Dog allergies - causes

Can you be allergic to dog hair?
Dog allergies occur due to increased sensitivity of the immune system to certain, usually harmless proteins that are found in the animal's saliva, urine, epithelium and sebaceous glands.

Many people mistakenly believe that they are allergic to dog hair, but contrary to popular belief, it is not the dog's hair itself that causes allergies, but the proteins that are found on it.

The main antigen that causes allergies is Can f 1. When it comes into contact with the mucous membranes and bronchi of a person, it can provoke the development of an allergic reaction.

Dogs and cats produce different proteins, but some of them are similar in structure, which is why some people who are allergic to dogs have a reaction to cats. This phenomenon is called cross allergy.

Why are there allergies to dogs?

Reasons for appearance

The reason for the occurrence of an allergic reaction is the hypersensitivity of the immune system to irritating substances. The wool itself causes allergies quite rarely; the main allergens are: drool, urine, secretions, feces, as well as dead epidermal cells that remain on the hair of animals.

The human body, taking allergens as a probable danger, tries to protect itself from them by all possible methods. Protective antibodies enter the bloodstream to “fight” the irritant. As a result, symptoms of allergies to various breeds of dogs may appear: the patient begins to cough and sneeze, and tears may appear. Thus, it turns out that an allergy is an excessive “concern” of the immune system for the body, which always triggers when a source of irritation is present nearby.

Often, an allergy to animals can occur due to the following factors:

• Late “acquaintance” with allergens. The earlier a person begins to come into contact with animals, the lower the risk of developing an allergy to dogs, since selective lymphocytes have time to develop protection against these allergens. Therefore, allergies in children occur much less frequently.
• Heredity, and parents and children can be irritated by completely different allergens.
• Various viruses that remain in the human body forever, for example, fungus or herpes.
• A serious illness, as the body becomes exhausted and weakened.

An allergic reaction can occur not only to dog fur, but also to special food or filler or shampoo that the patient has touched.

In fact, there is no answer to the question: “How to cure dog allergies completely,” since all existing methods are only auxiliary ways to eliminate the exacerbation of the reaction. Even allergen-specific immunotherapy will not give a 100% result if there is a pet at home that can cause such irritation.

Allergy symptoms

Symptoms of a dog allergy include:

1. The skin begins to itch and redden, the body becomes covered with various types of rashes, especially on the face and chest. This often happens when the patient is bitten or licked by an animal.
2. The condition of the respiratory tract worsens. This is expressed in constant sneezing and coughing, nasal discharge, as well as nasal congestion. It becomes difficult for a person to breathe, and wheezing may be heard from the lungs.
3. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, headaches occur, and hearing deteriorates.
4. The eyes become red, itchy, and irritated, and may produce tears.

In order to confirm an allergy to domestic or street dogs, you need to pass a radioallergosorbent test. However, there may be nuances here: despite the fact that the test for dog allergies showed good results, it happens that intolerance is caused by mold or pollen that the pet brought from a walk.

Allergy to dog hair is especially dangerous in young children, since during this period there is a very high risk of developing bronchial asthma, which is difficult to treat. It is difficult for a child to understand why he is forbidden to play, touch or approach a pet, so parents should be constantly on guard. As often as possible, you need to bathe your baby, wash his clothes and clean the apartment.

How does a dog allergy manifest?

Symptoms manifest differently for everyone: an allergy can develop immediately upon contact with an animal (immediate type of allergic reaction) or several days later (delayed type).

Allergens can be in the air or on the clothes of pet owners, so an allergic reaction can occur even with indirect contact with an allergen, for example, at a party or in public places: kindergartens, schools, offices, public transport, etc.

Allergy symptoms depend on how the interaction with the allergen occurred. If it gets on the mucous membrane of the eyes, redness, burning and itching in the eyes occurs - allergic conjunctivitis develops.

Allergy to dog (photo)

Inhalation or settling of the allergen on the nasal mucosa can cause irritation of the respiratory tract, causing symptoms reminiscent of hay fever: watery nasal discharge, frequent sneezing, swelling of the pharyngeal mucosa, leading to coughing, difficulty swallowing and sore throat.

Skin manifestations of allergies are expressed in the form of redness and swelling of the skin, urticaria or itchy blisters on the face, neck, chest or arms, Quincke's edema.

In rare cases, dog allergens can trigger asthma attacks, which can cause difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.

In severe cases, anaphylactic shock is possible, which threatens a person’s life, during which a sharp drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness occurs.

Allergies in dogs: symptoms

In order to diagnose a food allergy, a special diagnosis is carried out, which is called an elimination diet. At first, foods that are part of the dog’s usual diet are removed from the dog’s diet, and then they are gradually returned. After this, the dog’s owner looks at which product was administered when the relapse occurred. Most often, this diet is introduced with full confidence that the dog does not have fleas, scabies mites, and other pathogens that provoke severe itching and hair loss in certain places.

Allergies in dogs, symptoms:

• Allergies in four-legged friends manifest themselves in the same way as in people. Usually this is redness of the eyes, discharge of a large amount of mucus from the nose and mouth, rashes, redness, and severe itching.
• In general, the dog may feel quite unwell and may feel unwell. However, the temperature remains normal.
• Typically, allergy rashes appear on the face, ears, and in the folds of the skin, under the paws. Often redness and pimples appear in these areas, which the dog may scratch.

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Cute dogs

Allergy to dogs in children

Allergies to dogs in newborns may occur due to a hereditary tendency. If one or both parents had allergic diseases, the probability that the child will be allergic to a dog is 50%.

Carrying out preventive measures can reduce the risk of allergies in newborns.

The symptoms that occur in a baby are varied: itchy rashes all over the body, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, wheezing while breathing, eczema - a painful inflammation of the skin.

Allergy to a dog in an infant (photo)

In rare cases, a baby may experience Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock, which is life-threatening. In this case, emergency medical attention is required.

If a child suffered from a dog allergy as a child, this does not mean that he will continue to react to it in adulthood. The children's immune system is very vulnerable, so once its formation is completed, the child manages to get rid of it.

How to get rid of dog allergies?

If you have an allergy to pets, you should consult a doctor - an allergist, who will take an anamnesis and, based on it, prescribe laboratory tests and skin testing, and also determine the appropriate treatment.

Skin testing is carried out by applying allergens to the skin of the hand, which is then pricked with a special lancet. If the skin turns red at the puncture site and an itchy blister forms, the reaction to the allergen is positive.

Prick test

This method allows you to assess the body's reaction to suspected allergens within 20 minutes. Contraindications for this procedure include age under 5 years.

A laboratory allergy test is also carried out: the blood is tested for the presence of antibodies (immunoglobulin E), an elevated level of which indicates the presence of an allergy. This method can be used to diagnose allergies, both in an adult with increased sensitivity of the immune system, and in a small child, as it completely eliminates the occurrence of complications in the form of allergic reactions.

Where to get tested? You can get tested for allergies to dogs either in clinics with a referral from an allergist, or on your own in medical centers.

How to test for dog allergies

To correctly determine the allergen, the doctor prescribes a skin test and a blood test. The concentration of antibodies in the blood is measured and appropriate conclusions are drawn. After such tests, you need to visit an allergist, and he will prescribe the appropriate treatment. Even if the patient knows for sure that he is allergic to a dog, blood donation and other tests will still be required. After all, during a walk, a pet can bring pollen and other substances onto its skin, and then the allergen will be different.

Can F1 is an antigen that causes an unusual reaction in animals. It is very stable and volatile. Therefore, it can remain in the air for a long time after the source of allergy has been removed from the room.

The analysis is carried out if it is not possible to conduct a skin test on the patient. For example, skin tests are prohibited for children under 5 years of age. They are also not performed on patients with skin diseases.

No special preparation is required to conduct such a study. It can be carried out even while taking antihistamines. But it should be remembered that while taking hormonal medications, test results may be inaccurate, so tests are not recommended in this case.

Research results:

• if the indicator is less than 0.35 kU/L, then there is no allergy to the dog,
• if the test value is from 0.35 to 0.69 kU/L, then the likelihood of disease cannot be excluded,
• if the indicator is from 0.7 to 3.49 kU/L, then there is a high probability of allergies.

How to cure dog allergies?

Allergy to dog epithelium (and other allergens) is currently treated with the only effective method - allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT).

The essence of the therapy is the injection of allergens under a person’s skin or under the tongue (sublingual). Treatment begins with a small dose, which is gradually increased to the maximum value determined by the allergist. The course can take a long time – up to 3 years.

Sublingual ASIT

Drug treatment is used to relieve symptoms but not cure the disease. To eliminate the main manifestations of allergies, such as runny nose, lacrimation and skin rashes caused by the action of histamine, antihistamines are used in the form of tablets and drops, for example Zodak, Cetrin, Naphthyzin, etc.

You can get rid of allergic skin itching by topical application of an antihistamine or corticosteroid (hormonal) ointment to the skin: Fenistil, Hydrocortisone, etc.

What can you give your dog for allergies?

Before determining what your dog is allergic to, you should consult a doctor. If the owner suspects a food allergy, then it is necessary to use the food exclusion method. After this, the doctor examines for bites and evaluates the rash. In any case, it is necessary to exclude infection with scabies mites and other parasites to which an allergic reaction may occur. Oddly enough, but dogs most often develop allergies to flea bites, dust and pollen.

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What can you give your dog for allergies:

• There should be no allergy to household dust and bed mites, so it is often classified as atopic dermatitis. Living with such animals is quite difficult, since it is necessary to get rid of all rugs and sources of dust.
• In addition, it is necessary to frequently clean the floor with a damp cloth to remove dust. This type of allergy is difficult to diagnose because it is almost impossible to determine what the dog is allergic to.
• The fact is that atopy is often mixed with food allergies, thereby creating a crossover. It is quite difficult to treat, so it is necessary to fully find out what caused the body’s reaction.
• Antihistamines are administered to treat an allergic reaction. However, in most cases, the main treatment for an allergic reaction is to eliminate contact with the allergen.
• That is, it is a kind of prevention, and at the same time treatment. Foods that cause an allergic reaction are simply excluded from the menu.

Dog itching

Preventive actions

Allergy to a dog - what to do?

If you keep your pet in an apartment or house, you should minimize contact with allergens in the following ways:

• Carry out wet cleaning at least once a week.

• Get rid of (or vacuum daily) carpets and other dust collectors, as settled allergens are found in high concentrations on them.

• Use an air purifier and vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

• Wash and brush your dog weekly.

• Keep the room locked: Do not allow your dog to enter the bedroom (or nursery) or sleep on the bed.

• Always wash your hands with soap after handling an animal.

• If you are allergic to a dog's saliva, do not let it lick you.

• If the dog lives inside the house, try to move it to a kennel outside.

Prevention measures

If there is no possibility or desire to give up keeping a dog, you can reduce allergic manifestations using the following measures:

1. Do wet cleaning 1-3 times a week.
2. Constantly ventilate all rooms.
3. Use special air purifiers.
4. Wash your dog every week.
5. Regularly comb out excess fluff and thoroughly comb the animal's fur.
6. Do not allow the dog to enter the bedroom or sleep on the bed.
7. Remove carpets and other dust containers from your home to minimize the amount of allergens that settle.
8. Wash your hands with soap after each contact with an animal.
9. Do not allow your pet to lick your face and hands.
10. Compliance with these simple rules helps reduce the concentration of aggressive allergens in the home environment.

While walking with your animal, try to limit its interaction with other pets. This will help prevent other people's allergens from entering your dog's body.

What dog breeds do not cause allergies?

Allergy-free dogs are an allergy sufferer's dream. However, unfortunately, there are no hypoallergenic dog breeds. But there is an opinion that short-haired dogs cause allergic reactions more often than long-haired dogs. This is due to the fact that smooth-haired dogs shed almost all year round, and therefore pose the greatest danger. However, if a person is allergic to animal saliva, any breed of dog is not suitable for him to keep.

Which dogs are not allergic?

Symptoms

Depending on the disease that caused the itching, different accompanying symptoms will be observed. If your dog scratches his ears and whines, this is a clear sign that he is in pain. This can even lead to attacks of aggression, especially when a person touches a sore spot. Pain in the ears and jaws when chewing often accompanies otitis media. The animal also tilts its head to the side, thereby reducing the pressure inside the ear.

Infectious otitis media occurs with fever, weakness, and loss of appetite. The auricle turns red and becomes hot, a putrid odor emanates from it, and the ear canal becomes covered with purulent crusts. If your pet has otitis media or internal otitis media, his hearing will begin to deteriorate, which may result in complete hearing loss. An allergic reaction is indicated by constant scratching of the ears and eyelids after contact with an allergen. With allergic eczema, small bubbles with liquid contents form in the ears.

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If a dog scratches its ears until it bleeds, shakes its head and bends it towards the ground, this indicates unbearable itching, caused by a tick. With this disease, a dark liquid is released from the ears, which quickly dries out and forms crusts, and on the outer side of the auricle the fur thins and wounds from scratching appear.