With approximately one third of households in the U.K. owning a dog, managing a dog allergy can be challenging. The amount of people with allergies is also rising, with pet allergies affecting up to 20% of the global population, meaning that this is a substantial problem. Various solutions have been suggested, such as short-haired dogs, ‘hypoallergenic’ dogs, or those with ‘non-shed’ coats. But do these really make any difference?
Table of contents
What causes dog allergies?
Allergies are caused by your immune system overreacting to something that is not actually a threat, such as your dog. The immune system reacts to certain particles as if they are harmful, leading to an inflammatory response and the release of histamine.
Despite a common misconception, it is not actually dog hair which causes this reaction. The real culprit is a protein found in dog saliva and urine. There are six different proteins which have been found to cause allergies: Can f 1 – 6. These proteins often get stuck to dog ‘dander’ – flakes of skin from your dog, which can be found everywhere. Dander can be carried around on clothing and in the air. So amounts of dog dander can be found pretty much anywhere, including homes with no dog present. Although of course the amount of dander is significantly higher in dog-owning homes.
Are there any symptoms of dog allergies?
Symptoms of a dog allergy can take between minutes to hours to appear after exposure to an allergen. The dog itself doesn’t necessarily have to be present. Allergens can be present in the air or in the environment, such as dander or saliva on clothing or furniture for example. Allergies can develop in children, or can develop later in life as adults.
The main symptoms are respiratory: sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and a cough or wheeze. Sore, itchy eyes are also common. Some people will have cutaneous reactions to dogs: red, itchy, sore skin where they have been in contact with a dog or its environment. These symptoms can appear individually or in combination, and can vary from mild to severe.
What dog breeds are hypoallergenic?
It is a common myth that certain breeds of dog are ‘hypoallergenic’ and therefore perfectly fine to own if you have a dog allergy. Or that short-haired breeds are better, or those breeds that don’t shed their coats. Many breeds are now being sold as ‘hypoallergenic’, and therefore suitable to be owned by people with dog allergies. This is not, however, backed by scientific research. In fact, a 2012 study found that levels of Can f 1 (a main canine allergen) were actually higher in these ‘hypoallergenic’ breeds such as Poodles and Airdale Terriers than in traditional shedding breeds such as the Labrador Retriever.
Recent research has found that people who have dog allergies may not be allergic to all dogs.
One of the six problematic proteins, Can f 5, is produced in the prostate gland of male dogs. A certain proportion of dog allergy sufferers only react to the specific protein Can f 5. And therefore might cope perfectly well with a female dog who wouldn’t be able to produce Can f 5 as they have no prostate, or a castrated male, who will produce much less. A study in 2019 found that children with a hypersensitivity to Can f 5 reacted differently to female dogs compared to male dogs.
The difficult thing is that the amount of allergen protein, and the different types of protein produced vary between individuals – even of the same breed.
Combine that with the fact that allergy sufferers all react to different combinations of Can f proteins, and you’re left with a very unpredictable response. Some people with dog allergies will react badly to one dog, whereas another sufferer may be fine. One person may struggle to be around one Labrador, but be absolutely fine around another. It’s hard to predict, as there are so many contributing factors. Immune systems are very variable in their response to perceived threats.
Short-haired dogs and dogs who don’t shed vast amounts of hair tend to cause less reaction because the amount of dander shed into the environment on their hair is reduced. People with allergies might therefore cope better in an environment with a short-haired or non-shedding dog. But allergies can still be triggered by any dog.
What can I do if I have a dog allergy?
Living with allergies is an ongoing battle. But there are measures to be taken to help reduce the pressure on your immune system. If you don’t own a dog, try and avoid visiting dog-owning households, or ensure good ventilation to keep circulating dander levels low.
If you own a dog that you react to, there are still multiple things you can do to reduce the amount of dander and saliva in your home.
- Limit the access of the dog to certain rooms, such as bedrooms. This can hugely help to reduce your exposure to allergens. However, dander can spread easily on clothing and in the air, so measures need to be kept quite strictly for this to work.
- Bathing and grooming – these don’t reduce the amount of proteins produced, but can remove them in a controlled manner so that there is less hair and dander floating around the home. Speak to your vet about an appropriate regime, as too much bathing can dry out your dog’s skin.
- Household cleaning – regular vacuuming, wiping surfaces and washing of bedding will reduce the amount of dander in the environment. Use a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA).
- Improve ventilation – open windows as much as possible. Use a HEPA filter in the house and use laminar airflow over beds at night.
If you have a severe allergy though, do seek medical advice from a (human) doctor or health professional!
Dog allergies sadly affect a significant proportion of the population, and therefore it is understandable that many households seek a canine pet who will not trigger those affected. However, the science behind ‘hypoallergenic’ breeds is sadly lacking. There is some truth that short-coated and low-shedding breeds may cause less problems, but there are many variables that make allergies very unpredictable. If you are allergic to dogs, there are some simple tricks you can use to help reduce your exposure to allergens, and therefore hopefully lessen your symptoms.
References
- Schoos, A.M., Chawes, B.L., Bloch, J., Hansen, B., Stokholm, J. & Kristensen, B., (2020) ‘Children monosensitised to Can f 5 show different reactions to male and female dog allergen extract provocation: a randomized controlled trial.’ J Allergy Clin Immunol. 8(5) pp. 1592-1597
- Vredegoor, D.W., Willemse, T., Chapman, M.D., Heederik, DJ & Krop, E. (2012) ‘Can f1 levels in hair and homes of different dog breeds: lack of evidence to describe any dog breed as hypoallergenic’. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 130(4) pp. 904-909
You might also be interested in:
Discussion