Wool allergy

There are a huge number of reasons for the occurrence of allergies: medications, flower pollen, household dust, fungal spores, animal hair, etc. Allergy to animal hair occupies a leading position in the epidemiological structure of this disease.

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Why does wool allergy occur?

According to statistics, 15% of the entire population of planet Earth suffers from such a disease as allergy to the fur of domestic and wild animals. However, this fact does not stop people, and they continue to contact animals at home, when visiting, at the zoo, etc.

The onset of an allergic reaction often takes about two years, but sometimes wool allergies occur in sudden attacks.

Most often, the disease appears from contact with animals such as dogs and cats, even if they have almost no hair. Dogs, whose hair coat is constantly renewed, are also "walking" allergens.

Allergy to wool appears mainly due to the secretion of specific proteins by certain skin glands of animals. Proteins are also often found in the urine, wool, and saliva of animals. These allergens are extremely small, so they are easily picked up by the air and carried over long distances. The saliva and urine of living creatures, containing the dandruff of their "hosts", dries out, and skin particles float in the air and can be swallowed by anyone. This means that close contact with an animal is not necessary for an allergy to appear. A person in whose body the allergen is found becomes a carrier of the disease when, during coughing or sneezing, particles of wool or skin of animals are released from the body along with his saliva.

How does wool allergy manifest itself?

Allergy to wool has its own symptoms. These include nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, temporary asthma attack. This type of allergy can torment a person for several hours to several months. The patient must be under the vigilant supervision of a doctor all this time.

Allergy to wool has the following symptoms:

• Lacrimation, eyelid edema, allergic conjunctivitis;
• Severe itching, hyperemia of the skin;
• Rash in the form of small rashes;
• Atopic dermatitis;
• Neurodermatitis, eczema;
• Hives (widespread rash in the form of blisters);
• Rhinitis of allergic etiology, constant watery nasal discharge, sneezing;
• Attacks of dry cough without signs of a cold;
• Shortness of breath leading to attacks of suffocation and the development of bronchial asthma.

Since hair allergy is caused mainly by domestic animals - cats and dogs, these two types of allergy should be considered separately.

Allergy to cat hair

Cat fur itself is not an allergen; allergic reactions are caused by a secretory protein in the cat's skin and saliva. The allergens are called Felis domesticus allergen 1 or Fel d 1, which is found in the sebaceous glands, and Fel d 4, which is secreted by saliva. These allergens are part of the secretions of the entire "cat" group - from domestic pets to lions, tigers, leopards and panthers. Animals of the feline family constantly monitor the cleanliness of their fur and lick themselves almost every hour. Allergens remain wherever a cat sits, lies or walks. Since Felis domesticus is constantly found in the smallest scales of the animal's skin, it gets into huge quantities on carpets, bedding and soft toys. It should be noted that male cats secrete significantly more allergens than female cats. In addition, the cat family is a carrier not only of Felis domesticus allergen, but also of other types of allergens excreted with urine. In short, where a cat lives, allergens are literally in the air, and their spread is facilitated by the abundance of upholstered furniture, carpets and household dust.

Allergy to cat hair manifests itself with typical symptoms characteristic of allergic reactions. However, there is a peculiarity in the signs of allergy to cat hair - itching and nasal congestion appear first, which are often confused with the symptoms of a cold.

Typical signs of cat allergy:

• Facial swelling;
• Itching all over the body;
• Hyperemia of the skin, itching;
• Severe lacrimation;
• Difficulty breathing due to a blocked nasopharynx;
• Constant sneezing, itching in the nose;
• Hoarseness of voice, feeling of irritation in the throat;
• Cough – frequent and dry;
• Urticaria up to Quincke's edema;
• Triggering an asthma attack.

It is a myth that there are hypoallergenic cats, and the so-called "naked" cats - sphinxes are not capable of causing allergies at all. This is far from true, since both Fel d 1 and Fel d 4 are aggressive allergens that remain on the skin and in the saliva of animals. No cattery in the world is capable of breeding a skinless and tongueless breed. The release of Felis domesticus is a genetically determined property of all representatives of the cat family. Moreover, even if you remove the cat from the territory where the allergy sufferer lives, the manifestations and symptoms of an allergic reaction can remain for several months. This is explained by the fact that allergens firmly cling to particles of furniture fabric, hide in carpets, bedspreads and curtains.

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Allergy to dog hair

Dogs are second only to the feline family in terms of provoking allergic reactions. There are no hypoallergenic dog breeds, just like there are no cat breeds. Moreover, short-haired dogs are even more aggressive in terms of allergies than long-haired dogs, since the main allergen Can F1 is contained in the skin of the dog. In addition to it, allergies can be caused by the smallest mites that constantly live in dog fur. Actually, dog fur is just a carrier of a huge number of allergens - Can F1. Even with systematic thorough cleaning of the room, allergens can hide in upholstered furniture, carpets, curtains, toys and remain viable for up to several months.

Typical symptoms of dog allergies:

• Dry cough, hoarseness of voice;
• Redness of the eyes, lacrimation;
• Continuous sneezing (5 to 10 times in a row);
• Difficulty breathing due to nasal congestion;
• Skin itching is less common than with cat allergies.

Skin manifestations of allergy to dog hair mainly occur when saliva gets on human skin. It is known that dogs are usually affectionate and tend to "kiss" their owner. Any place on the human body where saliva gets becomes an accumulation of allergens. People suffering from asthma react especially violently to dog allergens. They can quickly develop suffocation and Quincke's edema.

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How is wool allergy treated?

If the allergy to wool is mild and not accompanied by severe symptoms, then antihistamines and nasal sprays can cope with it. If the form of the disease is severe, then specialist intervention and corticosteroids are required. The body's condition in case of allergy accompanied by asthma attacks can be alleviated with the help of anti-asthmatic drugs.

The frequency of allergic attacks to animal hair can be reduced by strengthening the body's immune system. In this situation, the patient needs to undergo a course of hyposensitization - a procedure that helps reduce the body's hypersensitivity to allergens secreted by animals.

In this case, an allergy to wool is treated as follows: the allergen is injected under the patient's skin in small portions. The body immediately begins to produce antibodies aimed at fighting the "stranger". The next time there is contact with the animal's secretions and an allergic reaction begins to develop, the person will tolerate the disease much easier. Depending on how severe the disease is at the moment, hyposensitization can continue for several months. After some time, the amount of the administered agent can be reduced to one dose per month.

It is quite possible to minimize allergies to animal hair. To do this, you need to follow some rules:

• do not have a pet;
• wash your pet every day;
• places where he often stays should be washed with bleach;
• do wet cleaning in the apartment every day;
• beat out rugs and mattresses that your pet walks on several times a week;
• Clean the animal's bedding at least once a week.

These measures will help to avoid such an unpleasant ailment as an allergy to animal hair.