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Animal Allergy

If your eyes water or you start to sneeze after playing with or just being near a furry animal like a cat or dog, you may have an animal allergy. Animal dander— a combination of skin, fur, and saliva—is extremely tiny and lightweight, so it can stay in the air for hours, which could cause symptoms long after the animal has left the room. And dander can land and stay on furniture, carpets, mattresses, upholstery, or your clothing, so people who have pets can unknowingly carry dander with them everywhere they go, including school or work.

An allergy to furry animals—cats and dogs in particular—is considered to be a risk factor for developing asthma and hay fever.1 Nearly 30% of people with asthma have been found to have had an asthma attack brought on by cats.2

And despite what you may have heard, there are no truly hypoallergenic breeds of dogs or cats.3

 

 

Animal Allergy

Common animal allergy symptoms

Those tiny pieces of animal dander can easily get in your eyes or nose—some pieces are even small enough to breathe into your lungs. People with an allergy to animal dander can react immediately, but sometimes symptoms can be delayed. If you have one or more of these symptoms after being near a furry animal, you may be allergic.

Common symptoms of animal allergy include:

  • Sneezing
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Facial pain (from nasal congestion)
  • Coughing, wheezing, or trouble breathing
  • Watery, red or itchy eyes
  • Skin rash or hives

Furry Animal Allergy Testing

Ask Questions. Get Answers.

"Am I allergic to animals?" isn't a simple "yes" or "no" question. Animal allergy reactions can vary and depend on the specific animal and protein causing the reaction.

Specific IgE testing for furry animal components, available for cat, dog, and horse, helps your healthcare provider identify the specific proteins that cause reactions. So instead of knowing that you are allergic to certain animals in general, you can know exactly which protein within the animal triggers the reaction, as well as the risk of reaction severity associated with that protein.

Meaning, you can get answers to questions such as:

"Can I keep my pet cat?"

"Could my cat or dog make my symptoms worse?"

"Can I be allergic to a male dog, but not a female dog?" 

Because it's not just knowledge you'll gain, but peace of mind, too. 

 


Create your personalized
symptom assessment.

My Symptom Profile

Allergic triggers can add up    

Having an animal allergy doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to get rid of your pet to feel better. Because everything you are allergic to can add up, you need to manage exposure to your allergic triggers before you reach your symptom threshold-the point where you start to experience symptoms.

Exposure management may bring you below your symptom threshold, so you can keep your dog and experience fewer symptoms. And to do that, be sure to consult with your healthcare professional to get to the bottom of what’s causing your symptoms.

Learn more about the symptom threshold >

 

Allergen Season

My Symptom Profile

My Symptom Profile

Make the most of your appointment
Talk to your healthcare provider about specific IgE blood testing.

Use these questions to help your healthcare provider understand what’s going on with your symptoms. Review your answers together during your office visit to decide if specific IgE blood testing is right for you.

Help your healthcare provider understand what’s been going on with your symptoms and decide if specific IgE blood testing is right for you!

Start Questionnaire

Here Is Your Recap. Now What?

What can your My Symptom Profile tell you about allergies? Nothing, by itself. So resist the temptation to self-diagnose. Treating allergy symptoms with over-the-counter medications or other remedies without determining the cause could lead to more issues in the long run. When paired with testing, such as specific IgE blood testing for food or respiratory allergies, your My Symptom Profile can guide your healthcare provider in creating a customized trigger-management plan to help reduce exposure to suspected allergens.

1 of 4

What symptoms are you experiencing or have you experienced?

Do your symptoms get worse during a particular time?

Do you notice your symptoms more in certain places?

How long have your symptoms been present?

Finished!

Select all that apply
Runny nose
Sneezing
Fatigue
Diarrhea
Itchy eyes
Wheezing
Chest tightness
Abdominal cramps
Itchy mouth
Difficulty breathing
Red, itchy patches of skin
Constipation
Scratchy throat
Select all that apply
In the morning
At nighttime
In the fall
In the spring/summer
In winter or when temperatures drop
After eating certain foods
When sick
During or after exercise
Other
Select all that apply
At home
At school/work
Outdoors
Indoors
Around pets or animals
Select one
Since birth
Less than 1 week
More than 6 weeks
For several years

Download a PDF of your results to help guide your conversation and maximize your time with your healthcare provider.

OR
Download Results

What to know about specific IgE blood testing

Benefits

Unlike a skin-prick test, a specific IgE blood test can be performed on anyone, no matter the condition of their skin.

What to know about specific IgE blood testing

Availability

You don’t need to see an allergist or specialist. A primary care provider can prescribe specific IgE blood testing.

What to know about specific IgE blood testing

Eligibility

Anyone experiencing allergy-like symptoms can receive specific IgE blood testing.

What to know about specific IgE blood testing

Wait Time

Typically, it takes a few days to get blood test results back because the blood sample has to be sent to a lab for processing.

Am I Allergic?

Am I Allergic?

How do you know if your symptoms are caused by an animal allergy or not? Testing can help your healthcare professional determine what’s behind the endless sneezing and sniffles, so don’t try to manage the problem on your own.

A simple blood test—together with your medical history—can help identify underlying allergen triggers, if you have an allergy. And a blood test can be done even when you are taking antihistamines.4


Knowing if you’re allergic and what you’re allergic to can help you, or a loved one, avoid or minimize symptoms.

Learn more about blood testing
References
  1. Chan SK, Leung DYM. Dog and Cat Allergies: Current State of Diagnostic Approaches and Challenges. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2018; 10(2):97-105.
  2. Schoos AM et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2017 Nov-Dec;5(6):1754-175.
  3. Perzanowski MS, et al. Effect of cat and dog ownership on sensitization and development of asthma among preteenage children. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002;166:696-702.
  4. Patelis A, et al. Eur J of Allergy and Clin Immunol. 2014;DOI:10. 1111/all.12345
  5. Arbes SJ, et al. Asthma Cases Attributable to Atopy: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007; 1139-1145.
  6. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Pet Allergy. Available at: https://acaai.org/allergies/types/pet-allergy. Accessed November 2018.
  7. Ciprandi G, Alesina R, Ariano R, et al. Characteristics of patients with allergic polysensitization; the polismail study. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008;40(3)77-83.
  8. Mazan MR, Svatek J, Maranda L, et al. Questionnaire Assessment of Airway Symptoms in Equine Barn Personnel. Occup Med. 2009;59:220-5.
  9. Bjerg A et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2015;26:557-63.
  10. Konradsen W, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;135:616-26.
  11. Uriarte S. A. et al. Allergy 2016;71:1066-1068.