Content provided by British Council
[1] Pets are great. You can play, cuddle and go for walks with them. They also help against loneliness. But not everyone can enjoy having pets. Some people are allergic to cats, dogs and other creatures, and this can cause severe physical reactions. Allergies to dogs and cats affect 10 to 20 per cent of the population worldwide, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. But not everything you hear about allergies is true. Here are three common misconceptions.
The fur is the problem
[2] Many people talk about an “animal hair allergy”, but this is a misunderstanding. “I think the term ‘animal allergy’ is better,” said Anja Schwalfenberg from the German Allergy and Asthma Association. This is because the animal hair is not the trigger for the overreaction of the immune system.
[3] Patients react to certain protein building blocks, that is, allergens. These are mainly found in the animal’s dander, but also in its saliva, urine and hair. For example, when a cat grooms itself, it spreads saliva containing allergens on its fur, which are released into the air.
An animal allergy is harmless
[4] There are different levels of allergic reaction, “from ... itching in the eyes and nose to death”, Thomas Fuchs said. He is an allergy specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Göttingen’s Medical Centre in Germany.
[5] Typical symptoms include itchy and/or watery eyes, itching and skin reactions, sneezing and a runny nose. “In extreme cases, you can no longer breathe,” Fuchs said. An allergic reaction does not always start immediately. “It can happen that you’re just standing on someone’s doorstep and you immediately start coughing – without realising that there’s a cat in the house,” he said. Animal allergies mainly affect patients who are otherwise prone to allergic diseases, such as hay fever, asthma or neurodermatitis.
Shorter fur is better
[6] Schwalfenberg said it is not the length of the hair that is responsible for triggering allergic reactions. In studies in which the allergen content of dog fur from different breeds was analysed, there were large variations even within the same breed. Allergy sufferers should keep their distance from male dogs in particular, as researchers have discovered that male dogs produce more allergens than females.
Source: dpa, June 9
