Uncomfortable pet allergy

More than 1 in 10 Brits are allergic to their pets. Recent studies show that allergies to cats and dogs affect 10 to 20% of the world’s population.

Animal allergies are triggered by proteins found in …

• the fur


• the dander


• saliva


•  urine

… of the animals.

All cats and dogs produce several different allergenic proteins. The more animals there are in a household, the higher the concentration of allergens in that household.

•  Sneezing


• Runny nose


• Itchy, red or watery eyes


• Stuffy nose


• Itchy nose, palate or throat


• Hives


• Cough, shortness of breath, whistling (allergic asthma)

There are rumours that the length of a cat’s coat, its gender or whether or not the cat is an indoor-only cat has an influence on the allergens it produces. In truth, none of these have any influence on how high the concentration of cat allergens are in the household.

There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that there are hypoallergenic cat breeds that do not cause allergic reactions in a sensitised patient.

Among dogs, breeds such as poodles or Portuguese water dogs have a reputation for being hypoallergenic. But here, too, it is the same as with cats – there are no hypoallergenic dogs.

But watch out: With dogs, gender does play a certain role. Research has shown that people who are specifically sensitised to the dog allergen Can f 5 may be able to get a female or neutered dog. This is because Can f 5 is produced in the prostate gland of male dogs. Dogs produce six different allergic proteins: Can f 1 to Can f 6. About 30% of all dog allergy sufferers react only to Can f 5.

7DROPS tests all six dog allergens, four cat allergens, and other animal allergens such as horse, rabbit, hamster and more. The full list of allergens tested can be found here.