Learn About Pet Allergy

Male: Are pets a problem?

Dr. Marcus: Pets can be a severe problem if the child is allergic to pets. Or if the child is allergic to pollen and the pets go outdoors. Pet allergies are a common problem, allergies to dogs, cats, and even smaller pets like hamsters can lead to serious allergy problems. The allergy is to through the dander of the pet and the dander of the pet is adhered to the fur, the saliva, and excretions of the pet. What we recommend is that if possible the pet should find a new home. If the pet needs to stay in the home for any number of reasons the pet should never be in the child’s bedroom, never be handled by the child and one should always clean their hands thoroughly whenever handling a pet.

Male: If a kid is allergic to maybe a dog, is a short haired dog possibly not such a bad thing to have?

Dr. Marcus: It is a common misconception that there are dogs that are allergy proof. This is really not true. Since the allergy is to the dander, it does not make any difference how long the hair is. The dander is still excreted by the dog. Short haired dogs will shed less so their hair will spread less easily to parts of the house but any exposure to the dog still can trigger allergy symptoms.


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