Spot and Mittens remind you of your childhood and you've made up your mind ... one of them is being rescued from the animal shelter. Next thing you know, youre curled up with your new pet, a box of tissue and a runny nose. If you're a pet lover with allergies, do you have any furry choices?
James Seltzer, MD, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology said the only proven hypoallergenic pets are ones with scales like snakes and iguanas. Some family members in the White House would most likely disagree. That's where the country's most famous hypoallergenic pooch resides these days. Bo, a Portuguese Water dog, was picked because one of the first daughters allergies.
Here are some facts to help you make a decision about saying yes to a dog or cat even if you have allergies. Keep in mind that its not just the hair on dogs and cats but also the skin, saliva and other proteins that trigger allergy symptoms.
Hairless and short-haired dogs and cats may help cut down on allergens. Long-haired dogs are likely to bring in outdoor allergens, like pollen, on their fur, but there are long-haired dogs on the American Kennel Club's (AKC) list that do well alongside people with allergies. Less shedding also means fewer allergy-causing agents floating about.
Seltzer said that there's no evidence to clearly state smaller dogs are better than larger ones for allergy sufferers. But it makes sense that small dogs should shed less of everything that causes allergy symptoms, giving them preference over big dogs.Usually kittens shed more allergens than cats. Although cat allergens are typically more potent than those of dogs, allergy shots are more effective for people allergic to cats, helping up to 65 percent of the people who try the shots, according to Seltzer.Here are some things you can do to help cut down on allergens inside the home and ones brought in from outdoors: Give your pet frequent haircuts and baths (as often as is safe for their skin). Groom your pet outdoors to cut down on allergens stirred up inside the home. Wipe your pet down with a damp washcloth to reduce the allergens they bring indoors. Keep your pets off furniture. Install easy to clean flooring instead of carpet that will trap allergens.The list of hypoallergenic dogs and hypoallergenic cats presented by Health.com includes: Bedlington Terrier Bichon Frise Chinese Crested Dog Irish Water Spaniel Kerry Blue Terrier Labradoodle Maltese Poodle Portuguese Water Dog Schnauzers Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Xoloitzcuintli cat Devon Rex cat Sphynx cat Allerca catJust so you know, Allerca (#15 on the list) is a company that produces cats and dogs free of major allergens. Their cats cost anywhere from $7,000 to $16,000 and their dogs are around $9,000.Before you spend big bucks buying into the hype about hypoallergenic, remember that experts say theres no guarantee that you wont have allergic reactions no matter how much you spend. Do further research and check out your options. Good luck finding a pet you can snuggle with without the sneezes.
