PETS ALLERGY
If you have an allergic predisposition, then you can be exposed to some specific substances ("irritants" or "allergens").
Other people do not. Your body reacts abnormal to normal things in your environment. This is called an allergic reaction. Such an allergy can exist for eg. pollen of grasses and plants, mites, mold spores as well as (domestic) animals. Allergy is hereditary. One can only be allergic if one or both parents was given. It can only be developed if you are exposed to the substances that bring allergy.
POSSIBLE ALLERGIC REACTIONS
The symptoms which may occur in a (domestic) animals allergies are varied: sneezing, coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes and ears, swollen eyes and face, skin rashes (eg eczema). These effects, however, come not always together.
It is important to know that one can react in two ways at the height of the airways:
1. DIRECT RESPONSE
This occurs within 20 minutes and is usually short term (1-2 hours). The symptoms are not severe and self-limiting if you're not remains near the animal. You can easily recognize the symptoms around the nose e.g. recognize the early response to the violent sneezing and runny nose.
2. LATE RESPONSE
The first attack is short and you usually feel tired and cranky. These are the harbingers of a severe allergy attack. Sometimes this attack reflects 6 to 12 hours after contact with the animal. Such a late response can take many hours to a day.
You can recognize the late response to a "blocked" nose, a typical nasal voice and a more open mouth.
The late reaction is usually more severe than the first reaction.
NOTE: It is possible that the patient reflects in an early and a late reaction. This is called a "joint response". It is also possible that only a late reaction occurs without an early.
EXAMPLE: a child is playing during the day with animals (classroom, playground, friends) without complains, but at night an asthma attack occurs due to contact with animals that day.
This is called an isolated late allergic reaction. Of course it is difficult to diagnose because the cause is no longer present!
WHICH ANIMALS CAN RESPOND?
All the hairy animals play a role, in allergic therms - especially their secretions . The secretions are so fine that they linger in the air for days. Putting the hamster in the other corner of the house or the classroom is a inadequate measure.
There are plenty of examples:
- Watch out for carpets. The intensive factory processing haven't eliminate the allergenic properties. This applies to stuffed animals and animal hides (cow skin, rabbit skins, fur coats, etc. ..)
- Cat secretions are able to stick to grandmother's clothes, making 100 km away grandchildren complaints to the eyes when grandma hugs them. Some furry animals are notorious for their highly allergenic power: cat, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, and horse. Animals with a plumage (canary, parakeet, various songbirds, etc. ..) are less allergenic. Dogs are a happy exception, and are generally well tolerated, as well as goats, sheep and pigs. Usually one is allergic to one animal species. Only exceptionally race factors play a role within a given species.
HOW TO TREAT?
1. RATIONALIZE
This is to avoid allergens or stimuli. This is often an unattainable ideal. No strong allergenic species indoors, and certainly not in the bedroom! When removing animals often encounter the strong psychological resistance, both in the allergic patient (especially children) and in the environment (parents, classroom). In an immediate allergic reaction is the link between contact with the animal and the subsequent response to the layman so obvious that they soon agree with the reorganization. In an isolated late allergic reaction (as described above), the link no longer as clear and the acceptability of the remediation is difficult. If you do not can relinquish a pet, then the daily wetting the fur with a little warm water may help. Dust masks can help prevent asthma attacks!
Go mopping regularly (more than vacuuming) to prevent pet hair! To extend the process to prevent allergy, it is important that in childhood no intensive animal contacts exist. Try to minimize also contact with other allergens (house dust and pollen from plants). They contribute to the total allergy.
2. DRUG TREATMENT
There are two possible approaches:
- Medication to prevent allergic reaction, if the animal contact can not be avoided: preventive treatment (eg antihistamines)
- Medication to treat an existing allergic reaction, if any: curative treatment (eg: anti-inflammatories and cortisone)
A number of drugs has undesirable side effects (like drowsiness in antihistamine / corticosteroid use with cataract and osteoporosis / gastric problems with anti-inflammatories). Many medicines for allergies have also been used for years.
3. ADAPTATION OF HYPO-CURE CURE SENSITISATION
This is a treatment is a serie of subcutaneous injections, with the substance for which one is allergic. The body is stimulated to build resistance to allergies. The complaints during the allergy will fall. This treatment is especially important when contact with the animal can not be avoided for social and / or economic reasons.
THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED IS INDIVIDUAL, PATIENT TO PATIENT AND SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH YOUR DOCTOR.