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Allergy Myths and
Misconceptions
From the
Carpet Buyers Handbook
THERE ARE NO
NON-ALLERGIC ANIMALS
 Any
animal with fur or feathers can trigger an allergic
reaction. These include cats, dogs, rabbits, gerbils, guinea
pigs, hamsters, ferrets, mice, horses, cattle, monkeys,
goats, pigs, chickens, and birds. Of these, research
indicates that cats are by far the worst offenders, followed
by dogs and horses.
While some animals seem to be more tolerable than others,
there are no dogs, cats, or other furry animals that do not
cause allergic responses. It makes no difference whether an
animal has short hair, long hair or how much it sheds.
FEL D1
Cats cause
more severe allergic reactions than other pets. The major
cat allergen is an extremely potent one called Fel d1.
Secretions from the sebaceous glands of the skin are the
primary source of Fel d1, but it is also deposited on the
fur through the saliva when cats clean themselves through
the licking or self-cleaning process. Eventually the Fel d1
flakes off and becomes airborne to trigger the symptoms that
characterize allergies to cats. Male cats generally produce
more allergens than females do.
DANDER
 The
problem is not with the pet's hair. It is the dander, or
microscopic scales of dead skin (similar to, but much
smaller than the dandruff on the human scalp) which pets are
constantly shedding that is the cause. They are so tiny that
you seldom, if ever, know that they are circulating in the
air or laying on the furniture and carpets.
URINE
Recent studies indicate that urine (protein), from cats and
dogs as well as from ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, and
mice, contain allergens which can also trigger allergic
reactions.
MYTH- Short-haired dogs and cats cause fewer
allergy problems than those with long hair.
FACT-
All dogs and cats – short-haired, long-haired, wire-haired,
curly-haired, even hairless—are potentially allergic.
Allergic reactions to dogs and cats are not caused by the
hair or fur but by dander (the tiny scales of dead skin) and
by sebaceous and salivary gland secretions. Short-haired
dogs and cats cast off as many allergens into the
environment as long-haired ones do
MYTH-Dogs and
cats that do not shed hair are "hypoallergenic."
 FACT-
Whether a dog or a cat sheds hair or does not shed
hair also makes no difference. Certain dog breeds…Poodles,
Bichon Frises, Bedlington Terriers and Kerry Blue
Terriers…as well as Cornish Rex, Devon Rex and Sphynx cats
shed little or no hair. It is surprising how many pet owners
have bought these breeds because they were told they did not
cause allergies. Not true!
While it has recently been established that some animals
cast off more allergens than others, there are no
non-allergenic dogs or cats. The reason Poodles, Bichons
Frises, Bedlington and Kerry Blue Terrier dogs are thought
to be "safe" is probably because they are shampooed and
groomed regularly and therefore cast off less dander in the
home.
Some people may have more problems living with dog and cat
breeds that shed hair profusely …because of the excessive
amount of loose hair…contaminated by dried saliva and dander
clinging to it…shed from the pet onto the rugs, furniture
and the pet’s bedding and favorite lounging places. Frequent
vacuuming is usually necessary, along with the use of a
moist sponge, to pick it up.
Puppies and kittens cause fewer allergy problems
than adult pets.
True.
Baby animals have no old skin to shed and consequently have
no dander. It usually takes a few months before kittens and
puppies produce these allergens. This may explain why people
who buy young pets become allergic to them when the they
reach maturity.
MYTH- People can be allergic to some breeds of dogs
and not to others.
FACT-
The possibility
of dog breed-specific allergens was first investigated many
years ago, reports Dr. David Knysak of the Department of
Medicine's Allergy Division of the University of Michigan
Medical Center. Subsequent studies have determined both
qualitative and quantitative variations in the antigen
content extracts derived from different dog breeds, however,
he adds, no breed-specific allergens have been found.
It
is true, though, that an individual may occasionally become
sensitized to or build up resistance to a single breed over
a period of time. Another reason why people may think they
are allergic to certain breeds of dogs and cats is that some
animals shed many more allergens than others, a process
which may produce a higher level of exposure and
consequently more allergic symptoms.
MYTH- Restricting a dog or a cat to one or two rooms
of the house will make it easier to tolerate.
 FACT-
The longer a pet lives in a home, the more its
allergens will have permeated the entire house to cause
symptoms. Isolating a pet to one or two rooms in the home
does not contain their allergens. Air currents from
forced-air heating, air conditioning and fans spread the
allergens through the house.
Airborne
cat allergens have been measured in several clinical studies
and have been found to be infinitesimally tiny in size. The
Fel d1 particles ranged in size from 1 micron to about 20
microns, with a significant percentage being about 2.5
microns in diameter. What size is a micron? One millionth of
a meter. As an example of just how small one is, the period
at the end of this sentence is nearly 1,000 microns in
diameter.
Such particles tend to
remain airborne for hours, even in homes with minimal
disturbance. Once they do settle, vacuuming or walking on
the carpet, sitting on the furniture, fluffing up cushions
pillows and the pet’s bedding, raising or lowering the
blinds, and opening or closing the drapes or curtains causes
tremendous amounts to be set loose in the air once again.
Myth -Pets
that live outside cause fewer allergy problems.
 FACT-
Pets that remain outdoors at all times cause
very few allergy problems. But when an allergic person goes
outside and plays with the animal, pets it, or holds it in
his or her lap, symptoms can occur. Although many pets are
never allowed into a house, bear in mind that those that do
live outdoors are exposed to many risks. They may be lost or
stolen, attacked by other animals, run over by cars,
poisoned deliberately or inadvertently.
Pets that live outdoors -- even in a barn or a garage
--require a shelter with the bottom raised off the ground
where they can go when it's cold or when it rains or snows.
In warm weather, they need shade and plenty of fresh water
to drink. Only heavily coated or more rugged pets should
live outdoors in winter. And it's grossly unfair to any pet
which has spent the majority of its life indoors to be
suddenly made to live outside.
MYTH- Rabbits and other small furry caged pets and
birds are safe for allergy sufferers because they don’t have
the run of the house.
 FACT-
. Rabbits, small furry animals and rodents (guinea
pigs, gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, ferrets, rats and
mice) have become increasingly popular as house pets. They
are small, clean, easy to care for, inexpensive to feed,
they don’t bark to annoy neighbors and they are permitted in
many apartment complexes where cats and dogs are prohibited.
The urine, saliva and dander of small furry pets are potent
allergens and contribute significantly to the allergen
source in the home. The number of allergens they spread
depends on their species, their size and number and how
frequently they are handled by family members.
Birds are also growing in popularity as pets. Their major
allergen is derived from feather dust which is also called
"powder." When birds preen themselves and flutter their
wings, no matter how small they may be, they shake feather
dust into the air where it collects in and around the cage
and also circulates throughout the house. Some of the larger
species of parrots may cause more allergy problems since
they can produce enough powder to coat most surfaces in the
room in which they are caged on an almost daily basis.
People can be more allergic to
their pets in the spring and the fall.
FACT-
Cat and dog allergens, feathers, house dust, and molds are
just a few of the culprits that cause the symptoms of
perennial, or year-round allergic rhinitis. In most parts of
the country, tree and grass pollen or mold spores in the
spring, and ragweed and other weeds pollen in fall, are
triggers of hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis. People
who are sensitive to pets and to trees, grasses and weeds
usually find their symptoms are much worse during pollen
seasons because of an overlapping of seasonal and perennial
allergens.
MYTH- People can tell if they will be allergic the
first time they encounter a pet.
FACT-
No one is allergic to a substance the first time he or she
comes in contact with it. Sensitization, or the process that
leads to development of symptoms, requires repeated
exposures over a period of time, anywhere from days to
months and possibly years. Sometimes, though, only a few
minutes of a pet's presence is necessary. People who come in
contact with a cat, for instance, or who enter a room where
a cat has been, may react to it within seconds. Other times
an animal can be kept for many years and then suddenly its
owner will become severely sensitive to it.
People can be allergic to
clothing made from animal fur.
 True.
It is
possible for potentially allergic people to be sensitive to
the animal fur and wool found in clothing, cushions,
fabrics, blankets, sweaters, the linings of gloves, rugs,
toys, furniture stuffing, and a myriad of other household
items. Items made from rabbit fur, for example, can be a
real source of sensitivities because the fur is too delicate
to remove all traces of dander and dried saliva.
Dr. Ralph Bookman, allergist to former President Ronald
Reagan noted in an interview published in Rodale's Allergy
Relief Newsletter, that if someone owns "a true Oriental rug
-- one actually made in the Orient -- then it is certainly
loaded with sheep, goat and camel dander." Good quality
domestic wool, added Dr. Bookman "is processed to be
dander-free; it is not allergenic. However, it is irritating
to many people, and not just those with allergies. Wool from
third-world countries is not treated after it's taken from
the animal. This kind of wool can contain a lot of dander
and cause serious allergy problems."
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