Every tenth woman and every twelfth man in Germany suffers from an animal hair allergy. Dog hair allergies and cat hair allergies are particularly widespread . Especially when there are children in the household and the desire for a pet arises, an allergy to animal friends is a real obstacle.
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The biologist Anja Schwalfenberg from the German Allergy and Asthma Association (DAAB) in Mönchengladbach says: “Any animal can trigger an allergic reaction – whether it loses a lot of hair or not.”
Because contrary to what many believe, it is not the hair of the animals that is the real trigger of the allergic reactions . “The real culprits are proteins such as the so-called lipocalins and albumins. These substances come from the saliva, sweat, tallow or urine of the animals and adhere to their dander, hair or feathers,” explains Anja Schwalfenberg. The particles, hardly larger than a red blood cell, float through the air and thus cover great distances.”
“Cats have great potential,” explains the DAAB expert. In general, allergies to cats occur most frequently, since the cat allergen has particularly good floating properties and can therefore spread very quickly and widely. In fur-wearing animals, these allergens can also spread to other places via the animal hair if the owner wears animal hair on their clothing and it falls off in other places. It can also happen that you have a cat hair allergy even though you don’t own a cat.
Dog hair allergies are also common. However, the allergy symptoms are much weaker than with a cat hair allergy.
On the other hand, relatively strong symptoms occur with allergies to guinea pigs and rabbits, birds or horses can also trigger an allergy. “Even horse particles are among the most aggressive inhalative substances.” It is impossible to predict who will develop symptoms, when and in which animal. “It’s completely unpredictable.” For this reason, it is extremely important to find out which animals you are allergic to before making a purchase.
Animals for allergy sufferers
Although there are no animals that cannot in principle trigger allergies, there are some dog and cat breeds that, statistically speaking, rarely cause allergic reactions. We reveal which animals are suitable for allergy sufferers.
Typical symptoms of an animal dander allergy
The symptoms of an animal dander allergy are similar to those of a pollen allergy . Particularly typical symptoms of an animal hair allergy include a constant runny nose, red and watery eyes and eye inflammation, as well as a runny nose and sneezing fits. These symptoms usually appear immediately after contact with the animal carrying the offending allergen. However, these symptoms can often also occur as a result of indirect contact with the allergens, when animal hair is brought along by its owners. So you don’t necessarily have to live with one of these animals. A reaction due to animal dander allergy can catch you anywhere.
In addition, there is reddening of the skin and a rash with itching. An allergic rash can also show up as wheals. You should never scratch itchy eczema. Cooling compresses can help against the itching.
If you do not break off contact with the triggering allergens, or if the allergy is particularly severe, the symptoms can worsen. Then, for example, swelling of the throat occurs in connection with allergic asthma . It can even lead to nausea, stomach pain and vomiting. Hives are also a symptom of an animal dander allergy.
Diagnosis: animal dander allergy
If you suspect an allergy to animal hair, you can contact your dermatologist or an allergist. In practice, a so-called skin prick test and a radio-allergo-sorbent test (RAST)instead of. The doctor drips various solutions with allergens onto the skin on the inside of the forearm. In addition to the allergens, a positive and negative sample is also applied. These are used to assess an allergic reaction. The positive sample contains histamine and should always cause a reaction in the form of redness and hives. The negative sample is just saline and should show no reaction. The doctor then carefully pricks the top layer of skin with a prick lancet so that the allergens can get into the human organism. After 15 to 20 minutes, the test is evaluated by the doctor.
Tips and treatment options for pet dander allergies
If only short-term treatment of the allergy symptoms is desired, it is advisable to take medication, for example antihistamines. If a permanent treatment method is to remedy the situation, a so-called hyposensitization
is recommended . This is a specific immunotherapy of at least three years. This therapy is particularly advisable if contact with the allergens cannot be avoided for any reason or if you have particularly severe symptoms. Ideally, a complete disappearance of the allergic symptoms can be achieved. However, an improvement in the quality of life is certain.
Besides, you should
animal dander allergy
“I don’t recommend buying animals as a preventative measure,” emphasizes Anja Schwalfenberg. On the other hand, “children of parents who have complaints do not automatically have an increased risk of allergies. There is no reason to limit animal husbandry.”
- Wash hands thoroughly after each contact with the allergy-causing animal or the allergen
- Comb and wash your own animals as often as possible
- Strictly exclude animals from your bedroom
- Remove dust traps such as carpets from the apartment
- vacuum daily with a powerful vacuum cleaner to prevent exposure to allergens.
