For many people, cute four-legged friends are an integral part of their lives. But what if the hairs of the cute little animals stimulate your immune system to perform at its best and trigger allergic reactions in you?
There is a misconception that the animal hair is often to blame for the allergic reaction. Most people, however, often react to the components of the saliva or the sweat of the respective animal when they are allergic to animal hair.
But what can you do if you have a pet allergy? Which animals are suitable for allergy sufferers and how do you notice that you have a pet allergy?
You can read more about it below.
What is a pet allergy?
The pet allergy is also often called Animal hair allergy designated. Most of those affected do not have an allergic reaction to the animal hair, but rather to the components of saliva or sweat, for example. The animal’s sebum or urine is also partly to blame for your allergic reactions.
This is due to the fact that the particles adhere to the animal’s hair. For this reason, this form of allergy is often referred to as an animal hair allergy.
The symptoms are different for everyone. Most of the time, however, those affected suffer from symptoms such as irritated eyes or mucous membranes. Often the nose itches too. Direct contact with the animal therefore triggers an allergic reaction in many people.
How do I know that I have an allergy?
The symptoms are fundamentally different for every person. Usually, however, the first symptoms appear when you first come into contact with your four-legged friend.
If you have a pet allergy, it often doesn’t matter which animal you are allergic to. The symptoms of a pet hair allergy are usually very similar.
Classic symptoms of a pet allergy include a cough or scratchy throat. But also sneezing, runny nose and watery or burning eyes are not uncommon.
In rare cases, a pet allergy can even lead to shortness of breath. Some people also suffer from allergic rashes.
One of the most effective treatment options is to avoid contact with pets altogether. Your doctor can also prescribe various medications that can help relieve symptoms of the allergy in an emergency.
These include, for example, antihistamines, but also adrenaline spray for inhalation.
Most people also suffer from an allergy to cats. They are closely followed by horses, but also cows, guinea pigs and golden hamsters.
How do you know if you are allergic to cats?
The immune system of many people with a pet allergy becomes allergic as soon as the animal is nearby. Many people suffer from a cat hair allergy. However, they are actually not allergic to cat hair, but to certain components in the cat’s saliva.
Children who develop a cat hair allergy at an early age are often prone to asthma as they grow older.
Cats are also one of the animals that most people are allergic to.
But why are so many people allergic to cat hair? Cats are very clean animals. They have a very pronounced cleaning behavior. As a result, they spread the relevant allergens.
What cleanliness means to the cat can lead to a nasty allergic reaction for you. By licking the fur, the cat transports tiny particles of the allergen to the outside of the fur. Because most cats lose a lot of hair, the particles are also released into the ambient air.
So-called salivary proteins can be found in the fur itself. These are bound by house dust and can therefore stay in the apartment for months.
If you suffer from a cat hair allergy, you are not actually reacting to the animal itself, but rather to the protein molecules contained in the cat’s saliva.
In addition to cats, pets such as guinea pigs or golden hamsters, but also horses, are more common triggers for an animal hair allergy. The dangerous thing about the pet allergy is the risk of developing asthma or other health problems.
Which animals are suitable for allergy sufferers?
Are you allergic, but still a great animal lover? In the case of a pet allergy, the most important thing is the breed of the animal. Some animals spread more allergens, others less.
The Siberian long-haired cat, but also the Balinese cat, are ideal for allergy sufferers, as they hardly spread allergens. Find out which breeds of allergy sufferers are friendly.
Also, just because you now have an allergy to animal hair doesn’t mean you will have it for the rest of your life. An allergy to pet hair can go away on its own over time.
A dog hair allergy is generally less common, but it does happen every now and then. That is why there are now many so-called allergen-free dogs. The poodle, for example, is said to be completely free of allergens. In principle, animals with less or short hair trigger significantly fewer allergies than animals with long hair.
In most cases, the skin flakes are to blame for the allergy. These stick to animals with long hair, in particular, and thus spread throughout the entire environment. Substances found in the animal’s faeces or urine can also trigger allergies in many people. Many people suffer from allergies, especially when they are changing their coat.
Animals that have less hair lose less hair and are therefore better suited for allergy sufferers. If you suffer from a pet allergy, it is also worth it if you do not have carpets in the apartment. The animal hair can also accumulate in it for a long time.
If you suffer from an allergy but still live with an animal, you should also be meticulous about cleanliness. Also, avoid letting your pet go into the bedroom. This way you can prevent the possible allergens from entering the room and sleep relaxed at night.
Pet alternatives for allergy sufferers
If you suffer from a severe pet allergy, living with an animal is out of the question for you, as your symptoms may even worsen in the end.
Having a pet in the house is still something very nice for many people. Keeping birds, for example, is great for people who have a pet allergy. Canaries in particular, but also parakeets, have an extremely low risk of triggering an allergy.
It is best to keep the feathered animals as a couple. In birds, the allergens are mainly in the feathers. In addition, if you keep the birds in a cage, they will rarely come into contact with your surroundings. Accordingly, the allergens cannot be distributed.
You can wear gloves when cleaning the cage. This way you specifically avoid the allergens and can enjoy the joy of your pets unhindered.
In particular, if you choose a singing or even speaking bird, you will quickly find out what a great enrichment these animals are.
