Pet Dander
Pets produce dander, and it is this dander that can cause severe allergic reactions in humans. The pet’s dried saliva and flaky skin cells easily become air born and are inhaled. It is the protein in them that humans can be allergic to. Unfortunately, pet dander is also very sticky and can cause allergic reactions for long periods of time (up to 20 weeks). If you share your heart and home with a pet, here you find everything you need to know to about creating a healthy indoor environment, and a healthy environment will be beneficial for you and your pet's respiratory system.
To limit pet allergy symptoms you should:
- kept pets out off the bedroom
- wash your pet regularly with PET+ Pet Shampoo from Allersearch
- wash bed linens, covers and blankets often with anti allergen laundry detergent
- use an effective air purifier to capture pet dander and odours
Top Products for Pet Owners:
PET+ Pet Shampoo
Allersearch Pet+ Pet Shampoo effectively neutralises pet allergens while at the same time provides protection for the pet from fleas and ticks. Pet + can be used on dogs, horses, ferrets and all other furry animals. Click here to learn more: Pet+ Pet Shampoo
Pet Lover Package
The Pet Lover Package is the collection of the best cleaning products for anyone who has allergies or asthma and has a pet. Consisting of the ADS Dust Spray, Allergen Wash Laundry Detergent, and PET+ Pet Shampoo. To learn more, click here: Pet Lover Package
ODRX Odour Eliminator
Allersearche's ODRX Odour Eliminator safely eliminates odours without the use of perfumes or fragrances. Safe for the use on most fabrics and surfaces, non-toxic. Unique formulation continues to work with lasting residual effect. To learn more, click here: ODRX Odour Eliminator
Odour Air Purifier
If you share your home and heart with a pet, then there might be odours that you want to eliminate. The IQAir GC AM has been designed for the control of ammonia, amines, ammonia-based odours. IQAir GC MultiGas
FAQ about Pet Dander:
- What is pet dander?
- What health problems does pet dander allergen cause?
- How does pet dander cause an allergic reaction?
- What animals cause allergy problems?
- What is cat allergen?
- What is dog allergen?
- Do hypoallergenic dogs really exist?
- Must I get rid of my pet if one of the family develops an allergy?
- How do I avoid pet dander?
What is pet dander?
Dander is the name given to microscopic skin flakes shed by animals. It is a bit like dandruff flakes, only smaller at around 2-3 microns in size. Animals shed a number of allergenic proteins in their urine, sweat, and saliva. These body fluids adhere to the skin – when a cat washes itself, for instance. Dander particles stick to an animal's fur or feathers and that is how they are shed and dispersed around your home. It is not the dander itself, or the animal's fur, which is the allergen – it is the invisible protein particles.
Cat dander is the most common inhaled allergen source after house dust mite and pollen. Other animals commonly kept as pets, such as dogs, mice and guinea pigs, may also cause allergic reactions. Pet allergens are widely distributed in the air, because they are so light, and they remain airborne for several hours before settling (only to be easily stirred up again). Indeed, they may persist for many months after an animal has left a house. The best way of avoiding pet dander is not to have a pet, or to part with any already in residence. If you are determined to keep the pet (and, after all, keeping a pet has many benefits), then there are still various measures you can take to cut down on pet allergen exposure, from controlling the animal's access to certain rooms to using a HEPA air filter to trap dander particles.
What health problems are caused by pollen allergy?
Pet allergies are known to play a role in Asthma. Around 40% of people with asthma are sensitive to cat allergen. Atopic dermatitis, characterised by a skin rash (sometimes also called nettle rash). Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the linings of the eyelids) Rhinitis, with runny nose and sneezing. People with atopy, where there is a tendency to allergy, should avoid owning pets. Even if you are not allergic to the pet at present, continued exposure could eventually cause sensitisation, leading to allergic symptoms. Very sensitive people will suffer symptoms even in the absence of the animal, because dander can be carried around on the owner's clothes both indoors and outdoors.
How does pet dander cause an allergic reaction?
In an allergic person, exposure to certain proteins in animal dander will cause the immune system to over-reaction, with the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE). Then IgE attaches to mast cells, which are a type of immune cells, causing them to produce the chemical histamine. It is the histamine which causes allergic symptoms like swelling, redness, watery eyes, coughs and sneezing (and why the main drugs from allergy are called anti-histamines).
Pet dander is very sticky and stays on people’s hair, cloth and other belongings for long periods of time, and thus travels to offices, kindergartens, plains etc..
What animals cause allergy problems?
Cats, dogs, birds, mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters can all cause pet allergy. Male cats shed more allergen than females, and cats shed more allergen than dogs. Horses produce very powerful allergens and old mattresses stuffed with horsehair can produce symptoms. Snakes, lizards and other reptiles, and even insects, may shed dander-like skin particles into the air. Fish are perhaps the only companion animals not associated with allergy.
What is cat allergen?
Four main cat allergens have been identified and studied. The two main ones are Fel d1 and Fel d2 (Fel stands for Felix – the scientific name for cat). Fel d1 is found in a cat's sweat and Fel d4 in its saliva. The minor allergens are Fel d2 and Fel d4.
What is dog allergen?
The two main dog allergens are Can f1 and Can f2 which are found in dog saliva (Can stands for Canis – the scientific name for dog).
Do hypoallergenic dogs really exist?
The dog genome does not, as far as we know, vary so much between species that some have lower allergen levels than others. So all dog species produce the same amount of allergen in their secretions. Any differences probably relate to the length of the dog's coat and how much hair it sheds, or maybe how much it sweats. There are around 60 breeds of dog that are said to be hypoallergenic - generally, as you might expect, those which are hairless or have short coats and therefore do not shed as much. Examples include various breeds of terrier and President Obama's dog (Bo, The First Dog) which is a Portuguese water dog, because one of his daughters is allergic. A recent research study looked at the amount of allergen shed by different dog species and found that hypoallergenic dogs do not shed significantly less allergen than other breeds.
Must I get rid of my pet if one of the family develops an allergy?
This, though it seems drastic, is probably the best course of action. You will, of course, want to be sure the animal goes to a good home, so please contact a reputable animal welfare charity for advice, particularly before giving/selling your pet online. An easier option may be to give your pet to a family friend or relative and visit frequently. Alternatively, you could adopt an animal at your local zoo. If you do get rid of your pet, the allergen load will persist for many months – in carpets, soft furnishings and, in fact, anywhere the animal has been! Consider doing a deep steam clean of your carpet to get rid of at least some of it. If a cat ever slept on your bed, buy new bedding rather than try to get rid of allergen that will be stirred up every time you get into or out of bed.
How do I avoid pet dander?
Allergen avoidance is all important. The following guidelines should help. Do not let your pet roam the house at will. The animal sheds allergen-containing dander wherever it goes and it persists for months, both in the air and on the surfaces it sticks to. At the very least, never allow a pet to enter the bedroom of the allergic person. This should always be a low or no allergen zone. The worst thing you can do is to allow the animal onto the bed! If you can confine your pet to outdoors or to just one (well-ventilated) room in the house, that gives the person with the allergy the best chance of controlling their symptoms. An outdoors pet should always be provided with a warm and comfortable shelter. If the pet is to be allowed controlled access to the house, the kitchen, with its lack of soft furnishings, is a good choice – but do take care not to let your pet come into contact with food. Put a pet cat outdoors as soon as it starts washing itself because this is when allergen starts to spread. Reduce dander spread by washing your pet once or twice a week with pet shampoo. With cats, this has been shown to reduce allergen load by 85%. It is best if a non-allergic person performs this task, and does so out of doors. Pets, especially cats, don’t like to be washed. So be gentle, make it fun, and have a treat ready at the end. Be sure to wash your hands after touching your pet. Cuddling your pet is part of the fun of ownership, and it’s therapeutic for both of you. But always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, for pet dander spreads so quickly and will be transferred from your hands to surfaces and to the surrounding air. Never touch your face after handling a pet if you are allergic. The allergens will go straight to your eyes and nose and you will suffer for it. Your carpets, curtains and soft furnishings will be loaded with pet dander wherever your pet has been. Be sure to vacuum regularly with a machine that contains a HEPA filter. Daily damp dusting is also helpful. Do some home improvements. Did you know that carpet retains 100 times as much pet dander as a hard floor? Consider replacing your chairs with wooden or plastic, your carpet with a wooden surface, and getting rid of any unnecessary soft furnishings. A HEPA air purifier like the IQ HealthPro Plus can pull animal dander particles out of the air, and can lower the allergen load in bedrooms or other rooms used by someone with asthma or another allergy.
Links Animal adoption http://www.zsl.org/info/support-us/gift/adoptions/adopt-an-animal,174,AR.html Hypoallergenic dogs http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/allergy.htm Giving away a pet www.battersea.org.uk http://www.petsmarket.co.uk/pet-care/145-how-to-give-away-your-pet-to-a-loving-and-responsible-new-home; Air filters http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airclean.html
