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| Can’t Live With Them…Can’t Live Without Them
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| You love your pets and no amount of sneezing, wheezing or coughing is enough to persuade you to part with your beloved fur babies. Some tips that will help you breathe a little easier.
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Are cats to die for?
Congested, teary-eyed pet owners really want to know—especially during a throat swab or allergy test.
Having been blessed with nine lives, you’d think our feline companions would be more respectful of those of us restricted to one earthly go-round—instead they frequently if unintentionally wreak havoc on the respiratory systems of their all-too-human caretakers.
Dogs are far more considerate, the incidence of reported allergens from canines pales in comparison to those recorded from cats. A cruel dilemma confronting many pet owners is choosing between their own well-being and that of an offending animal.
If you find yourself unable to part with a beloved pet you can take comfort in the knowledge that animal allergens are essentially benign.
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Dr. Judith Woodfolk, assistant professor at the University of Virginia’s Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, is quick to dispel one of the most persistent myths regarding pets and allergies.
“Allergens are proteins produced by the animal, not viruses, bacteria or toxins. These normally innocuous proteins elicit an abnormal immune response in allergic individuals by inducing the production of IgE antibodies. The major cat allergen, Fel d 1, is a low molecular protein produced by sebaceous glands and present on cat dander. The protein is also found in cat saliva, presumably transferred from the hair during grooming. The biologic function of this molecule is not known, though we do know that it belongs to a family of proteins called secretoglobins. The major dog allergen (Can f 1) is a lipocalin. These proteins typically transport or store biological compounds. Despite all we have learned about the diverse properties of allergen molecules, we still do not know why these proteins act as allergens.”
One explanation, popularly known as the ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ is that exposure at an early age to bacteria and animals, reduces sensitivity to common allergens.
Dr. Woodfolk reports that children who grow up alongside cats and dogs are less likely to become allergic. According to studies, those exposed have no IgE, nor do they have allergic symptoms such as asthma.
She is quick to point out, however, that co-existing with animals will not prevent the development of allergies in everyone: “This is because the development of allergy and allergic diseases such as asthma is complex and depends on multiple factors including genetics and environment. As such, certain individuals will be predisposed to become allergic, whether or not a cat is present in the home.”
If you own an animal you can improve your quality of life by adopting a number of standard allergen-avoidance measures.
Dr. Woodfolk advises:
- Minimizing potential allergen reservoirs where dust may accumulate. These include carpets, drapes, upholstered furnishings, and areas of clutter.
- Using a vacuum cleaner with a double-thickness bag and a HEPA air filtration system.
- Reducing further dust accumulation by using mattress encasements on bedding.
- Excluding pets from the bedroom, and especially from the bed.
“There are few placebo-controlled allergen avoidance trials, making it difficult to assess the most effective regimens for reducing allergen. Even fewer studies on the clinical effects of allergen-avoidance measures exist and these studies are often not optimally designed. It is our opinion that an allergen-avoidance regimen incorporating individual strategies shown scientifically to reduce allergen levels in the environment is a rational approach to reducing the load of animal allergen in the home. Immunotherapy for cat allergy has been shown to be efficacious. While this is always an option, patients should be advised on allergen- avoidance strategies as a first-line approach.”
Vigilant practice of avoidance measures will not only reduce allergy symptoms for the afflicted pet owner, but also minimize the risk of developing asthma.
According to Dr. Woodfolk, an allergy to animals may at any time evolve into asthma.
The prevalence of sensitization to cats among the general population, she notes, is markedly lower than to dust mites.
“One interpretation of this is that the potency of cat allergen is lower than that for dust mite allergens. There is certainly some epidemiologic evidence to support this theory based on lower titers of cat-specific IgE ab compared with dust mite-specific IgE ab in allergic subjects. We require a better understanding of the relationship between sensitization to cat allergen, development of asthma and environmental exposure in the first few years of life. These studies are challenging, particularly given that during early life, positive skin tests to cat allergen appear to be plastic, with some persisting and others being transient. In summary, subjects who are living with a cat or a dog and who are already allergic are at risk for developing asthma.”
A recent study reveals that cat allergens also can be present in households without a pet. Carried on flakes of dander, they stick easily to clothes, allowing for transfer to other locales where they become airborne.
“Based on the evidence it appears that allergies in general have increased in the last century,” says Dr. Woodfolk. “This increase has been reported on a global scale.”
Whatever the cause—decreased exposure to bacteria due to improved sanitation, or environmental factors such as pollution, Dr.Woodfolk cautions that people are demonstrating an increased susceptibility to normally harmless proteins produced by animals.
Animal Crackers:
The University of Virginia’s Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center offers the following tips for those who choose to live with a pet despite suffering from animal allergies:
- Replace carpets with hardwood flooring or tile.
- Opt for leather chairs and sofas.
- Leave your pets outdoors whenever possible.
- Place air filters throughout the house.
- Bathe your animals regularly.
- Do not allow pets into bedroom areas.
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