Pets allergy is a reaction or response to a type of protein that is found in animal skin cells and saliva, and also their urine. The most common symptoms of this allergy include hay fever, and some people also suffer from asthma, which may cause coughing and difficulty in breathing.
This allergy most often appear due to exposure to animal fur, especially dead skin, so any animal with fur can cause this kind of allergies, but it is strongly associated with dogs and cats.
Symptoms of Pet Allergy
Some of this allergy symptoms result from nasal passages infection, this includes:
- Sneezing.
- runny nose.
- Itching, redness, or tear to the eye.
- Nasal congestion.
- Nose, or roof of the mouth or throat.
- Sinus secretions.
- Cough.
- Compression and facial pain.
- Insomnia when sleeping.
- Swollen skin under the eye and discoloration of the blue.
- Children wake up frequently and scratch their nose.
If this develops and the allergies cause an asthma crisis, the symptoms will develop into:
- breathing difficulties.
- Tightness and chest pain.
- Sound whistling or humming when exhale exits.
- Difficulty sleeping due to the tightness of breath and coughing or wheezing sounds.
Other skin-related symptoms, known as skin allergies, can occur. This type of allergic reaction results in skin inflammation caused by a response from the body’s immune system. Once contact or touch the animal occurs directly, this causes the following symptoms and signs:
- Red color spots on the skin.
- Eczema.
- Itchy skin.
Sometimes it is difficult to determine the severity of the symptoms and signs caused by the allergy of pets, as they are very similar to the symptoms of cold and flu, such as cough and runny nose, and thus symptoms of allergic reactions can be confirmed if continued for long periods of up to two weeks.
Read Also, Cold or Allergy? Confused? Here is how to tell the difference
If there is a complete obstruction of the nasal passages, as well as difficulty sleeping or wheezing, contact your doctor. If asthma sounds occur with shortness of breath, poor condition, and a significant lack of breathing efficiency, emergency care should be requested. immediately.
Causes of Pet Allergies
Allergies occur as a result of a response from the immune system to foreign objects, such as pollen, mold, or pet hair, producing proteins known as antibodies, which in turn protect the body from invading those foreign objects so it does not cause disease or an infection.
When exposed to allergens such as animal skin proteins by touching or inhaling them, the body’s immune system produces those antibodies that recognize them as harmful substances, prompting the antibodies to fight them in the form of inflammation of the nasal passages or inside the lungs.
Exposure to these causes regularly or at long intervals leads to chronic airway inflammation and asthma.
Cats & Dogs
Allergens exist in the skin cells of the cats and dogs in the form of a crust, along with saliva, urine, sweat and also on their fur. Dandruff is a special problem because it is small in size and easily attached to the air for long periods of time. It is also easily collected in the tissues of furniture, clothing, and saliva also being stuck with carpets, furnishings, and clothing, as in the veneer.
Some dry saliva may remain stuck in the air. Some cats and dogs may cause allergies at low rates, as they do not contain fur, but this does not prevent the disease from happening.
Rodents and Rabbits
Hamsters, mice, and grapes are rodents, in addition to pigs. These animals usually cause allergy when allergens exist in hair, dandruff, saliva, and urine.
The dust produced by the houses and cages of these animals is a cause of this type of allergy as well. The allergens in rabbits are found in the crust, hair and saliva, as with rodents.
Other Pets
Some types of animals, especially those without furs such as fish and reptiles, rarely cause allergies.
Risk factors for pet allergies
We can say that pets allergies are common, but the risk of infection may increase and develop if there are other types of allergies, or if asthma is common among family members.
It is said that in the case of exposure to certain types of animals at an early age, can help to avoid this type of allergies, studies have shown that, when found that children in the first year of life who have a dog, are less vulnerable, and more resistant to diseases Upper respiratory system, unlike those children who do not have a dog in their first year of childhood.
Complications of pet allergies
Complications that can occur due to pet allergies include:
- Sinus infection, which causes chronic inflammation of the nasal passages, which obstructs the sinus-related cavity.
- Asthma ,Some people who are allergic to animals often have chest allergies, leading to a loss of control over the symptoms of asthma when they occur.
Prevention of pet allergies
If you do not own any of the pets in your home, but there is an intention to own or buy someone, you should make sure that you do not have that kind of pet allergies.
Diagnosis of pet allergies
The diagnosis depends entirely on your doctor’s knowledge of the symptoms and signs caused by the allergy, and then will ask you to do an examination of your nose, as well as answer some of his questions.
An examination of the nose and lining of the membrane is performed by a luminous instrument, which shows that the nasal passages are swollen with discoloration, where the larvae or blisters tend to be allergic to pets.
The doctor will recommend some tests to confirm the diagnosis, including:
Skin Allergy Test
During this test, a certain amount of allergens are placed from animal proteins, then placed on the skin surface of the arm, possibly on the upper back. The doctor or nurse begins to notice signs that appear on the skin after 15 minutes.
If you are allergic to cats, you will see a rise in the skin (rash) and itching at the place where the allergens were placed. There are some side effects of this test, which include itching and redness, but will disappear after 30 minutes.
Blood Test
Skin allergy tests can not be performed in some cases due to some skin disorders or interactions with certain medications.
This blood test measures the immune system’s response to allergens by calculating the number of blood antibodies, and then sends the sample to the laboratory for analysis and allergy testing. This test demonstrates the severity of the allergy to these substances.
Treat pet allergies
The first line of defense in therapy is to avoid these allergens as much as possible, but this is almost impossible even if you do not own an animal, especially since we have already said that the triggers may be attached to the air or passed through the clothes of other people who touch them.
Since there is no proven way to treat this allergy, there are some drugs that can reduce the severity of the infection and reduce the symptoms, including:
- Antihistamines, which reduce the production of active chemicals to the immune system of the body, and it helps to relieve symptoms of allergies such as sneezing, itching, and runny nose.
- Corticosteroid, where it is taken in the form of nasal sprays, which treats the sprays of infections, as well as hay fever.
- Dehumidifiers, which reduce the swelling of the lining of the nose, and thus facilitate the breathing process of the person with allergies. Talk to your doctor before eating.
- The modified Lycotrine, works to stop some chemicals from the immune system, is prescribed by the doctor in the form of tablets, where it acts as an alternative to nasal sprays, or antihistamines.
Other Treatments
Immunotherapy
You can train your immune system not to be allergic to allergens (animal proteins). This is done through a series of vaccines known as immunotherapy, taken in a small dose to two doses per week, then gradually increased over a period of 4 – 6 months.
Immunotherapy is also taken every four weeks over 3 to 5 years, and this immunotherapy is an alternative, if simple treatment does not work with allergies.
Nasal Wash
You can use a pressure bottle or bottle designed specifically for the flow of water in the nose and the mucus and irritants from nasal cavities, using saline prepared and placed inside the bottle.
If you have prepared the saline yourself, use distilled, sterilized, pre-boiled, cooled or purified water. Make sure to rinse the bottle after use, with clean water free from contaminants and leave it open to dry in the air.
Lifestyle and some home remedies
The best treatment to avoid animal allergies is to avoid allergens, which means avoiding exposure to animals, but some people do not prefer this option.
If a family member is interested in raising animals, then what you can do? Talk to your doctor and tell them whether reducing exposure to animals is enough to avoid infection, rather than finding a new home for those animals.
Even if you buy a new home for them, the symptoms of allergies will not disappear immediately, even after cleaning the entire house, and this will not prevent the presence of allergens for several weeks, but for several months.
The following steps can help reduce allergens, with a new home for the pets:
- A person, who is not allergic to animals, should take care of the house and clean it thoroughly.
- Replace the furniture of the house, or move it from the bedroom to any other place in the house as much as possible.
- Replace and change carpets as much as possible, especially in the bedroom.
- Change and replace everything in bed with pillows, sheets, and sheets, as it is difficult to get rid of allergens completely.
- Use high-efficiency air filters to get rid of allergens in the atmosphere.
In case you keep the animal with you at home, there are some tips that can reduce allergens:
- Take care to clean the animal and wash it well weekly, and one can not suffer from allergies doing so.
- Locate a free place in the house for the animal only as a separate room, or a dedicated part of a room.
- Getting rid of carpets, furniture attracted to the crust, and also get rid of furniture and curtains in which the accumulation of the crust and allergens easily.
- You can use a family member or friend when you clean your animal house or cage.
- Try to keep the animal out of the house if this is convenient for him, as some animals can not tolerate the fluctuations of the weather, so he gave him a safe place outside the house to avoid filling the house with allergens.
DOCTOR
If you have nose ulcers, sneezing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or any other symptoms associated with an allergic reaction, you should start seeing your doctor or general practitioner. You can prepare for the appointment by:
- List the symptoms and the duration of the symptoms, as well as any other symptoms unrelated to allergy.
- Describe family history with allergies or chest crises, and take care to note all kinds of allergies in particular..
Important for asthma sufferers
If you already have severe asthma and have difficulty treating the disease, your doctor should talk to you about the possibility of other types of allergies. Although allergies are a major cause of an asthma attack, this is not clear.