sealed vacuum with effective filtration where possible

• Emptying the vacuum outdoors

• Damp-mopping hard floors

• Wiping hard surfaces with a damp cloth

• Washing removable sofa covers and throws

• Cleaning beneath beds and furniture

• Avoiding dry sweeping that sends settled dust back into the air

Vacuuming can reduce allergen loading, but it does not reliably remove all mites or deeply embedded allergens from carpet. Carpets and upholstered materials can remain significant reservoirs. (PubMed Central (PMC))

When vacuuming visibly raises dust, keep the allergic pet in another room and allow airborne dust to settle before bringing them back.

6. Reduce Difficult-to-Clean Fabrics Where Practical

You do not need to make the home resemble an operating theatre.

However, it may help to reduce unnecessary reservoirs around the pet’s sleeping area, particularly:

• Thick shag rugs

• Multiple unwashable blankets

• Fabric clutter beneath beds

• Large numbers of soft toys

• Heavily upholstered pet furniture

• Damaged foam beds that cannot be cleaned

• Fabric cat trees with deeply contaminated surfaces

Choose washable rugs and throws where possible.

Removing wall-to-wall carpet may be reasonable when an animal has severe, proven indoor-allergen-associated disease and the household is already planning renovation. It is rarely sensible to rip up the house before the diagnosis has been properly established.

7. Include Your Own Bed When the Pet Sleeps There

When a dog or cat sleeps on the owner’s bed, washing only the pet bed misses one of their major exposure areas.

Consider:

• Washing sheets and covers regularly

• Washing the pet’s blanket with the rest of the bedding

• Using mattress and pillow encasements where appropriate

• Vacuuming the bed base and surrounding floor

• Preventing damp bedding

• Keeping unnecessary fabric clutter off the bed

There is no requirement to ban an allergic pet from the bedroom automatically. The decision depends on disease severity, the pet’s sleeping habits and whether the bedding can be managed effectively.

8. Wash Soft Toys

Use a smaller collection of toys that can be rotated and cleaned.

For fabric toys:

• Follow the care label

• Wash them regularly

• Dry them completely

• Discard toys that remain damp, smell musty or cannot be cleaned internally

Rubber, silicone and hard plastic toys are easier to clean, but enrichment should not be sacrificed unnecessarily. A bored allergic pet may lick or chew themselves even more, which rather defeats the point.

9. Store Dry Food Properly

House dust mites and storage mites are different groups, although cross-reactivity can occur between their allergens.

Current veterinary guidance does not support avoiding all dry food simply because a dog is sensitised to house dust mites. Storage mites are more likely to proliferate when food is stored for long periods in warm, humid conditions. (Springer)

Practical storage measures include:

• Buy a bag size that will be used within a reasonable period

• Keep food in a cool, dry area

• Close the original bag securely

• Place the bag inside a clean sealed container

• Wash and dry the container before adding a new bag

• Do not continually pour new food on top of old crumbs

• Keep the storage area clean and dry

Freezing food is sometimes suggested, but there is not enough evidence that doing so improves clinical signs in mite-sensitive dogs. (Springer)

10. Consider an Air Purifier an Optional Extra

HEPA filtration can reduce airborne mite allergen and other particles under controlled conditions. However, an air purifier does not remove mites living within bedding, carpets or upholstery, and there is limited evidence that a purifier alone improves atopic skin disease in pets. (PubMed Central (PMC))

An air purifier may be most useful:

• In the room where the pet sleeps

• In a cat with diagnosed allergic airway disease

• When household occupants also have respiratory allergies

• As part of a combined cleaning and humidity-control plan

It should not replace laundering, surface cleaning or veterinary treatment.

11. Be Cautious With Mite Sprays, Powders and Foggers

Acaricides and products marketed as dust-mite sprays may sound like a shortcut. Evidence for clinical benefit in pets is limited largely to one older uncontrolled canine study involving benzyl benzoate. Current guidelines do not identify one proven household chemical protocol. (Springer)

Avoid:

• Applying household mite products directly to the pet

• Using foggers around animals without veterinary and label guidance

• Spraying bedding immediately before the pet lies on it

• Using essential oils as homemade mite treatments

• Combining several pesticides

• Assuming that a product safe for dogs is also safe for cats

• Using concentrated cleaning chemicals in poorly ventilated rooms

The safest environmental plan generally begins with laundering, drying, humidity control and physical cleaning rather than chemical warfare against creatures you cannot see.

Do Feather Pillows or Beds Need to Be Removed?

Not automatically.

There is no established veterinary evidence that every feather-filled bed must be removed or that synthetic stuffing guarantees a mite-free environment. Any porous item can collect dust and allergen when it cannot be washed or dried properly.

The more useful questions are:

• Can the cover be removed?

• Can the item be washed?

• Can it dry fully?

• Is it used frequently by the pet?

• Is it visibly damaged, dusty or musty?

• Does the pet’s condition repeatedly worsen after contact with it?

Choose washable materials rather than banning one particular stuffing material without considering how the item is actually maintained.

How Often Should Pet Beds Be Replaced?

There is no evidence-based rule requiring replacement every six months.

Replace a bed when:

• The core cannot be cleaned

• It remains damp after washing

• It smells musty

• The cover is torn

• Foam is breaking apart

• The filling is permanently contaminated

• It has become impossible to maintain hygienically

A well-designed washable bed may be used for much longer. Constantly replacing poorly washable beds is also more expensive than choosing one that can be maintained properly.

Does Flea Control Reduce Dust Mites?

Flea prevention and dust-mite control are separate issues.

Year-round flea control remains extremely important for allergic dogs and cats because flea allergy can cause intense itching and may coexist with environmental atopic disease. The absence of visible fleas does not rule out flea allergy. (Springer)

However, a flea preventative given to the pet should not be expected to kill house dust mites living in mattresses, carpets or upholstery.

Use flea control because fleas are a major allergic trigger, not because it is a substitute for household dust-mite management.

Does the Pet Need Medical Treatment as Well?

Usually, yes.

Once the allergic inflammatory cycle has started, reducing environmental exposure rarely stops the itch quickly enough on its own.

Treatment may include:

• Medication to control itching and inflammation

• Topical therapy

• Treatment of bacterial infection

• Treatment of yeast dermatitis or otitis

• Appropriate ear medication

• Flea and parasite control

• A diagnostic food-elimination trial

• Skin-barrier support

• Allergen-specific immunotherapy

• Management of feline asthma where present

Weekly bathing with a mild, non-irritating shampoo may help some atopic dogs, although the product and frequency should be adjusted to the condition of the skin. Medicated products may be needed when infection is present, while an unsuitable shampoo may increase dryness or irritation. (Springer)

Cats should not simply be placed onto a canine bathing or medication programme. Their tolerance of bathing, grooming behaviour, drug metabolism and range of allergic reaction patterns require an individual plan.

What Is Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy?

Allergen-specific immunotherapy involves giving gradually controlled amounts of selected allergens, usually by injection or oral drops, with the aim of modifying the immune response over time.

The allergens are selected using the animal’s history together with intradermal or serum allergy testing.

In dogs, immunotherapy is considered a safe and potentially disease-modifying treatment for atopic dermatitis. Improvement is gradual and may take months, so it must not be judged after only a few weeks. International guidance recommends continuing it for at least one year before its effectiveness is properly assessed. (Springer)

Evidence in cats is more limited. Treatment should be planned by a veterinarian or veterinary dermatologist familiar with feline allergic disease.

When Is This an Emergency?

Dust-mite-associated skin allergy is usually not an emergency by itself.

Seek immediate emergency treatment if your pet develops:

• Difficulty breathing

• Open-mouth breathing in a cat

• Blue, grey or very pale gums

• Collapse

• Severe facial or tongue swelling

• Sudden widespread hives with vomiting or weakness

• Altered consciousness

• Inability to stand

• Rapidly worsening respiratory effort

Arrange same-day veterinary care for:

• Raw or bleeding skin

• Pus or a strong skin odour

• Severe ear pain

• A swollen ear flap

• Head tilt or loss of balance

• Inability to sleep because of itching

• Refusal of food

• Fever or marked lethargy

• Extensive facial self-trauma in a cat

Do not spend the day deep-cleaning the house while the animal is struggling to breathe or tearing its skin apart. Treat the patient first. The carpets can survive until tomorrow.

What Should You Do Right Now?

Today

1. Wash the pet’s main bedding.

2. Dry it completely.

3. Measure indoor humidity if possible.

4. Vacuum or damp-clean the main sleeping area.

5. Remove visibly damp or damaged bedding.

6. Record where the pet is itching.

7. Photograph any skin lesions.

8. Check whether flea prevention is current.

9. Do not apply a household pesticide to the pet.

Over the next few days

Arrange a veterinary examination if the pet has persistent itching, recurrent ear disease, hair loss, skin odour, scabs, wounds or respiratory signs.

Ask whether the work-up should include:

• Skin or ear cytology

• Parasite testing

• A strict flea-control trial

• A food-elimination trial

• Treatment of secondary infection

• Referral to a veterinary dermatologist

• Allergy testing for immunotherapy planning

Over the next 8 to 12 weeks

Continue the home-control routine consistently and record:

• Weekly itch severity

• Paw licking

• Ear redness

• Sleep disruption

• Skin lesions

• Medication use

• Indoor humidity

• Accidental environmental changes

• Any flare after contact with a particular bed or room

This tracking period is a practical management exercise, not a validated diagnostic test. Improvement may reflect several changes occurring together, including medication, infection control, flea prevention or seasonal variation.

Common Mistakes When Managing Dust Mite Allergy

Treating a positive allergy test as the diagnosis

Testing identifies sensitisation. It does not replace the clinical work-up.

Replacing every carpet before ruling out fleas and infection

Large renovations are expensive and may make no difference when the real cause is flea allergy, food allergy, mites living on the animal or untreated yeast dermatitis.

Expecting cleaning to stop a flare immediately

Environmental allergen reduction may take weeks or months to make a noticeable difference. Active skin inflammation usually requires medical treatment.

Using flea treatment as dust-mite control

Flea prevention is essential, but it targets a different allergen source.

Washing the pet bed but ignoring the sofa or human bed

The most important exposure site is wherever the animal actually sleeps.

Returning bedding while it is still damp

Persistent moisture encourages an unhealthy environment and may worsen other household allergen problems.

Using sprays without checking pet safety

Products marketed for homes are not automatically safe for direct animal exposure, particularly in cats.

Blaming every cough or sneeze on allergies

Respiratory signs need a proper diagnosis. Heart disease, infection, airway disease, foreign material and other conditions can look similar.

Can Dust Mite Allergy Be Prevented?

There is no proven household strategy that reliably prevents a genetically predisposed dog or cat from developing atopic disease.

Practical long-term measures include:

• Choosing washable bedding

• Keeping sleeping areas dry

• Maintaining sensible indoor humidity

• Cleaning pet resting areas regularly

• Using reliable flea and parasite prevention

• Treating ear and skin infections promptly

• Avoiding unnecessary pesticide exposure

• Tracking seasonal and household flare patterns

• Seeking veterinary care before chronic self-trauma develops

These steps may reduce exposure and flare severity. They cannot guarantee that allergic disease will never develop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do dust mites live on dogs and cats?

House dust mites are environmental mites found mainly in bedding, carpets, upholstery and household dust. They are not the same as mange mites and do not normally live or reproduce within the pet’s skin. (Wiley Online Library)

What temperature kills dust mites in bedding?

Research has found that water at approximately 55°C can kill mites. Cooler washing with detergent may still remove much of the allergen, so regular laundering remains worthwhile when the fabric cannot tolerate high heat. (PubMed)

Should I remove all carpet for an allergic dog or cat?

Not automatically. Focus on diagnosis, the pet’s main sleeping areas and consistent cleaning first. Carpet removal may be considered in severe cases when indoor allergens are clinically relevant and renovation is practical.

Can an air purifier cure a dust mite allergy?

No. HEPA filtration may reduce airborne allergen particles, but it does not remove mites from bedding or upholstery and cannot replace medical treatment or physical cleaning. (PubMed Central (PMC))

Can cats be allergic to dust mites?

Yes, environmental mites may contribute to feline atopic skin syndrome or possibly allergic respiratory disease. However, fleas, food allergy, parasites and infection must be excluded because they can cause identical skin patterns. (PubMed Central (PMC))

The Most Important Takeaway

Dust-mite control should be practical, targeted and realistic.

Start with the places where your pet sleeps. Wash removable bedding, dry it thoroughly, control excessive humidity, clean nearby floors and upholstery and reduce fabrics that cannot be maintained properly.

At the same time, remember that dust mites are only one possible part of allergic disease. A positive test does not prove causation, and even excellent household cleaning cannot control untreated fleas, yeast, bacteria, food allergy or severe atopic inflammation.

The aim is not to create a mite-free home. That is generally impossible. The aim is to reduce avoidable exposure while giving the pet the medical treatment needed to remain comfortable.

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If your dog or cat has persistent itching, recurring ear disease or unexplained respiratory signs and you are unsure what needs to be investigated first, ASK A VET™ can help you organise the next steps alongside your treating veterinarian.