Having a pet or more in your home could lead to pet allergies. The proteins from the hair, saliva or urine of household pets cause an allergic reaction.
You may be surprised to learn that in most cases it’s not your pet’s fur or feathers that cause the allergic reaction. Instead, it’s the small, invisible flakes of animal skin (dander) that trigger the itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and stuffy nose in people with a pet allergy.
Pet allergens
Pet allergens are proteins, which when in contact with the skin or breathed in, cause an allergic reaction that provokes the body into producing histamine.
It is often difficult to avoid the allergens that can come from other people’s pets or be transported by people who have been in contact with animals. School classes can be overloaded with pet allergens.
Most often the allergies are to cats or dogs, but rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, pet birds, horses, cows or poultry can be involved.
Symptoms
When touching the fur or feathers of pets; objects containing pet allergens; or breathing in pet allergens; the following reactions may result:
- Hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis), Sneezing and a running or blocked nose.
- Eye symptoms such as itching and watering eyes.
- Asthma, coughing and wheezing
- Children’s eczema, an itchy skin disease with red patches
- Nettle rash,itchy reddish rash
Treatment
The most effective treatment for pet allergy is to avoid exposure to animals. If you own a pet, your best bet is to find it a good home and then vigorously clean your home to remove as much of the allergens as possible.
If your pet allergy is causing asthma symptoms, your doctor may prescribe: inhaled corticosteroids (Flovent, Pulmicort, others); long-acting beta-2 agonists (Serevent, Foradil); combination inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting bronchodilators – fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair Diskus); and short-acting beta-2 agonists such as albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin), which help open up the airways in your lungs.
