Assisted Living: Dealing With Everyone's Emotions

Assisted Living: Dealing With Everyone's Emotions

Research Finds That Cats Cause More Allergies Than Dogs

by Julia Gregory

Bringing a dog or cat into your family can be an extremely rewarding experience. Cats and dogs account for over 161 million pets in American homes, according to the American Academy of Allergy and Asthma Immunology. Unfortunately, millions of pet caregivers are allergic to their pets. What's more, research has found that cats cause more allergies than dogs.

What Causes Allergies to Pets

The allergen that causes a reaction in susceptible people is found in the saliva, sweat, and urine of the pet. Because animals groom themselves, the allergen is passed to their coat and dander -- skin cells -- and it's this hair and dander that spreads throughout your home. If you're allergic to your pet, you will experience symptoms ranging from sneezing and nasal congestion, to a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes.

Cats Cause More Allergies Than Dogs

Scientists have discovered that the size and shape of the protein molecule that causes cat allergies is responsible for cats causing more allergies than dogs. The protein is so small --  approximately one-tenth the size of a dust allergen -- that it can stay in the air for several hours. It's this lengthy airborne time that makes cat allergies more common. On the flip side, dog allergens are heavier and larger, so they don't remain airborne the same way cat allergens do.

Fel d 1 Spreads Pervasively

The protein responsible for the cat allergy has been classified as  Fel d 1. Its characteristics are such that it is very sticky, so it easily clings to skin, clothes, and other things in the environment, such as furniture. It's so good at spreading and hanging around in places that this protein has been found in places where no cats are present, like classrooms and physician's offices. This is because people who have cats at home travel to these places and the protein clings to their skin, clothes, purses, and book bags and then transfers to the furniture and air.

How to Reduce Allergens

Restricting your pet's access to your bedroom may help reduce your symptoms. Allergens can seep into sheets, comforters, pillows, and pillow cases. If you allow your pet into your bedroom, or worse, on your bed, you can see how this can aggravate your symptoms. Keep furniture in your home clean and as free of dander as possible, This is easier if your floors are made of wood instead of carpet, and your furniture is made of material such as leather, as opposed to cloth. Just do your best to keep all surfaces clean. Wash drapes and bedding frequently, and invest in a specialized filter that reduces pet allergens in the air.

For more information about pet allergies and how to prevent them, check out http://www.oakbrookallergists.com.


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About Me

Assisted Living: Dealing With Everyone's Emotions

The decision to move one of my parents into assisted living was one of the most difficult I have ever made. I had extreme feelings of guilt that led to me being at the facility with my parent practically around the clock. It took a few months before I realized that I could not let my own life fall apart from the guilt I was feeling. I also learned that my parent was fine without me constantly hovering around. Since that time, I have had several friends express similar feelings of guilt. I started this blog to help others in the same situation understand not only their feelings about assisted living, but those of their parents.

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