What is pet allergy caused by?

The human has been living close to animals or I'd say together with them for millions of years.

Now many have to defend themselves against some animals such as pets because they are allergic to them. Pets considered to be important in our life. They show the affair to us, accompany and protect us. The discovery that you’re allergic to pets is really heartbreaking for owners who have been living with their pets for a long time. Anyway there are some ways to solve this problem.

First of all, what is allergy? Allergy (also called Hypersensitivity) is an abnormal, acquired sensitivity to a given substance, including pollen, drugs, or numerous environmental triggers.

Studies show that approximately 15 percent of the population is allergic to dogs or cats.
More than 70 percent of U.S. households have a dog or cat. An estimated one-third of Americans who are allergic to cats (about two million people) live with at least one cat in their household anyway. Allergic rhinitis afflicts 20%-30% of the US population.

Pet allergens are proteins, which either in contact with the skin or inhaled, cause an allergic reaction that provokes the body into producing histamine.

There are no “non-allergenic” cats or dogs. All cats and dogs are allergenic (allergy-causing) to people who are allergic to animals.Cats tend to be more allergenic than dogs, although some people are more sensitive to dogs than cats. allergist advice hairless breeds to pet-allergic humans (for example Sphynx cats).

Pet allergen comes mainly from the animal’s saliva, it is a protein transmitted by licking, sometimes hair but more often it’s dander. Humans after contacting with animals carry allergenic proteins on their hands and clothes. Also a lot of them are stuck in such places as carpets and you’ll lift them up into the air by foot traffic. The striking fact is that it can take months or even years to remove pet allergen from your home after the pet is given away.
Air purifiers can help you. Just by spraying it into the air you’ll reduce allergenic particles. Furthermore try to wash your hands after each interaction with your pet.

The symptoms are similar to a “cold” so sometimes it’s difficult to notice that you’re allergic to pets. Signs to look for are:

1. Eyes becoming itchy, watery or even red

2. Runny nose

3. Throat may itch

4. Cough

5. Rash on your skin or hives

If you have some of these symptoms you should ask an allergist for help. There is medicine which can help you as well: nasal sprays or drops, eye drops or tablets.

If you still have a pet take these fairly easy steps to reduce the symptoms:

- Keep your pet out off your bedroom, close off your sleeping area and keep it clean.

-Use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaners and avoid dust-and-dander-catching furnishings such as cloth curtains and blinds and carpeted floors.

- If you do have carpets you should use a vacuum with a HEPA Filter,since an ordinary vacuum will just stir up the allergens.

- Bathe your pet every week. That can reduce the level of allergens on fur by 85 %.

- Purchase an air purifier

- Keep windows open to circulate air

- Wash your hands after a contact with the pet

There are some hypotheses explaining the phenomenon of increasing the allergies in the past decades:

Increasing use of chemicals

The first theory is the exponential use and abuse of chemicals in affluent nations since the second world war. Vast numbers of chemicals are introduced into our indoor and outdoor environments with little or no testing regarding their toxicity to living beings. Many believe that air quality is getting worse rather than better, particularly if one considers indoor air quality as well as outdoor. (Indoor air quality has become significantly worse since building codes changed in the 1970s to make buildings more air-tight to conserve energy. This affects buildings built since that time.) Adverse reactions to toxins vary considerably from one person to another, and can involve extremes in symptoms including the neurological and endocrine systems as well as the more commonly recognized allergy symptoms listed above.

In 2004, a joint Swedish-Danish research team found a very strong link between allergies in children and the phthalates DEHP and BBzP, commonly used in PVC. Allergies are also viewed by some medical practitioners as a negative consequence of the use and abuse of antibiotics and vaccinations. This mainstream Western approach to the treatment and prevention of infectious disease has been used in the more affluent world for a longer period of time than in the rest of the world, hence the much greater commonality of allergies there. It is hypothesized that the use of antibiotics and vaccination affect the immune system, and that allergies are a dysfunctional immune response.

Obviously the allergy problem is connected with ecology and mostly with air that is too polluted nowadays. Drinking non clean water and eating modified products with chemical additions can cause allergy. Care for your health in order not to become allergic to pets.