Fact
or Fiction
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Any animal with fur or feathers can trigger an allergic reaction.
These include cats, dogs, rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs,
hamsters, ferrets, mice, horses, cattle, monkeys, goats, pigs, chickens, and
birds. Of these, research indicates that cats
are by far the worst offenders, followed by dogs and horses.
While some animals seem to be more tolerable than others,
there are no dogs, cats or other furry animals that do not cause
allergic responses. It makes no difference whether an animal has short hair,
long hair or how much it sheds.
FEL D 1
Cats cause more severe allergic reactions than other pets.
The major cat allergen is an extremely potent one called Fel d 1.
Secretions from the sebaceous glands of the skin are the primary source of Fel
d1, but it is also deposited on the fur
through the saliva when cats clean themselves through the licking or self-cleaning
process. Eventually the Fel d 1 flakes
off and becomes airborne to trigger the symptoms that characterize allergies
to cats.
Male cats generally produce more of the Fel d 1 allergen than females do.
DANDER
The problem is not with a pet's hair. It is the dander,
or microscopic scales of, dead skin (similar to, but much smaller
than the dandruff on the human scalp) which pets are constantly shedding that
is the cause. They are so tiny that you
seldom, if ever, know that they are circulating in the air or laying on the
furniture and carpets.
URINE
Recent studies indicate that urine (protein), from cats and
dogs as well as from ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice,
contain allergens which can also trigger allergic reactions.
SHORT-HAIRED DOGS AND CATS CAUSE FEWER ALLERGY PROBLEMS THAN THOSE WITH LONG HAIR.
False.
All dogs and cats – short-haired, long-haired, wire-haired, curly-haired,
even hairless—are potentially allergic.
Allergic reactions to dogs and cats are not caused by the hair or fur but by dander (the tiny scales of dead skin)
and by
sebaceous and salivary gland secretions. Short-haired dogs and cats cast
off as many allergens into the environment
as long-haired ones do
DOGS AND CATS THAT DO NOT SHED HAIR ARE HYPOALLERGENIC
False.
Whether a dog or a cat sheds hair or does
not shed hair also makes no difference. Certain dog breeds . . .
Poodles, Bichon Frises, Bedlington Terriers and Kerry
Blue Terriers…as well as Cornish Rex, Devon Rex and
Sphynx cats shed little or no hair. It is surprising how many pet owners have bought these breeds because
they
were told they did not cause allergies. Not true! All breeds of dogs and cats
cause allergic reactions. All dogs shed dander and all cats have sebaceous
glands and fastidiously lick themselves clean. Whether a dog or cat sheds hair
or does not shed hair makes no difference.
While it has recently been established that some animals cast
off more allergens than others, there are no non-allergenic
dogs or cats. The
reason Poodles, Bichons Frises, Bedlington and Kerry Blue Terrier dogs are thought
to be "safe"
is probably because they are shampooed and groomed regularly and therefore cast off less dander in the home.
Some people may have more problems living with dog and cat
breeds that shed hair profusely because of the
excessive amount of loose hair . . . contaminated by the dried saliva and dander
clinging to it . . . shed from the pet
onto the rugs, furniture and the pet’s
bedding and favorite lounging places. Frequent vacuumings are usually necessary,
along with the use of a moist sponge, to pick it up.
PUPPIES AND KITTENS CAUSE FEWER ALLERGY PROBLEMS THAN ADULT PETS
True.
Baby animals have no old skin to shed and consequently have no dander. It usually
takes a few months
before kittens and puppies produce these allergens. This may explain why people
who buy young pets become
allergic to them when the they reach maturity.
PEOPLE CAN BE ALLERGIC TO SOME BREEDS OF DOGS
OR CATS AND NOT TO OTHERS.
False.
The possibility of dog breed-specific allergens was first investigated many
years ago, reports
Dr. David Knysak of the Department of Medicine's Allergy
Division of the University of Michigan Medical Center.
Subsequent studies have determined both qualitative and quantitative variations in the antigen content
extracts
derived from different dog breeds, however, he adds, no breed-specific allergens have been found.
It is true, though, that an individual may occasionally become
sensitized to or build up resistance to a single breed
over a period of time.
Another reason why people may think they are allergic to certain breeds of dogs
and cats is
that some animals ... even from the same litter ... shed many more allergens
than others, a process which may produce a higher level of exposure
and consequently more allergic
symptoms.
SOME CATS AND DOGS ARE MORE ALLERGENIC THAN OTHERS.
True. It is possible for an occasional kitten or puppy from any litter of any given breed to be relatively free of problem-causing allergens. Unfortunately, however, there's no way to individually identify this kind of pet in advance. We can only consider certain hormonal predictors: male dogs and cats shed substantially greater amounts of allergens than females. Neutered males shed significantly less than un-neutered males or females.
BLACK CATS CAUSE MORE ALLERGIC REACTIONS THAN OTHER COLORS.
True. This is a very interesting problem. According to a January 2000 report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, cats with dark coats may provoke more allergic reactions and symptoms than those with lighter-colored coats. So far, researchers at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, studied a group of 60 cat owners, most of whom had allergy symptoms. Those with moderate symptoms were more likely to own dark-colored cats than those with mild symptoms. The odds were 6 times higher with a dark cat.
RESTRICTING THE PET TO ONE OR TWO ROOMS OF A HOUSE WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO TOLERATE IT
False.
The longer a pet lives in a home, the more its allergens will have permeated
the entire house to cause
symptoms. Isolating a pet to one or two rooms in the home does not contain their allergens. Air currents from
forced-air heating, air conditioning and fans spread the allergens through the house.
Airborne cat allergens have been measured in several clinical
studies and have been found to be infinitesimally small
in size. The Fel d1 particles ranged in size from 1 micron to about 20 microns, with a significant
percentage being
about 2.5 microns in diameter. What size is a micron? As an example of just how small one is, the period at the end
of this sentence is nearly 1,000 microns in diameter!
Such particles tend to remain airborne for hours, even in homes
with minimal disturbance. Once they do settle,
vacuuming or walking on the carpet,
sitting on the furniture, fluffing up cushions pillows and the pet’s bedding,
raising or lowering the blinds, and opening or closing the drapes or curtains
causes tremendous amounts to be
set loose in the air once again.
PETS THAT LIVE OUTSIDE CAUSE FEWER ALLERGY PROBLEMS
True. Pets
that remain outdoors at all times cause very few allergy problems. But when
an allergic person goes
outside and plays with the animal, pets it, or holds
it in his or her lap, symptoms can occur. Although many pets
are never allowed into a house, bear in mind that those that do live outdoors are exposed to many
risks. They may
be lost or stolen, attacked by other animals, run over by cars, poisoned deliberately or inadvertently.
Pets that live outdoors -- even in a barn or a garage --require
a shelter with the bottom raised off the ground where
they can go when it's cold or when it rains or snows. In warm weather, they need shade and plenty
of fresh water
to drink. Only heavily coated or more rugged pets should live
outdoors in winter. And it's grossly unfair to any pet
which has spent the majority
of its life indoors to be suddenly made to live outside.
RABBITS AND OTHER SMALL
FURRY CAGED PETS ARE SAFE FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS
False.
Rabbits, small furry animals and rodents (guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas,
ferrets, rats and mice)
have become increasingly popular as house pets. They
are small, clean, easy to care for, inexpensive to feed, they
don’t bark to annoy neighbors and they are permitted in many apartment complexes where cats
and dogs are prohibited.
The urine, saliva and dander of small furry pets are
potent allergens and contribute significantly to the allergen source
in the home. The number of allergens they spread depends on their species, their size
and number and how frequently
they are handled by family members.
Birds are also growing in popularity as pets. Their major allergen
is derived from feather dust which is also called "powder."
When birds preen themselves and flutter their wings, no matter how small they may be, they shake
feather dust into
the air where it collects in and around the cage and also
circulates throughout the house. Some of the larger species
of parrots may cause
more allergy problems since they can produce enough powder to coat most surfaces
in the
room in which they are caged on an almost daily basis.
PEOPLE CAN BE MORE ALLERGIC TO THEIR PETS IN THE SPRING AND IN THE
FALL
True.
Cat and dog allergens, feathers, house dust, and molds are just a few of the
culprits that cause the symptoms
of perennial, or year-round allergic rhinitis. In most parts of the country, tree and grass pollen or mold spores in
the spring, and ragweed and other weeds pollen in fall, are triggers of hay fever or seasonal
allergic rhinitis.
People who are sensitive to pets and to trees, grasses and
weeds usually find their symptoms are much worse
during pollen seasons because of an overlapping of seasonal and perennial allergens.
PEOPLE CAN TELL IF THEY WILL BE ALLERGIC THE FIRST TIME THEY ENCOUNTER
A PET
False.
No one is allergic to a substance the first time he or she comes in contact
with it.
Sensitization, or the process that leads to development of symptoms,
requires repeated exposures
over a period of time, anywhere from days to months
and possibly years. Sometimes, though, only a few
minutes of a pet's presence
is necessary. People who come in contact with a cat, for instance, or who enter
a room
where a cat has been, may react to it within seconds. Other times an
animal can be kept for many years and then
suddenly its owner will become severely
sensitive to it.
PEOPLE CAN BE ALLERGIC TO CLOTHING MADE FROM
ANIMAL FUR
True.
It is possible for potentially allergic people to be sensitive to the animal
fur and wool found in clothing,
cushions, fabrics, blankets, sweaters, the linings
of gloves, rugs, toys, furniture stuffing, and a myriad of other
household items.
Items made from rabbit fur, for example, can be a real source of sensitivities
because the fur
is too delicate to remove all traces of dander and dried saliva.
Dr. Ralph Bookman, allergist to former President Ronald Reagan
noted in an interview published in Rodale's
Allergy Relief Newsletter, that
if someone owns "a true Oriental rug -- one actually made in the Orient --
then
it is certainly loaded with sheep, goat and camel dander." Good quality domestic
wool, added
Dr. Bookman "is processed to be dander-free; it is not allergenic.
However, it is irritating to many people,
and not just those with allergies.
Wool from third-world countries is not treated after it's taken from the animal.
This kind of wool can contain a lot of dander and cause serious allergy problems."
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