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Allergies To Pets
Article courtesy:
Humane Society
of the United States
 Being
a pet owner is never easy. While pets bring us joy
and companionship on a daily basis, they also require
training, veterinary care, time, love, attention, and even tolerance. Tolerance
is especially necessary when a pet
owner is allergic to his or her companion animal.
Studies show that approximately 15% of the population is
allergic to dogs or cats. An estimated one-third of
Americans who are allergic to cats (about two million
people) live with at least one cat in their household anyway. In a study of 341
adults who were
allergic to cats or dogs and had been advised by their physicians to give up
their pets, only one out
of five did. What's more, 122 of them obtained another pet after a previous one
had died. It's clear
the benefits of pet companionship outweigh the drawbacks of pet allergies for
many owners. Living comfortably with a companion animal despite being allergic
to him requires a good understanding of
the allergic condition and an adherence to a few rules.
All cats and dogs are allergenic
(allergy-causing) to people who are allergic to animals. Cats tend to
be more allergenic than dogs for allergic people, although some people are more
sensitive to dogs than
cats. Contrary to popular belief, there are no "non-allergenic" breeds of dogs
or cats; even hairless
breeds may be highly allergenic.
Dogs with soft,
constantly-growing hair—the Poodle or the Bichon Frise, for example—may be
less irritating to some individuals, although this may be because they are
bathed and groomed more frequently. One dog or cat of a particular breed may be
more irritating to an individual allergy sufferer
than another animal of that same breed.
The source of irritation to
pet-allergic humans? Glands in the animal's skin secrete tiny allergy-
triggering proteins, called allergens, that linger in the animal's fur but also
float easily in the air.
Allergens are present in the animal's saliva and urine, too, and may become
airborne when saliva dries
on the fur. The severity of reaction to these allergens varies from one person
to the next, ranging
from mild sniffling and sneezing to life-threatening asthma, and can be
complicated by simultaneous
allergies to other irritants in the environment.
If your or a family member's
allergies are simply miserable, but not life-threatening, take these steps
to reduce the symptoms:
- Create an "allergy free"
zone in the home—preferably the bedroom—and strictly prohibit the
pet's access to it. Use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner (available at
almost any home and
garden store or discount department store) in the bedroom. Consider using
impermeable covers
for the mattress and pillows because allergen particles brought into the
room on clothes and
other objects can accumulate in them.
- Use HEPA air cleaners
throughout the rest of the home, and avoid dust-and-dander-catching
furnishings such as cloth curtains and blinds and carpeted floors. Clean
frequently and
thoroughly to remove dust and dander, washing articles such as couch covers
and pillows,
curtains, and pet beds. Use a "microfilter" bag in the vacuum cleaner to
effectively catch all
the allergens.
- Bathing your pet on a
weekly basis can reduce the level of allergens on fur by as much as 84%.
Although products are available that claim to reduce pet allergens when
sprayed on the animal's
fur, studies show they are less effective than a weekly bath. Even cats can
become accustomed
to being bathed; check with your veterinarian's staff or a good book on pet
care for directions
about how to do this properly, and use whatever shampoo your veterinarian
recommends.
- Don't be quick to blame
the family pet for allergies. Ask your allergist to specifically test for
allergies to pet dander, rather than making an assumption. And understand
that allergies are cumulative. Many allergy sufferers are sensitive to more
than one allergen. So if you're allergic
to dust, insecticides, pollen, cigarette smoke, and cat dander, you'll need
to reduce the overall
allergen level in your environment by concentrating on all of the causes,
not just the pet allergy.
For example, you may need to step up measures to remove cat dander from your
home and
carefully avoid cigarette smoke during spring, when it is difficult to avoid
exposure to pollen.
- Immunotherapy (allergy
shots) can improve symptoms but cannot eliminate them entirely. They
work by gradually desensitizing a person's immune system to the pet
allergens. Allergy-causing
proteins are injected under the person's skin, triggering the body to
produce antibodies
(protective proteins) which block the pet allergen from causing a reaction.
Patients are usually
given one dose per week for a few weeks to months (depending on the severity
of the allergy)
and then can often manage with one injection per month.
- Additional treatments for
allergies to pets are symptomatic, including steroidal and antihistamine
nose sprays and antihistamine pills. For asthma, there are multiple
medications, sprays, and
inhalers available. It is important to find an allergist who understands
your commitment to living
with your pet. A combination of approaches—medical control of symptoms, good
housecleaning methods, and immunotherapy—is most likely to succeed in
allowing an allergic person to live
with pets.
Of course, if you do not
currently have a pet and are considering one, and know you are pet-allergic,
be sure to consider carefully whether you can live with the allergy before you
bring a new pet home.
Except in the case of children, who sometimes outgrow allergies, few allergy
sufferers become
accustomed to pets to whom they are allergic. Too many allergic owners obtain
pets without thinking
through the difficulties of living with them. And too often, they end up
relinquishing pets, a decision
that is difficult for the owner and can be life-threatening for the pet.
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