Allergies are often the reason why people deny themselves pets, even if they really love animals.
There is also an opinion that allergies occur specifically to animal fur, although this is not the case. An allergic reaction occurs to an animal's saliva, sweat, dander, urine, fluff, feathers and other waste products. All of them contain a specific protein - a glycoprotein, which is an allergen. It gets on the animal's fur and, along with it, spreads throughout the house, bringing suffering to the allergic owner.
Therefore, it is worth remembering that there are no absolutely hypoallergenic animals, especially cats and dogs. There are only precautions that will help not harm the allergy sufferer. And also several breeds with the lowest health risks.
Of course, in addition to cats and dogs, you can also have representatives of other types of animals that are safe. But not everyone is inclined towards fish and reptiles. The following animals can become companions of such people:
Rodents
In addition to chinchillas, you can get other rodents. Syrian hamsters, hairless guinea pigs, and decorative pigs are perfect. The advantage of such animals is that they are mostly kept in a cage and do not scatter their fur around the house. The territory of their life activity is limited to a special house, so the risk of encountering an allergen is significantly reduced. Still, cleaning the cage of such an animal should be entrusted to another family member who does not suffer from allergies.
How to protect yourself and avoid allergic reactions?
Those who have decided to get a pet, but are hesitant due to the possible development of an allergic reaction and increased asthma attacks, should adhere to the following recommendations.
- Purity.
In order to get rid of allergens in the air in a timely manner, you need to wet clean your apartment at least twice a week. You should regularly wash bed linen, clean soft surfaces of furniture and carpet, bathe and comb your pets. - Fertility
is the ability to reproduce. Spayed and neutered pets produce only a small amount of antigens, and therefore are safer for adults and children with allergies. - Feed.
As we wrote above, specialized animal food may contain substances that provoke allergies in humans. Try to feed your pets healthy and natural food. - Allergy.
Before bringing an animal into your home, visit an allergist and get the necessary tests to identify allergies, if any. Or specify what you may have an allergic reaction to. - Compatibility.
Regardless of the hypoallergenic breed of your future pet, it is always recommended to spend time with the animal before bringing it into your home. This will help determine whether the animal is compatible with your allergic and temperamental requirements. - Habitat.
Try to locate your pet's cage, basket, or sleeping place away from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system so that allergens spread more slowly throughout the house. Using an air purifier can help stop the spread of these allergens. The breather ventilation device can effectively purify the air from organic compounds present in pet dander and saliva, as well as remove larger dust particles. This will help many allergy owners feel more comfortable with their furry friends in the same space.
There is a place for an animal in every person’s home, which means that allergy sufferers should not deny themselves the pleasure of having their own animal at home. The main thing is to make the right choice!
Author: Polina Tarasova
Source
If a child with allergies asks to have a pet, do not rush to refuse him - choose a hypoallergenic pet together with your child.
Every child dreams of having a four-legged friend. But if the baby is allergic, such simple and innocent joy is not available to him. Parents, not wanting to risk the child’s health, remain adamant in the face of children’s tears and persuasion.
However, there are animals whose presence in the house will not harm a child suffering from allergies. Parents can safely get them without fear that after playing with a new pet in the evening, the child will wake up in the morning with a stuffy nose, cough and conjunctivitis.
Allergies to animal fur include nasal congestion, sore eyes, coughing and difficulty breathing.
Cats
As mentioned earlier, there are no absolutely non-allergenic animals. There are only those that produce fewer allergens. But if you don’t consider anyone other than cats as pets, then don’t believe in absolutely “harmless” breeds. The most common hypoallergenic cats are:
Sphinx
Hairless cat breeds, various types of sphinxes, have a specific appearance and require special care. These cats are believed to be very intelligent and love communication, and are also easy to train. Sphynx cats are very social, and some breeders claim that there is something dog-like in their behavior. Hairless cats are very sensitive to cold; you will have to maintain a certain temperature in the home so that it does not freeze. The Sphinx needs to be wiped every day with a damp cloth and not left in the bright rays of the sun, because it burns easily.
However, unlike their furry relatives, hairless cats sweat throughout their entire bodies. And allergies are mainly caused by the cat's sebaceous glands, which Sphynx cats have in abundance. Therefore, even though there will be no wool in the house, the sphinx will still be a distributor of that same protein, and in large quantities.
Cornish Rex
Cornish Rex cats have very short hair, but they do not have enough hair to absorb sebum like a normal cat. Therefore, these secretions can become a source of great concern for an allergy sufferer, as they contain the same protein. In principle, the same situation as with the Sphinx. But if you are allergic to wool, which is extremely rare, then these breeds will become excellent companions for such allergy sufferers.
Photo: cattime.com
Devon rex
But in the saliva and sweat of Devon Rex glycoprotein is maximally reduced. All Devon Rex cats have a sparse coat; hair rarely falls out, which means there is less spread of glycoprotein throughout the house.
Photo: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devon_Rex
Siberian cat
Siberian cat breed. Despite their thick and long hair, these cats are hypoallergenic. Wool reliably protects the penetration of glycoprotein from the sebaceous glands onto the surface of the coat, and the saliva of Siberians has a very small concentration of it.
Photo: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_cat
Russian blue
Cats are also hypoallergenic; their plush fur reduces the release of glycoprotein into the air. There is also very little of it in saliva.
In any case, before deciding to take a kitten home, an allergic person should spend at least a day in its company, no matter what breed it is. The following observations will also help:
- cats produce more allergens than cats;
- castrated animals are less allergic than non-castrated animals;
- kittens cause less allergic reaction than adult animals;
- Dark colored cats are four times more likely to cause sneezing, wheezing and allergic symptoms than light colored cats.
If you have allergies and decide to get a cat, you should establish the following rules in your home to reduce symptoms:
- Entrust all cat care to another family member, including cleaning the litter box, bathing the cat, trimming nails, etc.
- It is better to choose games without direct contact, using toys: ropes, balls and anything that your imagination allows. Such games are more popular with animals, develop them, and protect you from unwanted consequences.
- It’s still not possible to avoid touching the cat; you will definitely want to stroke and caress it. Therefore, after contact with an animal, be sure to wash your hands, and before that, do not touch your face or eyes.
- Wash your cat, rinsing its fur well. Since the cat's face contains the most glycoprotein, wash it carefully.
- Spay/neuter your cat.
- Wash your clothes often. Try not to use woolen items, giving preference to cotton ones.
- Wet clean your home with hot water as often as possible.
- Avoid heavy curtains, they are a trap for allergens and dust.
- You should not let your cat into the bedroom or bathroom; try to limit access to your clothes.
- Give your cat her own sleeping place.
- Try to reduce other allergens in the home, such as smoke, dust, mold, scented candles, chemicals, pollen, etc. The combination of different allergens causes more severe allergic reactions and asthma.
- Place the cat litter box in a well-ventilated place and change the litter often.
- Use good air purifiers.
- Talk to your doctor about treatment options or taking antiallergic medications.
Dogs and cats for allergy sufferers
Wool is considered to be the main culprit of allergies, although this is not always the case. Therefore, in addition to lizards and fish, people with allergies can often get a cat or dog. Scientists have developed hypoallergenic cat breeds: Sphynx, Devon Rex and Cornish Rex. In these breeds, due to the lack of wool, the percentage of distribution of waste products indoors is significantly reduced.
The best dog breeds for people with allergies include the Bichon Frize, Chinese Crested, Kerry Blue Terrier, Maltese, Poodle, Schnauzer, Irish Water Spaniel, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and Bedlington Terrier.
Hypoallergenic animals - which pets are suitable for allergy sufferers
July 29, 2020
It's so sad when you love animals but can't have a pet because of allergies.
According to health info, experts gave some advice on how to choose a pet and not harm your health.
It is important to remember that all animals produce some amount of allergen. This is mainly fur, saliva and sweat; the dust that accumulates in your pet’s fur coat is also dangerous.
Therefore, there are no absolutely hypoallergenic cats or dogs. But there are a number of breeds, with proper care for which their danger to an allergy sufferer can be significantly reduced.
Cats
The Bengal cat has a special coat that hardly sheds and does not require frequent licking, which reduces the amount of allergens such as fur and saliva of the animal.
The Devon Rex and Cornish Rex have a short coat of soft, fine hairs and hardly shed. You will just have to bathe your animals more often to get rid of their skin allergens in a timely manner.
Siberian and Blue Russian cats do not have short hair. However, their saliva contains much less Fel d 1 protein, which causes allergies in humans.
Hairless cat breeds have no hair at all and will not cause problems with shedding. However, do not forget to bathe and lubricate the animal’s skin with special oil more often.
Dogs
The Mexican Hairless (Xoloitzcuintle or Xolo) and the Chinese Crested are safer for allergy sufferers primarily due to the lack of hair. But, as in the case of hairless cats, such dogs need to take water treatments more often.
The group of terriers and schnauzers has a hard and long coat that practically does not shed.
Shih Tzus and poodles may also not cause allergies, especially if you take them to the dog grooming salon regularly.
Exotic
Perhaps the safest for allergy sufferers are fish. But only if you feed them live food. Dry industrial is made from dried crustaceans - Daphnia or Gammarus, which can cause allergic reactions in humans.
Turtles and reptiles such as lizards and chameleons are hypoallergenic. They do not sweat, do not shed, and do not lick themselves. However, damp wood and foliage in a terrarium can become a breeding ground for fungi, which also cause an allergic reaction in humans. Therefore, careful care of the pet’s habitat is necessary.
Hairless guinea pigs and sphynx rats look quite exotic, but as with hairless cats and dogs, they are safe for allergy sufferers.
If you still love furry animals, then you should think about a chinchilla. She has almost no sebaceous and sweat glands, and she does not shed. The only drawback of chinchillas is their nocturnal lifestyle.
Based on materials from: AdMe.ru
