Can pets be allergic to humans just like humans are allergic to cats?
People who are allergic to cats or dogs will experience symptoms such as itchy eyes or sneezing when they come into contact with or are in the same space as these animals. The scientific media Live Science explains whether pets such as cats and dogs can have ``human allergies'' in the same way that humans have allergies to animals.
Can dogs and cats be allergic to humans? | Live Science
Dr. Heather Edgington, a clinical assistant professor at Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine, explains that pets can have human allergies. 'Allergies that occur in dogs and cats can be divided into three categories: flea allergies, food allergies, and environmental allergies. Allergies to humans would be classified as environmental allergies,' Edgington said.
In severe cases, allergic symptoms experienced by animals can lead to anaphylaxis , and in the case of pets, symptoms such as vomiting and seizures may occur, and in the worst case scenario, death may occur. However, pets have severe allergic reactions to food and insect bites, and the allergic symptoms that pets have to humans are generally mild.
The reaction of pets with human allergies is similar to that of humans with animal allergies, and they are likely to repeatedly scratch eczema on their skin. The cause of human allergies is said to be skin and hair that have fallen off from humans, and pets that live in the same indoor space as humans encounter allergens everywhere, such as carpets and air vents.
In addition, it is not uncommon for pets with some kind of allergies to have human allergies, and it is also known that about half of all allergic dogs show an allergic reaction to human dander. . 'When we test dogs and cats for allergies, we often find that they are allergic to 12 or more things, and humans are often only allergic to one of them,' Edgington said. .
If your pet is found to have a human allergy, one option is to administer
Another option is to administer oral steroids, such as prednisone , and the International Committee on Animal Allergy Diseases has found that steroids in dogs are more effective than antihistamines in treating acute allergies and can be used over a longer period of time. I am reporting that it is possible. However, there are also side effects such as lethargy , increased shallow breathing, and feelings of hunger.
Yet another option is specific allergen immunotherapy , which dampens the allergic response by administering small, controlled doses of the allergen, such as by injection. According to Edgington, singular allergen immunotherapy improved allergic reactions in 60% of dogs and 78% of cats .
After all, although it is possible to alleviate the symptoms of human allergies that pets have through treatment, it is difficult to treat them fundamentally. 'That's what pet allergies are like. The treatment is forever, and once you stop, the allergies will come back,' Edgington said.
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