It's not fair that some people are allergic to man's best friend. Adorable dogs and cats should bring joy to those around them, not miserable sniffles and sneezes. However, 10 to 20 percent of the world's population is allergic to dogs and cats, indicating that a significant portion of them are sensitive to her two most popular types of household pets in the world.
Hypoallergenic cats and dogs are said to be the solution. But what does hypoallergenic mean and do such properties really exist?
What does a hypoallergenic pet actually mean?
Cats and dogs produce several allergenic proteins, says Sandra Koch, a veterinarian and professor of comparative dermatology at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. reciprocal. The most common ones appear in saliva, sloughed skin, or dandruff. People who are allergic to these proteins experience an immune response. This means your immune system reacts to it as if it were a bacteria or virus, causing a series of unpleasant symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and coughing.
Some dogs and cats are considered hypoallergenic and are “relatively unlikely to cause allergic reactions, but they can still occur,” Koch says. Koch said dog breeds considered hypoallergenic include hairless terriers, poodles, bichon frises and schnauzers, while cats include Cornish rexes and hairless sphinxes. These animals are thought to shed less or no hair at all, but that may not make a difference when it comes to allergies. Koch said dogs produce allergens in their blood, prostate and anal glands, while cats produce allergens in the oil glands in their skin, anal glands and blood, and male cats produce allergens in their urine.
Salivary allergens are a particular problem because cats and dogs spread these proteins throughout their bodies when they groom themselves. These compounds can hang in the air for several days. Even if you own a hairless cat or dog, allergies to their saliva can pose a threat to your immune system.
What research actually shows about hypoallergenic pets
Studies have shown no significant differences in the amount of allergens in the air between homes with hypoallergenic dogs and homes without dogs.A 2012 study published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Hair was collected from 196 hypoallergenic and 160 non-hypoallergenic dogs, as well as samples of airborne dust from the animals' homes. They searched for the main cause of the allergen Can f 1, a common allergen in dogs, detected in “nearly all hair and coat samples.”His 2011 paper published in American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy reached a similar conclusion. They also analyzed Can f 1 levels in dust samples taken from households with both types of dogs. Again, allergen levels did not differ significantly between households.
Regarding cats, a small study was published in a journal in 2014. Clinical allergy and translational allergy 14 cats participated. The results showed that hypoallergenic cats secreted and distributed less of the allergen Fel d 1 compared to non-hypoallergenic cats.
Still, Koch is hesitant to put his trust in hypoallergenic cats because allergies are complex. “Not all dogs and cats produce or shed the same amount of allergens,” she says.
Hypoallergenic pets may have good marketing, but there's no science to support their effectiveness, Koch said. She says that while some dog breeds shed less or no hair at all, “the truth is that all furry pets can cause reactions in people with allergies, and to date, scientific research has shown that all furry pets can cause reactions in people with allergies. There are no dog breeds that have been proven to be “allergy tolerant.'' She may think that “pets with fur” are the problem and that furless pets are safe, but allergens can come from saliva, blood, and glands, so fur isn't the biggest factor. there is no.
So, are there any dogs or cats that are free of allergens? “The simple answer is no,” Koch said. “Allergies are very complex, and allergen triggers and contributing factors vary greatly from person to person.”
