Puppy Love Tied Up in a Bow

Nothing is sweeter than a puppy, except perhaps one with a Christmas bow on her head. But is it a present that will make somebody at home sick?  Things to think about:

Family member with furry pet allergies? Not a great idea to have an indoor dog, even if it is supposed to be "hypoallergenic".  All dogs share certain proteins in their dander that can trigger allergies.

Family member with pollen or mold allergy?   An indoor dog that doesn't roll around on the grass or chase squirrels through the leaves might be better.   But it's still best to keep the dog out of the bedrooms, to minimize the likelihood of developing a new allergy to dog dander.

Allergic to dust mites? All dogs shed dander. One flake feeds an entire dust mite family. 

But then, plenty of allergists and veterinarians have asthma and furry pet allergies. How do they do it? They use immunotherapy (allergy shots) to improve their tolerance, and a host of environmental management techniques.

Here's a few to consider before you buy a puppy this Christmas:

• Frequent grooming - a clean coat harbors fewer pollen and mold spores. 


• Flea and tick prevention - Use products recommended by your veterinarian.  Avoid powders or sprays or chemical bombs that can irritate the airways.


• Out of the bedroom -  Unless you are disciplined enough to train the new puppy to stay outside the bedroom and provide positive reinforcement for good behavior, you are inviting trouble.

• Clean the house daily - Dogs increase the cleaning work load. Use a HEPA vacuum daily, dust with microfiber cloth (but don't use dust sprays) and make sure puppy accidents are cleaned and neutralized immediately. 

• Diet - Read the label. You don't want your dog eating any food that contains an ingredient your child may be allergic to. Otherwise, the first kiss after dinner might lead to a hospital visit.

Want to know more about building a tolerance to your pets with allergy shots?  See if you might be a candidate, by coming in for an allergy evaluation.  

Source:  Allergy & Asthma Today. Volume 9, Issue 4. Winter 2011

Is there really a hypoallergenic dog?

Unfortunately, no -- all dogs can trigger allergic symptoms in a sensitized person.  However, there may be other things one can do to limit the amount of exposure in homes with pets.

What influences the amount of dog allergen in homes?  It seems obvious that there would be more dog allergen in a bedroom if pets are allowed in the room, and there would be even less dog allergen in the home if pets are kept outdoors or there are no pets at all.  However, does the type of coat make any difference?  How much the dog sheds?  How many dogs are in the home? How long the family has had the pet?  How many hours the dog spends in the home?  The size of the dog?  Whether the pet is altered (spayed or neutered)?

As it turns out, the type of dog coat, amount of shedding, and number of dogs in the home make no difference in the amount of dog allergen in the home.   However, the amount of time there are dogs in the house does correlate with dog allergen levels in the home, and the larger the dog, the higher the allergen levels.  For unknown reasons, spayed or neutered dogs seemed to release more allergen than unaltered dogs.

Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2010;105(3):228-33.  Nicholas C, Wegienka G, Havstad S, Zoratti E, Ownby D, Johnson CC.  Dog characteristics and allergen levels in the home.