I counsel my patients every day regarding allergic reactions to different dog breeds. Oftentimes my patient will tell me their dog doesn’t trigger theirallergy symptoms, but exposure to another person’s dog does.
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It seems strange, but it is possible for a person to be allergic to one breed of dog and not another. Some breeds of dogs arehypoallergenic, meaning they produce less dander However, people can still have allergies to these animals. The main allergens people are sensitive to come from dog saliva, known asCan f 1, and dog albumin, a protein found in their blood.
In fact, the variety is so great that allergy tests must test for dog allergens associated with at least five different breeds in order to accurately deliver a diagnosis. It is entirely possible that your neighbor’s Labrador Retriever makes you sneeze uncontrollably, but your German Shepard fails to induce even a sniffle.
Allergy-Friendly Dog Breeds
If you have a dog allergy and are looking to adopt, you may want to consider a dog with less fur or a dog that produces less saliva. Someallergy-friendly dog breedsinclude:
It may be important to note that not all experts agree on whether there are truly any hypoallergenic breeds. For example, a study published in 2012 couldn’t find enough evidence to classify any of these dogs as hypoallergenic.
Ways to Reduce Allergens in Dogs
If you have dog allergies and have a dog or plan on visiting a dog that you may be allergic to, there are ways toreduce your riskof having an allergic reaction.Allergy shotsand medications can help control symptoms, but there are proactive measures you can take as well. To lower the amount of dander a pet carries, bathe the dog once or twice a week and wipe the dog down with a wet wipe daily. If your allergies persist, try doing a deep clean of your home to clear out any allergens that your dog may have shed. You can also buy HEPA filters to help trap allergens.
Dog Allergies Versus Cat Allergies
While allergens can differ based on dog breeds, those differences do not exist between different breeds of cats. The majorcat allergen,Fel d 1, is the cause of almost all cat allergies. It is even the same for other members of the feline family, such as lions and tigers.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chan SK, Leung DYM.Dog and cat allergies: current state of diagnostic approaches and challenges.Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2018;10(2):97-105. doi:10.4168/aair.2018.10.2.97Vredegoor DW, Willemse T, Chapman MD, Heederik DJ, Krop EJ.Can f 1 levels in hair and homes of different dog breeds: lack of evidence to describe any dog breed as hypoallergenic.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2012;130(4):904-9.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.05.013American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pet allergies.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chan SK, Leung DYM.Dog and cat allergies: current state of diagnostic approaches and challenges.Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2018;10(2):97-105. doi:10.4168/aair.2018.10.2.97Vredegoor DW, Willemse T, Chapman MD, Heederik DJ, Krop EJ.Can f 1 levels in hair and homes of different dog breeds: lack of evidence to describe any dog breed as hypoallergenic.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2012;130(4):904-9.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.05.013American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pet allergies.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chan SK, Leung DYM.Dog and cat allergies: current state of diagnostic approaches and challenges.Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2018;10(2):97-105. doi:10.4168/aair.2018.10.2.97Vredegoor DW, Willemse T, Chapman MD, Heederik DJ, Krop EJ.Can f 1 levels in hair and homes of different dog breeds: lack of evidence to describe any dog breed as hypoallergenic.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2012;130(4):904-9.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.05.013American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pet allergies.
Chan SK, Leung DYM.Dog and cat allergies: current state of diagnostic approaches and challenges.Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2018;10(2):97-105. doi:10.4168/aair.2018.10.2.97
Vredegoor DW, Willemse T, Chapman MD, Heederik DJ, Krop EJ.Can f 1 levels in hair and homes of different dog breeds: lack of evidence to describe any dog breed as hypoallergenic.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2012;130(4):904-9.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.05.013
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pet allergies.
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