According to the Humane Society, pet allergy is one of the main reasons people have for giving up their pets.  Many people purchase a pet without knowing if they are allergic to the pet.  A simple and inexpensive laboratory blood test can tell you what pets you are allergic to, and help you decide what kind of pet to bring home.  Many people spend hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars for a pet without first getting an allergy test.  Once they have invested the money in their pet, and the pet has become a beloved member of the family, they too often find that they are allergic to the pet.  Breeders generally will not let them return the pet for a refund, so often the pet is taken to the “pound” where if it does not find a home soon, it will be killed.  You can avoid this tragedy for you and your pet by having a simple and inexpensive lab test.  If you are looking for a pet but are unsure whether to get a dog, cat, hampster, rabbit, or bird, you can have an allergy panel to determine what pets you are not allergic to, and this information can help you make the right decision.

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.  One dog or cat of a particular breed may be more irritating to an individual allergy sufferer than another animal of that same breed.

What causes allergies to pets?

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.

Don't be quick to blame the family pet for allergies.  Rather than making an assumption, consider getting a laboratory blood test that is specific for allergies to pet dander.  Allergies are cumulative and 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.

Of course, if you do not currently have a pet and are considering one, consider getting allergy tested so you will know if you are pet-allergic, and to what pets you have allergies.  Be sure to consider carefully whether you can live with the allergy before you bring a new pet home, or you may consider getting a pet that you are not allergic to.  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.  Many of these relinquished pets are brought to the Humane Society, and if a home can not be found for them, they have no choice but to put the beloved pet to sleep.

Are there Treatments for Pet Allergies?

Yes.  However, before you begin medical treatment, you should have an allergy test to determine if you are indeed allergic to your pet.  Your allergy could be due to something other than your pet, such as plants, trees, pollen, mold, or other environmental allergies.  In some cases, such as allergy to cigarette smoke, it may be a better choice to avoid the allergen (e.g. cigarette smoke) versus starting allergy medication.

What treatments are available?

Immunotherapy (allergy shots) can improve symptoms but do not entirely eliminate them.  Allergy shots work by gradually reducing the sensitivity of 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 designed only to treat the symptoms.  These medications include steroidal and antihistamine nose sprays and antihistamine pills.  For asthma, there are multiple medications, sprays, and inhalers available.  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.

Where do I go to get tested?

Call LabSafe toll free at 1-888-333-LABS, or visit the LabSafe website at http://www.labsafe.com

Brian Lunn,
Biochemist, Clinical Immunology