About Pet Allergies

Colleen F Finnegan asked:


What causes pet allergies? The primary agents are proteins produced in the hair, feathers, fur, urine, saliva, and feces of pets. These proteins can stimulate a wide and uncomfortable variety of symptoms in sufferers.

Pet allergies can spring up all at once, or they can evolve over months or years. A new cat owner, for instance, may suffer no allergy symptoms until six months after introducing a pet to her apartment. It’s important not to jump to conclusions about the cause of symptoms.

Many environmental and physiological factors can produce “pet allergy like” symptoms. You may be allergic to other substances (e.g. pollen, mold, poison ivy, certain foods, climatic variations, and even stress) or suffer a medical condition like influenza, eczema, lupus, or chronic fatigue syndrome.

The best way to settle the diagnosis is to discuss the matter with your doctor. He or she can perform a range of tests (including skin and blood tests) aimed at pin pointing triggers. Be aware that allergies can often be comorbid with other conditions. To relieve symptoms, you will need to treat all triggers.

Symptoms of Pet Allergies

Pet allergies can present in vastly different ways in different patients. Some sufferers may experience eczema, nettle shaped rashes, and other skin blotches. Others may get asthma or other bronchial problems. Still others may present with full-on “hay fever like” symptoms, such as watery eyes, runny nose, headache, and congestion.

Symptoms can also vary in how, when, and how intensely they present, and individuals can respond to allergens in their environments differently at different times. For instance, let’s say you’re allergic to dogs. During one encounter with a golden retriever, you may develop hay fever symptoms and difficulty breathing. Several weeks later, you can encounter the same golden retriever, and this time, you may experience an allergic rash but no hay fever symptoms.

Allergic symptoms can create secondary health problems as well. Pet allergy sufferers are statistically more likely to develop ear infections, insomnia, and the common cold. Moreover, if left untreated, these symptoms can impede one’s ability to travel, visit friends, or even go shopping.

Notwithstanding all of these negative symptoms, a surprising number of Americans “work through” their symptoms just to have the joy of spending time with their favorite companions. Approximately two millions Americans, according to one study, keep cats even though they are allergic to them.

What Makes Pet Allergies Worse?

Just because you have a pet allergy doesn’t mean that you can’t be allergic to other things in your environment. Indeed, your allergy symptoms can be exacerbated by a whole host of environmental factors, such as cigarette smoke, pollen, dust in the air, and even your diet. If you don’t stay in shape by running, eating well, sleeping enough, limiting your stress, and avoiding excess consumption of drugs, alcohol, and caffeine, you can make your symptoms worse. Some studies even suggest that non-allergic pet owners who lead unhealthy lives put themselves at risk of developing allergies to their pets down the line.

How to Treat Pet Allergies

Fortunately for pet allergy sufferers, solutions abound. The simplest but in some ways saddest solution is to avoid pets entirely (or at least the pets which trigger your allergy symptoms). Thankfully, there are intermediate solutions you can try before parting with Fido or Mittens.

Taking allergy shots can prevent symptoms from developing. Minimize exposure in your environment by cleaning your house of pet dander particles or setting up a HEPA filter to circulate the air and eliminate pet allergens.

Shop for so-called low allergy pets, such as shorthaired cats or “low allergy” dogs like Bichon Frisé’s. If you can wrangle your pet for regular baths, you can reduce the amount of pet dander that will circulate in your house. Also, make sure to keep your pet healthy and active — studies suggest that pets that are confined can become more allergenic over time.

If you’re “super allergic” to pets and you need to visit someone who owns an animal which triggers your symptoms, wear a mask, and/or bring medications to control symptoms. Finally, declare an “allergy free zone” in your house. You may be able to control your symptoms simply by staying out of rooms your pet occupies regularly.

Medications to Control Symptoms

You can find over-the-counter and prescribed antihistamines to control symptoms, and corticosteroids and/or bronchodilators can be effective as well. You can also try over-the-counter topicals, such as eye-drops, nasal sprays, creams, and even non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Finally, it is possible to build up tolerances to pet dander through a program of controlled exposure over time. You may want to speak with an allergy specialist to come up with a comprehensive treatment plan. If you’re really allergic to a certain type of animal, make sure to carry emergency medication on your person in the event that you encounter that animal, since you may not have time to get to medical help before severe symptoms set in.



Mary

Evelyn Lim asked:


Do you suspect that you have a pet allergy? You may have noticed that your eyes would get watery or you would wheeze every time you play with your cat or dog in your room. Your pet may be a new pet or you may already have had it for some years now. Either way, you just do not feel good after being near it.

At the same time, even though you have actually determined that you have a pet allergy, you simply cannot bring yourself to part with it. You have grown so attached to it that it is impossible to give it away.

To help decide if you should keep your pet or not, there are some factors that you need to consider. First, you need to understand what your pet allergy is about. A pet allergy does not mean that you are allergic to your cat or dog per se. It is the animal skin dander that you are allergic to. The dander is what will trigger the itchy, water eyes, sneezing, and affect the nasal passage. You may be just a little affected by your pet allergy or your symptoms can also be extremely severe.

If you wish to keep your pet, a conventional treatment is to use drugs to keep your allergic reactions under control. You may obtain pet allergy medication either over the counter or via a prescription from your doctor. If you are near your pet everyday, you may have to take medications everyday. However, this is hardly a desirable situation as drug medications can bring about side effects. You may not have realized this but taking drug medications on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time would take a toll on your health.

There are other ways to help reduce your pet allergy symptoms. Keeping your cat or dog out of your room and washing your hands after playing with it are some things that you can do.

Developing a pet allergy is pretty common. It is often said that your risk to getting a pet allergy is reduced if you have been exposed to a cat or dog at an early age. However, this is often debated on many forums and stands to be disputed.

If you decide to keep your dog or cat, then consider what you need to do to keep your pet allergy symptoms under control. If you have severe pet allergy symptoms despite taking preventative measures, then you may need to prioritize what you consider as important - your health or your pet.



Ricardo

John asked:


Summer is a time when we all dream about vacations and relaxing somewhere warm but at that time allergies are also kicking in. If pay attention to statistics we will discover that human allergies multiply by several fold during this season. One more concerning fact is that along with human allergies dog allergies also tend to grow during this season. Approximately 20 % of all the dogs suffer from allergies and this number are on the rise. Just like us humans, animals also suffer from allergies due to changes in the environment.

 General dog allergies are triggered by flea bites, pollen, tobacco smoke, certain foods, and even other pets also have a strong influence in your pets allergies. Generally dogs between 6 months to 3 years are prone to these diseases, these symptoms do appear to be seasonal at first, but over time they become chronic. Just like in humans, dog allergies are an inherited trait & lifelong disease.

If your dog is expecting puppies and her current health status has been affected by allergies, it is also possible for the puppies to inherit such condition. According to a study, we can also determine that allergies can be breed specific, and some breeds are more prone to allergy compared to others. Boxers Terriers & Shih-Tzu’s are more prone to allergies compared to others. General allergy observed is skin disease. Itching & scratching in dogs is nothing short of a nightmare for the pet owners. Just imagine due to this situation pet owners suffer a lot then how much the dog that is undergoing real suffering will be!

 We, as human beings can talk to doctors, take medicines and such but your pet is in a very tough situation as him/her can only feel the itch/pain and then scratch, bite & lick, actions that can lead to a more aggravated situation if not taken seriously. If your dog is itching & scratching continuously then it is primarily important to find out the cause of the itch. This can be quite difficult. During this period dog’s skin becomes very itchy, irritated & red in color. Scientific name for this skin disease is atomic dermatitis & it can be widespread over the dog’s body, or may be just limited to some portion of the body; generally belly, face, rump, groin etc.

This intense chewing & scratching culminates into heavy hair loss & inflamed areas of the skin which generally leads to secondary infections. Testing will definitely let you know which allergen have caused to suffer your dear dog. After going through dog’s clinical history & environmental surroundings, your vet doc may tell you to go through the dog’s blood test, to identify your pet’s allergy. Initially your vet will take a sample blood from your dog & will send it for laboratory testing.

 Serum is tested for allergies pertaining to grass, weed specific to the geographic areas as well as to other important allergens such as dust mite, mold, cat dander, food & insects. Generally, the vet can treat your dog allergy through immunotherapy. Depending upon the laboratory findings and blood test your vet can provide you with an immunotherapy treatment kit which is specific to your dog’s individual allergies. Immunotherapy is really an effective treatment which it helps to build your dog’s immunity.



Fernando

rozybb asked:


I volunteer at an animal sanctuary, but my allergies are getting in the way. They have a ton of cats, plus a few dogs, etc. I’ve taken loratadine and cetirizine before, but is there anything more effective (apart from shots) ?

Leslie

lola7737 asked:


i have adopted most of my pets and i dont see why they were given up. my lovebird is a sweet heart and the only quiet bird i have, my parakeets are noisy but not too noisy and my conure is agressive but not enough to give him up. i know the people that gave them away owned their own home and had no allergies, because they kept their other pets, so what would make you give up your pet?

Calvin

WoodCreek Pet Products asked:


Fleas

Flea Basics

Fleas thrive when the weather is warm and humid. Depending on your climate, fleas may be a seasonal or year-round problem. Your pet can pick up fleas wherever an infestation exists, often in areas frequented by other cats and dogs. Adult fleas are dark brown, no bigger than a sesame seed, and able to move rapidly over your pet’s skin.

Adult fleas live their entire lives on your pet. Female fleas begin laying eggs within 24 hours of selecting your pet as a host, producing up to 50 eggs each day. These eggs fall from your pet onto the floor or furniture, including your pet’s bed, or onto any other indoor or outdoor area where your pet happens to go. Tiny, worm-like larvae hatch from the eggs and burrow into carpets, under furniture, or into soil before spinning a cocoon. The cocooned flea pupae can lie dormant (inactive) for weeks before emerging as adults that are ready to infest (or reinfest) your pet. The result is a flea life cycle of anywhere from 12 days to 6 months.

Risks and Consequences

You may not know that your pet has fleas until their number increases to the point that your pet is obviously uncomfortable. Signs of flea problems range from mild redness to severe scratching that can lead to open sores and skin infections. One of the first things you may notice on a pet with fleas is “flea dirt” — the black flea droppings left on your pet’s coat.

Fleas bite animals and suck their blood; young or small pets with heavy flea infestations may become anemic. Some pets can develop an allergy to flea saliva that may result in more severe irritation and scratching. Also, pets can become infected with certain types of tapeworms if they ingest fleas carrying tapeworm eggs. In areas with moderate to severe flea infestations, people may also be bitten by fleas. While fleas are capable of transmitting several other infectious diseases to pets and people, this is rare.

Treatment and Control

Your veterinarian will recommend an appropriate flea control plan for your pet based upon your needs and the severity of the flea infestation.

Fleas spend a lot of their time off of your pet and in the environment. In addition to treating your pet, reduce the flea population in your house by thoroughly cleaning your pet’s sleeping quarters and vacuuming floors and furniture that your pet comes in contact with frequently. Careful and regular vacuuming/cleaning of the pet’s living area helps to remove and kill flea eggs, larvae, and pupae. You may also have to treat your house with insecticides to kill the fleas; consult with your veterinarian about products safe for use around pets and children.

With moderate and severe flea infestations, you may be advised to treat your yard in addition to treating the inside of your home. Your veterinarian can recommend an appropriate course of action and suggest ways to prevent future flea infestations.

Ticks

Tick Basics

Hosting a tick is the price dogs or, less commonly, cats may pay for investigating shrubbery, brush, or wild undergrowth. Ticks have a four-stage life cycle, and immature ticks often feed on small, wild animals found in forests, prairies, and brush. Adult ticks seek larger hosts like dogs and cats who venture into these habitats. Tick exposure may be seasonal, depending on geographic location.

Risks and Consequences

Ticks are most often found around your dog’s neck, in the ears, in the folds between the legs and the body, and between the toes. Cats may have ticks on their neck or face. Tick bites can cause skin irritation and heavy infestations can cause anemia in pets. Ticks are also capable of spreading serious infectious diseases (such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and others) to the pets and the people on which they feed. Disease risk varies by geographic area and tick species.

Treatment and Control

Prompt removal of ticks is very important because it lessens the chance of disease transmission from the tick to your pet. Remove ticks by carefully using tweezers to firmly grip the tick as close to the pet’s skin as possible and gently pulling the tick free without twisting it. After removing the tick, crush it while avoiding contact with tick fluids that can carry disease. Do not attempt to smother the tick with alcohol or petroleum jelly, or apply a hot match to it, as this may cause the tick to regurgitate saliva into the wound, increasing the risk of disease.

Pets at risk for ticks should be treated during the tick season with an appropriate tick preventative. Your veterinarian can recommend a product best suited to your pet’s needs. Owners who take their pets to tick-prone areas during camping, sporting, or hiking trips should examine their pets for ticks immediately upon returning home and remove them from their pets. If your pet picks up ticks in your backyard, trimming bushes and removing brush may reduce your pet’s exposure to tick habitats.

Ear Mites

Mite Basics

Ear mites are common in young cats and dogs, and generally confine themselves to the ears and surrounding area. Mites are tiny and individual mites may be seen only with the aid of a microscope. Your pet can pick up ear mites by close contact with an infested pet or its bedding.

Risks and Consequences

Ear mites can cause intense irritation of the ear canal. Signs of ear mite infestation include excessive head shaking and scratching of the ears. Your pet may scratch to the point that it creates bleeding sores around its ears. A brown or black ear discharge is common with ear mite infections.

Treatment and Control

Treatment of ear mites involves thorough ear cleaning and medication. Your veterinarian can recommend an effective treatment plan.

Sarcoptic Mange Mites

Mite Basics

Microscopic sarcoptic mange mites cause sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies. Sarcoptic mange mites affect dogs of all ages, during any time of the year. Sarcoptic mange mites are highly contagious to other dogs and may be passed by close contact with infested animals, bedding, or grooming tools.

Risks and Consequences

Sarcoptic mange mites burrow through the top layer of the dog’s skin and cause intense itching. Clinical signs include generalized hair loss, a skin rash, and crusting. Skin infections may develop secondary to the intense irritation. People who come in close contact with an affected dog may develop a skin rash and should see their physician.

Treatment and Control

Dogs with sarcoptic mange require medication to kill the mites and additional treatment to soothe the skin and resolve related infections. Cleaning and treatment of the dog’s environment is also necessary.

Demodectic Mange Mites

Mite Basics

Demodectic mange caused by demodectic mange mites is mainly a problem in dogs. Demodectic mange mites are microscopic, cigar-shaped, and not highly contagious. A mother dog, however, may pass the mites to her puppies.

Risks and Consequences

Localized demodectic mange tends to appear in young dogs as patches of scaly skin and redness around the eyes and mouth and, perhaps, the legs and trunk. Unlike other types of mange, demodectic mange may signal an underlying medical condition, and your pet’s overall health should be carefully evaluated. Less commonly, young and old dogs experience a generalized form of demodectic mange and can exhibit widespread patches of redness, hair loss, and scaly, thickened skin.

Treatment and Control

Your veterinarian will discuss treatment options with you. Treatment of dogs with localized demodectic mange generally results in favorable outcomes. Generalized demodectic mange (demodecosis), however, may be difficult to treat, and treatment may only control the condition, rather than cure it.

Important Points



Look for fleas, ticks, and coat abnormalities any time you groom your dog or cat or when you return home from areas that are likely to have higher numbers of these parasites.

See your veterinarian if your pet excessively scratches, chews, or licks its haircoat, or persistently shakes its head. These clinical signs may indicate the presence of external parasites or other conditions requiring medical care.

Prompt treatment of parasites lessens your pet’s discomfort, decreases the chances of disease transmission from parasite to pet, and may reduce the degree of home infestation.

Discuss the health of all family pets with your veterinarian when one pet becomes infested. Some parasites cycle among pets, making control of infestations difficult unless other pets are considered. Consult your veterinarian before beginning treatment.

Tell your veterinarian if you have attempted any parasite remedies, as this may impact your veterinarian’s recommendation.

Be especially careful when applying insecticides to cats, as cats are particularly sensitive to these products. Never use a product that is not approved for cats, as the results could be lethal.

Follow label directions carefully.

Leave treatment to the experts. Your veterinarian offers technical expertise and can assist you in identifying products that are most likely to effectively and safely control your pet’s parasite problem.



Allison

sydney_44110 asked:


3 year old male flashy reverse brindle boxer named Lennox, neutered, utd, potty trained and crate trained. Good with cats and pre-teens. He will knock the little ones down. High energy (loves to run). Would do best as an only dog but can get used to another. He is the alpha in our home and would do the best with a submissive companion. He is also micro chipped and walks good on a leash if he has a pinch collar.
He would be free with all of his belongings to the best candidate. Let me know if you are interested.

Ruben

Debbie Foster asked:


Are you allergic to your pet? Studies show that approximately 15% of us are allergic to dogs or cats. In fact, there’s an estimated 1/3 of Americans who live with a pet that we are allergic to. So strong is the bond to our furry family members that we’d rather suffer than be without them.

So what can we do to ease our suffering and keep our pet’s companionship? There are several steps we can take to reduce these allergy symptoms if you’re willing to do them. One is to use a HEPA air filtration system in your home. This can run into some money but worth it if you truly suffer from allergies.

Cleaning your home frequently to remove dust and dander helps reduce the allergens. Having tile or wood floors helps in not holding onto dust and dander like carpet does. Cleaning goes for our pets’ things as well including their pet beds, dog carriers, cat carriers, any bolsters in dog crates, their toys if they are washable, etc.

Using a “microfilter” bag in your vacuum cleaner so you actually catch the dust and dander when you vacuum helps.

So now the house, pet items and fixtures are clean, but what about bathing your pet weekly. Not as easy if you have a cat but even cats can get used to being bathed if you start early. Bathing your pet weekly can reduce the level of allergens in their fur by as much as 84%. Allergens are present in their fur because the glands in their skin secrete tiny allergy-triggering proteins, called allergens. These are present in their fur, saliva, urine and also float in the air. People vary in their level of reaction to these allergens.

Creating a place in your home where your pets aren’t allowed entry is another thing you can do to help reduce your pet allergy symptoms. Your bedroom is a good choice as there are impermeable mattress covers available to reduce allergies even further.

For the true sufferers of animal allergies who are unwilling to give up their pet, you can go to an allergist and get shots. These immunotherapy shots work by desensitizing your immune system to the pet allergens. This is a gradual process.

If you don’t have a pet and are considering getting one, be sure you know if you’re allergic first. If you are and are willing to do what it takes to keep your pet, more power to you. However, if you are allergic and unsure about living with the difficulties that may bring, it’s best not to get one.



Kelly

rckwaterman asked:


i have a small allergy to some pets. I would like a medicine to help me live with my favorite dog.

Jimmy