Pets can be both cause, solution for allergies

Unfortunately for pets, all too often they — or more specifically their hair and dander — are triggers that can make things miserable for those prone to allergies or respiratory conditions.

It’s a sad thing to discover a pet might be causing someone in the house problems. And while there may be some things that can be done to lessen the impact of their presence, if the issues are severe enough, families often arrive at a difficult conclusion — that the critters have to go.

In a surprising turn of events, however, it appears one animal often known to trigger asthma and other respiratory conditions might also be a solution to the very problem it’s known to cause.

Allergies can range from irritating to life threatening and the concerns posed specifically by respiratory conditions are no small issue, especially for children.

When it comes to dealing with things like asthma — a chronic condition in which, when exposed to a trigger, the lungs and airways respond and restrict airflow — experiencing an attack that leaves you gasping for air can be downright frightening.

There are many animals whose dander — tiny flakes of dried skin that go airborne and stick to fabrics and surfaces — and fur, can trigger allergies and asthma attacks. Of those, cats are definitely one that many people have sensitivities to. However new research indicates in some people, exposure to cats might be exactly what they need.

A team of physicians in Copenhagen dedicated to the study of childhood asthma recently announced that exposure to cats in the early years may actually decrease the risk of developing asthma in some children at a genetically high-risk for asthma, pneumonia and bronchiolitus.

The researchers performed genotypes of almost 400 at-risk children to identify their specific genetic predictors of asthma, then evaluated their environmental exposure to cat and dog allergens during early childhood.

Being exposed to dogs didn’t make any difference in the development of asthma as children aged; however the same was not true when it came to cats.

In children carrying the genotype with the strongest known genetic risk for childhood asthma (rs7216389 high-risk TT) those who had been exposed to cats in the early years had a lower prevalence of asthma and showed a decreased risk for developing it.

Likewise, high-risk children exposed to cats in the early years had a reduced likelihood of developing other respiratory complications such as pneumonia and bronchiolitus.

Though the results point toward individuals with a specific genetic profile and may not extend to all who suffer respiratory conditions, the knowledge could help those children at the highest levels of susceptibility avoid developing asthma, something the researchers suggest should be further explored.

The results join a growing body of research, and advice from experts that increasingly points to harm being caused by over-cleaning and sterilization of our environments. On the contrary, more researchers are suggesting that sharing the home environment with pets, and all the dirt, germs and hair they bring to the relationship, as a good thing to help boost immunities and reduce allergies in children.

Of course if one already has a dangerous allergy or asthma condition, it’s probably way too late to try exposure.

However, if family history points to the possibility of severe asthma down the road, it’s quite possible having a cat in the same house as a new baby will keep away more than mice — and might ultimately even save, or at the least, improve their quality life.

Sharna Johnson is always searching for ponies. Contact her at: [email protected]