When people are allergic to pets, what exactly are they allergic to?
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 at
2:37 pm
When people are allergic to pets, what are they allergic to, the dander or the hair?
If it’s the dander/skin, why would shed-free pets make a difference? I assume that pets that do not shed let off just as much dander as other pets.
If it’s the hair, how does this cause an allergy? The hair itself isn’t being inhaled.
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Hello Qbert
That is a good question. Pet allergens are proteins that come from pet hair, saliva or urine, which when in contact with the skin or breathed in, cause an allergic reaction that provokes the body into producing histamine.
The histamine produces swelling and irritation of the upper airways and causes typical hay fever and asthmatic symptoms. The tendency toward allergic reactions is often hereditary.
So even though you may not be inhaling the hair or dander of a pet, the proteins are what will get ya. Hope this answers your question.