What You Should Know About Dog and Cat Allergies

If you are an animal lover but also have allergies then there are certain bits of information you should arm yourself with. Various studies and research have gone into dog and car allergies; we look at what researchers have found. It could well shed light on your situation.

Cats more likely to cause allergies than dogs

Dog-and-Cat-AllergiesAn estimated 10% of people could be allergic to dogs, cats and other household pets. But according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology cat allergies are twice as common as dog allergies.

It is a protein found on cat skin that is known to trigger allergies. These protein molecules are so miniscule and so light that they stay airborne for far longer that the allergens that dogs produce. The cat allergen is also sticky so that it tends to adhere to clothing, linen and so on, causing problems even in the absence of the pet.

Pet allergens are everywhere

The fact that pet allergens can be transported on clothing, in cars and so on, they can spread to many different areas even where no dogs and cats are actually present. And the presence of dander varies depending upon the proportion of pet owning families in a given community.

Communities that have higher proportions of pets have higher concentrations of these allergens. So even if you don’t own a pet yourself, living in a community with lots of pets could be triggering if you have an allergy.

Cat allergy vaccine could be on anvil

Researchers have been working on a vaccine that could help people get over cat allergies. Currently, those who are allergic to cats can either avoid being near felines or they can get treated for their allergy by getting shots over several years to build up tolerance.

Now this new vaccine which is still in the testing stages, offers hope to cat lovers. Researchers have successfully identified and isolated the protein that is known to cause allergic reactions. Then synthetic versions of the protein, called peptides were developed by the researchers, which will help reduce allergic reactions.

The testing that has taken place so far has been able to determine that the vaccine is safe. No serious side effects of the vaccine were noted .Further testing is now ongoing to try and decide what theoptimum dosage of this vaccine should be.



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