Animal Allergy: Symptoms and Treatment

Most people love animals and get along well with them. However, animal allergies sometimes can occur. This can prevent animal lovers from being able to enjoy their time around cats, dogs, and other animals — or spend time around them at all. Animal allergies are actually fairly common, and most can easily be treated with medications.

Animal Allergy Risk Factors

People who suffer from animal allergies often don’t realize it. They may feel uncomfortable around animals, notice red or itchy skin, or even have a burning sensation in their eyes. People who are allergic to animals can react differently. Some people have severe reactions, and others may have milder ones.

Animal allergies can be genetic. A person with one parent who has an animal allergy has a 50 percent chance of inheriting that allergy. If both parents have the allergy, the chance of inheriting it becomes higher. People who are exposed to animals often before the age of 2 are less likely to develop an animal allergy.

Animal Allergy Causes

Many people assume that hair causes pet allergies, but pet dander or skin cells often are at fault. Some people are allergic to specific animals, such as cats or dogs. Others are allergic to a wider range of animals. The most common causes of animal allergies include:

• Animal Fur
• Animal Dandruff
• Animal Saliva
• Animal Urine

Animal Allergy Symptoms

People who suffer from pet allergies can experience a wide range of symptoms. The more severe the allergy, the more severe the symptoms. Some people experience symptoms after being exposed to the allergens for only a short time. Yet others do not experience symptoms unless they have been exposed to the allergen long term. Some of the most common symptoms of animal allergies include:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Hives
• Rash
• Red, Itchy Eyes
• Redness of the Skin
• Runny, Itchy, or Stuffy Nose
• Sneezing

Animal Allergy Diagnosis

Most people see a doctor when they suspect an allergy to animals. A doctor can diagnose an animal allergy with a skin test or blood test. Skin tests involve bringing the patient in contact with the suspected allergen and then monitoring the patient to see if there is a reaction. These tests can take some time since doctors must confirm or rule out each allergen to determine which ones affect the patient and how severely.

Animal Allergy Treatment

Patients can also treat animal allergies with commercial allergy medications. They may also be advised to avoid the allergen and vacuum pet hair regularly. Some of the common treatment options for animal allergies include:

• Antihistamines
• Decongestants
• Nasal Steroid Sprays

Animal Allergy Prognosis

The prognosis for a person suffering from pet allergies is good. Once doctors have identified the allergen, the patient can avoid it or use a treatment method that helps control their allergies when they are around the animal that causes the allergic reaction. People with severe allergies may need to avoid animals even if they are taking allergy medication. They may also react to pet fur or dander that is present on another person or surface, such as furniture. Some children may outgrow animal allergies.

Animal Allergy Complications

A serious complication of animal allergies is anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is considered a medical emergency. If it is not treated immediately, it could result in death. The symptoms include:

• Drop in Blood Pressure
• Loss of Consciousness
• Severe Shortness of Breath
• Skin Rash
• Rapid or Weak Pulse
• Nausea or Vomiting
• Light-Headedness
• Severe Wheezing