Does raising a hairless cat mean you don’t have allergies? No!

The popular domestic drama "The Beginning" has reached a happy ending. Lu, the Apostle of Cats, the Conqueror of Asthma, the One Chosen by Light, and Di finally gained the understanding of his parents and also got a hairless cat.

Afraid of allergies, keep a hairless cat? | Weibo @DTCHAT

The parents' original intention may be good: raising a hairless cat can prevent asthma caused by allergies and satisfy Lu Di's wish to have a cat, isn't it killing two birds with one stone? But the truth may disappoint everyone, because hairless cats can also cause allergies.

Furry! A-choo!

The main causes of allergies are furry pets , also known as fur balls (wrongly), and cats and dogs are the most common furry pets. About 12% of the general population and 25% to 65% of children with persistent asthma are allergic to cats or dogs. The fur, dander, secretions, and excrement of cats and dogs can all cause allergies.

The main manifestations of allergies are respiratory symptoms, such as sneezing and runny nose in mild cases, and severe asthma in severe cases; allergies can also manifest as skin and mucous membrane symptoms, such as allergic dermatitis, urticaria, and allergic conjunctivitis. Since pets are mostly indoors , allergy symptoms are more severe indoors than outdoors.

Once you start, you can't stop | pixabay

The main allergen from cats is Fel d 1, which exists in the form of glycoprotein under natural conditions. It is mainly produced by the sebaceous glands of cats and secreted into the fur. The sublingual glands and anal glands of cats also secrete it.

The main allergens from dogs are Can f 1 and Can f 2 glycoproteins, which are mainly found in dog dander and saliva ; the second is dog albumin. Since cat and dog allergen albumins have cross-reactions, patients who are allergic to dogs are often allergic to cats (but not necessarily vice versa).

Cat and dog allergens have strong adhesion ability and are more likely to adhere to clothing and furniture surfaces than dust mite allergens. Pet allergens adhered to clothing can be carried from one environment to another by people; at the same time, these pet allergens are mainly adsorbed on small air particles (less than 10 to 20 microns in diameter), allowing them to spread in the air for a long time and be carried to far away places with the flow of air, such as transferred to an environment without pets . As a result, cat and dog allergens can be found in almost all homes and public places - you see, even if you don't have a pet, you can still "inhale" hairballs.

Is the whole world a cat land? | pixabay

I'm allergic to my pet, what should I do?

First of all, don't blame your pets for hair balls. If you suspect you are allergic to hair balls, please seek medical attention and get allergen testing done to determine if your allergic symptoms are really related to your pets. An expert consensus states that there is insufficient evidence that pet dander causes allergic rhinitis, so there is no need to throw away your pets in a hurry.

If pet allergens are indeed the cause, what should I do? The most effective long-term strategy is to remove pets from the home. For patients with allergic asthma and those with known allergies to furry pet allergens, removing/relocating pets from the home is the most effective way to reduce pet allergens in the home in the long term. However, even if pets are removed from the home, it will take several months for allergen levels to be significantly reduced.

Even if you cannot continue to keep pets due to force majeure, you should still properly accommodate them | pixabay

That being said, this is difficult to implement as most patients are reluctant to give up their pets. But wait, there are some strategies to slow the process.

Bathing your pet

This is often considered a way to reduce airborne allergen levels. Unfortunately, however, no benefit was shown in airborne Fel d 1 levels, even one week after bathing. Washing dogs can reduce levels of recoverable allergens in dog hair and dander, but the effect is short-lived unless the dog is washed twice a week. Given the difficulty in maintaining regular washing of animals, especially cats, it is understandable that these interventions have not been widely accepted.

Eyes show attitude | Marimo

Cleaning up allergens (aka cleaning your house)

A review of 59 randomized trials and eight nonrandomized trials identified eight interventions that are effective for people with asthma to remove indoor allergens: miticides, air purification, carpet removal, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums, mattress protectors, mold removal, pest control, and pet removal.

Note that the study also found that single prevention and control is not effective, so the multiple means mentioned above need to be carried out simultaneously. I personally think that air purifiers and vacuum cleaners are useful in theory.

This is the main housework | Marimo

Another study tested the effectiveness of washing and vacuuming in reducing cat allergen contamination of fabrics and found that a single wash was more effective than vacuuming. So, you probably don't need to rush out and buy an expensive vacuum cleaner, a washing machine will suffice.

Is it useful to raise a hairless breed?

In the past few years, "hypoallergenic" cat and dog breeds have become increasingly popular, and these breeds are thought to carry fewer allergens, particularly Fel d 1 and Can f 1. In fact, one study showed that "hypoallergenic" dogs had higher levels of Can-f 1 in their hair and coat than "non-hypoallergenic" breeds. True "hypoallergenic" breeds are difficult to breed because cat and dog allergens are not limited to these two major sources.

Some people are still allergic to hairless cats | picryl

This chart shows that more people are allergic to Chihuahuas and Persian cats. Of course, this may also be because more people keep them | Yang MS et al. / Allergy, asthma & immunology research (2018)

Can it be prevented?

Allergic diseases are typical diseases caused by the interaction between genetic background and environmental factors . The onset of allergic diseases involves multiple links, and its specific mechanism is not yet fully understood. At present, the most widely accepted one is the "hygiene hypothesis", which believes that if children lack exposure to pathogenic microorganisms, probiotics, parasites, etc. in their early years, the natural development of the immune system will be inhibited, and the risk of allergic diseases will increase accordingly.

A series of studies have confirmed that microbial exposure has a protective effect on the occurrence of allergic diseases such as asthma. Mothers who are exposed to pets during pregnancy or work and live on farms can significantly reduce the incidence of atopic dermatitis in children. Children who are exposed to pets or live on farms in early childhood can also effectively reduce the chance of allergies. The more types of animals they are exposed to, the more obvious this protective effect is. Although the living environment cannot be completely equivalent to the farm environment, keeping pets can change the abundance and diversity of microorganisms in the living environment . A large amount of data supports the hypothesis that early exposure to hairballs reduces the risk of allergies, and emerging data also support that this effect may be mediated through microbial mechanisms - meaning, being a little dirty has its advantages .

If you raise one, maybe you will have a second, a third... | carterse / Flickr

Moreover, increased exposure does not necessarily lead to sensitization . Many studies have shown that prenatal and early exposure to cats and dogs does not increase the risk of allergic diseases, but may provide anti-allergic tolerance. Cats and dogs can change the richness of host and household microbiota, which in turn affects the development of children's immune system and response to allergens, supporting the "hygiene hypothesis."

This study is even more amazing, saying that in the first year of a child's life, the more cats and dogs they have, the fewer allergies they have. | Hesselmar B, et al. / PLoS One (2018)

However, this preventive effect may not be effective in adults . A study of twins aged 51 to 60 years old observed the effect of pets in preventing allergies. The results showed that it was not obvious, and the influence of genetics was more prominent . Some people will develop tolerance to pet allergens. So, if you are a middle-aged person who does not have a pet, don't rush to buy a pet home.

The fur balls are allergic to you!

Humans can be infected with pathogens from pets, and pets can also be allergic to humans. As mentioned earlier, chronic tinea pedis should be treated early, and if people have dry and flaky skin, remember to apply some moisturizer to prevent pets from inhaling dandruff and becoming allergic .

Pet owners themselves need to develop good hygiene and feeding habits first . For example, pay attention to vacuuming and disinfecting the room to avoid inhaling dust or microorganisms that cats can touch but they cannot normally touch into their mouths or trachea when petting the cats.

Remember, a high-quality pet reflects a high-quality owner—walk the dog on a leash and wash its feet when you get home.

You have to take your own poop away | mydoglikes

Finally, here are some suggestions for pet allergies:

1. See a doctor promptly and get tested for allergens;

2. Pay attention to the bathing and maintenance of cat and dog fur to reduce the pollution of dander and allergic substances in the indoor environment;

3. Clean fabrics contaminated by pets promptly and purchase vacuum cleaners and air purifiers if possible;

4. Ventilate the room to reduce the retention and spread of allergens in the air;

5. Clean your pet promptly after it returns home to avoid carrying too many outdoor allergens;

6. If the above measures are ineffective, consider giving your pet away, properly settling it, and cleaning it carefully to get rid of allergens. Author: Dr. Taku Jiang

This article comes from the Species Calendar, welcome to forward

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