Pets Allergy Profile, 17 Tests – Home Kit

Pet allergies: how to recognise them and how to behave?

 Pet allergies are common and cause respiratory disorders and skin reactions in adult and paediatric allergic individuals.

The allergic reaction is usually triggered by proteins in the saliva and dander of animals such as dogs and cats, and more rarely by mites that nest in their fur. Suppose a patient sensitive to these allergens comes into contact with them, especially in closed environments. In that case, he or she can quickly develop respiratory problems, ranging from simple allergic oculorhinitis with stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, burning eyes and throat to real asthma attacks.

We went deeper into this subject with Professor Enrico Heffler, an allergist at Humanitas and professor and Director of the School of Specialization in Allergology and Clinical Immunology at Humanitas University.

What are the symptoms of pet allergies, and why do they occur?

Most allergic reactions occur after exposure to or contact with animals (we refer here to animals such as cats, dogs, horses, guinea pigs, etc.) or with their allergens. Respiratory reactions are the most common ones, and they can manifest as allergic rhinitis or asthma but also as cutaneous ones.

The most common allergies to pets are caused by cats as the saliva, urine, faces, dandruff, and sweat are deposited in the fur and left by the cat on the furniture and the environment in which the cat lives. Individuals allergic to cats usually experience rather immediate and violent reactions, as do those who are allergic to horses, even if contact with this type of animal is less usual and fortuitous than that with cats. Dog allergy is also common, but the symptoms are not aggressive, like allergies to rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, or birds.

Someone allergic to a particular animal should be very careful as, over time, this can develop allergies to another species. Kids used in an environment where animals are present, especially from birth, have a significantly lower chance of developing allergies. However, the erroneous belief that there are breeds of cats or dogs that are less allergenic must be dispelled: the difference in allergic manifestations caused by different breeds of the same species depends on a variety of factors, including individual predisposition, size and sex. of the animal and the greater or lesser production of dandruff.

How is an allergy diagnosed?

Suppose you suspect that you’re allergic to an animal or someone around you is allergic to an animal. In that case, you should book an appointment with the allergy specialist as soon as possible, especially if you often contact animals. Usually, two tests can be done to confirm the presence of an allergy: a finger prick test and the search for specific IgE in the blood. The prick test is a very simple test, which is carried out at the same time as the allergy visit and involves placing drops of extracts containing the allergens to be tested on the patient’s skin: the doctor then makes a slight prick at the point corresponding to the liquid, more similar to a “plucking”, with a special disposable instrument. If the patient’s skin becomes red or swollen, taking on an appearance similar to that caused by mosquito bites, the allergy may be confirmed. The search for IgE, however, takes place through blood tests, and the result will be given according to the times of the analysis laboratory.

From antihistamine to allergy vaccine: treatment options

If it is not possible to remove the animal that caused the allergy, contact with the animal by the allergic family member must be limited as much as possible, and the allergic person must undertake treatment. Particular attention is also recommended to the hygiene of the domestic environment, whose floors, curtains, armchairs, sofas and beds must be cleaned regularly, and of the animal itself, which must be washed more often than normally. Activating air purification systems may also be useful.

To alleviate allergic symptoms, the intake of oral antihistamines or eye drops and corticosteroids is prescribed.