PETS AND OTHER ANIMALS: WHERE ARE ALLERGENS FOUND?
Animal allergens can disperse throughout the whole environment around them. It is not necessary to touch or handle animals or birds to be allergic to them. Pet allergens can waft through the home and, even if the animal or bird is confined to a limited area, traces of allergens can be found in other parts. If you are not very sensitive to them, this will be no problem; but if you are highly allergic, then it can be a cause of difficulty.
If a cat or dog sleeps in your bedroom at night, it could be the cause of reactions. If you allow them to sleep on a bed during the day, they can leave traces of allergens which can upset you later when you go to bed.
Pet allergens are also found in house dust and if you react to this, animal allergens may be the cause. They can also cling to clothing or surfaces where an animal has been, such as car seats, furniture, the animal’s bedding, carpets and rugs, so visiting other people’s homes or travelling in their cars may cause trouble. Even if you do not have a pet, people who come into your home can bring animal allergens in with them on their clothes. Again, if you are exceptionally sensitive, this can be a problem.
Animal allergens can also be an occupational hazard, depending on your type of work. Laboratory workers using animals or birds in experiments are known to develop allergy, as are zoo or circus employees, kennel workers and dog handlers. Blind people can develop an allergy to their guide dogs.
Hobbies and leisure pursuits, such as horse-riding, which bring you into contact with animals can also be troublesome. Birdkeeping is a known hazardous hobby. If you are exceptionally sensitive, even inhaling animal allergens at a distance can trigger reactions. Going to the races, visiting a circus, or watching a gymkhana, have been known to cause reactions in people allergic to horses, for instance.
If your problems started on moving house, or soon after, animal allergens from previous owners may be a cause. These can be very persistent.
If you sit next to someone wearing clothes with cat or dog allergens clinging to them, even invisibly, this can upset you. This may be the cause of problems at work, at school, at leisure activities, or even on public transport.
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