Allergen Avoidance: Furry Animal Avoidance

Synonyms

Cat allergy; Dog allergy; Pet allergy

Definition

The most important furry animal exposures for allergy are the domestic cat and dog. Other furry animals that could be encountered in the home environment that are associated with allergenic sensitization include hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, mice, and rats. Occupational exposure can also happen in workers of laboratory facilities, farming (cattle), and recreational activity (horses) (Volcheck 2009). In the United States, approximately 60 % of households have at least one pet, the majority of which are cats and dogs (Reisacher 2011). Studies have shown that areas void of direct animal exposure, such as schools, daycares, and even homes, can have detectable cat and dog allergen due to its “sticky” nature (Eggleston 2005; Bush 2011). Despite claims by some companies of producing “allergy-free” pets, these animals do not exist as in both cats and dogs the allergenic components come from a variety of different basic animal...