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There is no doubt that some people can be particularly sensitive to things in their environment and develop allergies, often referred to as ‘hay fever’. Dogs can sometimes trigger allergies in some people, but is owning a dog definitely out of the question for people or children with allergies? Not necessarily.
This article aims to provide some information about how it may still be possible to bring a puppy into your home, despite having numerous allergy issues.
Despite some claims describing certain breeds to be allergen-free, unfortunately, there are no true ‘hypoallergenic’ dog breeds1. Dog allergens come from the saliva, skin dander and hair of all dogs2,3,4.
People prone to getting reactions to dog allergens may be better off choosing a dog breed with a continually growing coat, such as a Poodle, Bichon Frise or Samoyed.
This is because dogs that are low shedding breeds, lose less hair and skin dander into their environment, which may reduce exposure to these allergens5.
The best way to reduce a susceptible person’s exposure to dog allergens is to manage the environment within the family home:
In severe cases, despite following the guidelines above to reduce your family’s exposure to canine allergens, sometimes a family member will still be impacted by allergies. In these cases, I would recommend discussing the issue with your doctor, who may be able to provide more information or a referral to see an immunologist or allergy specialist. The specialist can then determine whether immunotherapy may be worthwhile.
For children with uncontrolled asthma, then having a dog in the household may not be worth the risk6, at least until the asthma is well-controlled or your child receives a clearance from your doctor to say it is safe to do so.
Remember, the cause of allergy symptoms in people are often multi-factorial rather than from just one source, so removing the dog from the household may not always work to alleviate the allergies.
The good news is that it is often possible to control our exposure to canine-derived allergens in allergy-prone people, despite owning a dog. This is best done through managing both the environment in which we live in, as well as the way we interact with our dog. Your choice of dog breed can also minimise the impact these allergens have on a dog allergic individual’s health.
Blog Article Sourced and provided by Black Hawk.