Allergy & Asthma Center of SW Washington

Animal Allergens

While pets are wonderful additions to a household, they can cause allergic reactions in those who are sensitized to animal allergens. The most common animal allergies are to cats and dogs, but any warm-blooded pet including small rodents, birds, rabbits, cows, and horses can cause problems.

Most animal allergens circulate throughout a house as small microscopic particles, invisible to the human eye. Cat allergen, for example, can come from the saliva, fur, body secretions, or skin and is only about two microns. As a comparison, the cross section of a human hair is 100 microns. Regular resting sites of animals like carpets, couches, and beds generally have a significant allergen build-up.

Are There Less Allergic Animals?

Allergists often hear from their patients that their cat, dog, or horse doesn't bother them, but that everyone else's does. This is especially true for horse lovers. Many claim that certain breeds of horses bother them but others do not. For those who are horse knowledgeable, the Bashkir horse is often claimed to be non-allergic.

With this in mind, investigators from Sweden studied various horse breeds, including the Bashkir, to see if there were differences in allergens that could corroborate the patients' observations. It was found that dander from all breeds investigated contained the same allergens. Bashkir horses were no different.

To date, there is no scientific evidence to corroborate observations that some horses, but not others, produce allergens.

Animal Allergen Control

As with any allergen, avoidance is always the best control measure. If this is not possible, here are some guidelines to control animal allergies:

• If you are unable to keep the animal out of the house, at least keep them out of the bedroom.
• Thoroughly clean the areas where the animal rests. Wear a dust mask when doing this.
• Washing and grooming the animal regularly outside of the house can reduce the allergen load in the house.
• Wash the animal's bedding weekly in hot water (at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Follow the general principals for dust control.
• Use multi-pleat extended surface filters in your heating system to eliminate airborne dander. HEPA filters placed in the bedroom can reduce nighttime exposure if the animal is kept out of the room at all times. Remember, however that studies have shown that a cat placed in a room with a HEPA filter produces more allergen than the filter can remove.
• If possible, avoid visiting houses with pets. If you go to a house where there are pets, be sure to take your allergy and asthma medicines before you go. In addition, you should change your clothes after you leave, as soon as possible.