Despite the ancient roots of the emergence of a disease such as allergies, the term itself appeared relatively recently. Healers of different times are constantly searching for answers to explain the reaction of the human body. This article will discuss how allergies to dogs manifest themselves, their causes and sources.
Causes of allergies to dogs in humans
The appearance of allergies is explained by the reaction of the immune system to the appearance of a foreign object, regardless of its nature, which penetrates the body. Often such an effect is excessive and only harms the person. The ability of lymphocytes is to identify foreign bodies from the very birth of the baby. Based on this feature, allergic reactions are less common in those people who have dealt with pets from an early age.
Allergy is due to the fact that antibodies appear in human blood, the purpose of which is to counteract allergens. In this case, the protective bodies of the body are formed in excess, as a result of which the person has unpleasant symptoms. Dog allergies cannot be completely cured. However, thanks to drugs, you can lull the body's alertness by reducing the number of allergens surrounding it.
How is an allergy to dogs. Who is she facing? Can children suffer from allergies to dogs? Let's try to find the answers to these questions.
Heredity
However, not all people have allergic reactions to dogs to the same extent. Some human organisms do not react at all to four-legged friends, others feel discomfort with varying degrees of success.
How is an allergy to dogs? Most unlucky people have to deal with severe symptoms. Why does such selectivity occur? First of all, heredity plays an important role. Provided that one of the parents of the child has an allergy, then the probability of passing it by inheritance is 50%. If both adults suffer from the disease, then this indicator rises to 70%. In this case, a type of allergy does not affect tolerance. For example, the mother may have a stuffy nose during flowering spikelets, and the father will have an allergic reaction to certain foods.
How long is dog allergy manifested? She is not long in coming. Like every allergy, it makes itself felt right away. The main thing is not to confuse it with some other allergic reaction.
Related factors
Even if the parents did not “reward” their child with allergies, this does not mean that he has lifelong protection. A huge amount of aggressive substances that surround each person contributes to the appearance in the body of a tendency to allergic reactions. Ecology, food intake and invisible pathogens also have a significant effect on the deterioration of the state of immunity.
Even the appearance of allergic reactions to dogs is facilitated by transferred diseases, which take a large amount of energy from the human body. Based on this, heredity does not come first when a negative reaction of the body to a pet appears.
The manifestation of allergies to dogs in infants and children
The main symptoms of allergic reactions in a child's body have a similar manifestation with exposure to other allergens. In some cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor. How is an allergy to dogs in children? Here are the main symptoms:
- Runny nose and frequent sneezing.
- Edema of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.
- Dry cough.
- Reddened eyes and secretion of tears.
- The appearance of irritation on the skin.
When these symptoms appear, it is better not to risk it in the hope that the child’s body will cope with the disease on its own, as the situation may worsen.
How is an allergy to dogs in infants? They should be given special attention. For them, allergic reactions are life-threatening. Infants often suffer from allergic rhinitis. Therefore, it is urgent to show the baby to an allergist, and most likely you will have to get rid of the animal. You must also remember that each child's body has an individual reaction to the dog.
The manifestation of allergies to dogs in adults
Like children, adults are also prone to allergic reactions after contact with four-legged friends. How is an allergy to dogs in adults? Due to the individual characteristics of the body, the disease in each person manifests itself in a different form. First of all, the main blow falls on the organs of vision, respiratory tract and skin. The eyes begin to redden and itch, there is profuse lacrimation, the eyelids swell. In those areas of the skin where contact with the animal has occurred, rash and dermatitis may occur. A person begins to sneeze and cough, a nasal congestion appears. In severe cases, the victim expects bronchial spasm and asthma, there is pressure in the ears, and hearing may be impaired. The source of allergies may not be directly the dog, but food, filler and other related items of care for it.
After what time is an allergy to a dog manifested? Yes, just like every allergic reaction - almost immediately after exposure to the source.
Dog hair is not the main source of allergies.
To reduce the impact of the allergen, it is necessary to reduce its amount.
An allergic reaction is not caused by dog hair, as many mistakenly believe. The main causative agent of the disease is a foreign protein, which is located on the surface of the hairline of the animal. It is presented in the form of saliva, sebaceous secretions, exfoliated particles of skin. The amount of allergen depends on various factors related to the condition and nutrition of the dog. According to some studies, black animals increase the likelihood of allergies in humans, unlike white pets.
Despite numerous attempts to breed a dog breed that will not cause allergic reactions in the human body, success has not yet been achieved in this direction. However, some species of animals allow allergy sufferers to lead a normal life.
Varieties of Safe Dogs
How allergy to dog hair is manifested, we already know. Therefore, if such a nuisance does happen, hairless breeds will be the best option here. In this case, the amount of allergen carried around the apartment on the wool is significantly reduced. The absence of undercoat is also beneficial.
Wire-haired breeds. It is necessary to pluck out dying wool in a timely manner. This procedure should be performed by a person who does not have allergic reactions.
The breeds are small in size. The amount of allergen in small dogs is significantly different compared to large animals, so the reaction of the human body will begin to appear in a minor form.
You can’t joke with allergies
If allergic reactions occur in young children, then the dog will need to be disposed of. A fragile children's organism cannot adequately withstand all threats. This way out also applies to people who are severely allergic to dogs.
If a person has safe symptoms, such as itching on the skin, runny nose or lacrimation, then you can do without expelling the four friends from the apartment. To do this, you should pay attention to the health of the dog in order to reduce the release of aggressive protein. Therapeutic measures consist of vaccination, the extermination of parasitic organisms, a complete diet with the addition of vitamin complexes and getting rid of chronic diseases, if any.
Due to the lack of a solution to the problem of allergies to dogs, first of all, it is necessary to consult a highly qualified doctor. Because even the most minor symptoms can eventually develop into serious chronic diseases such as asthma and decreased visual acuity. Thanks to a competent allergist, it will be possible to take the situation with allergies under control by taking medications and a coordinated lifestyle.
Cleanliness is the key to success
Allergies to the dog, as manifested, have already been sorted out. Now let's talk about how to deal with it.
Castration or sterilization of the animal significantly reduces the amount of allergen in the room, which is intensively produced in dogs during periods of hormone secretion. It is also necessary to monitor the purity of the coat, because it is on it that aggressive protein is collected. To do this, the animal should be bathed at least once a week with special shampoos and combed out its hair every day. All operations to care for a pet should be carried out by a person who does not have allergic reactions.
Particular attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the room: regularly carry out wet cleaning and prevent the accumulation of dog hair in the apartment. To reduce the level of allergens, you should hang tulle on the windows, get rid of carpets, store bedding in closed places and use an air purifier. Be sure to prevent stagnation of air in the room, take care of personal hygiene after contact with the animal and not allow it to be in the bedroom.
Diagnosis of dog allergies
Allergy to a dog as manifested, you already know. Now let's talk about diagnostics.
At the initial stage of diagnosis, information is examined on the basis of a medical examination and tests are performed. The allergist at this stage determines the presence of relatives who have the disease, and the degree of allergy. After studying the information, the doctor determines the patient further actions.
The next stage is a laboratory blood test. Its task is to determine the level of immunoglobulin E, which will show the cause of the appearance of the symptoms characteristic of allergies. If the result is positive, immunological tests are awaited for the level of an aggressive protein of a person. Based on them, you can identify the allergen and the causes that caused it. After that, you can decide on the preservation of the dog and further actions.
Another way is to carry out allergic tests, which take a little time. Allergen-containing substances are applied to human skin through syringes. If the site increases in size and turns red, then the test gave a positive result. With this method, you can find out that allergic reactions are not caused by a dog.