In my previous blog I stated what it means to be allergic to your pet, or your housemate’s pet, and shared a few facts about this condition. As promised, this blog will focus on causes, symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment of pet allergies. (A link to my previous blog can be found at the bottom of the page)

So let me jump right into it… Causes: the immune system’s job is to protect us from harmful viruses and diseases. In people with pet allergies, the immune system is more sensitive than in people without the allergies. What this means is that the immune system reacts to perfectly harmless proteins that can be found in the pet’s dander, saliva, or urine. The proteins that cause the allergic reaction are called allergens.

Have any of you been in this situation? You move in with someone new and all of a sudden you both realize your roommate is allergic to your pet? This happened to me last year. I have an amazing, sweet, and gentle cat. His only flaw is actually my fault, I spoil my pets. All my friends love him and he is very friendly. Sounds like the best pet, right?!? It turns out my new roommate did not seem to agree. Immediately after moving in together my roommate’s eyes started being perpetually watery and he seemed to never stop sneezing. To be honest I hoped it was the flu (not very nice of me, I know). Turns out, he is allergic to cats. And at this point in time is where the arguments between the two of us started.

His family never had any pets so I guess he did not understand what my pet means to me. He kept asking me to get rid of it like it was nothing. He said I could give him to my parents to look after, or a friend, or my sister. Would you give your baby up?! No, I did not think so, and neither would I. Obviously I could not just sit there doing nothing so the two of us started doing research online to try and fix our little problem. We found quite a bit of information on the topic and this is what I will be sharing with you in my next few blogs. This first blog is more of a pet allergy overview and another one will follow shortly with treatment options and advice from my personal story.

Do you live in the most pollenated city? There is an estimated average of about 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. Most experts say that this is the “worst season ever”. Chances are that everyone is sneezing, and feeling a tingly feeling in your throat. There is a list composed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. This list is organized by three different factors. 1, pollen levels in the city. 2, retail sales of allergy medication. 3, number of certified allergists per patient.

1. Knoxville, Tennessee
2. Louisville, Kentucky
3. Charlotte, North Carolina
4. Jackson, Mississippi
5. Chattanooga, Tennessee

With the spring season approaching, allergy season has arrived and seems to be here to stay.  If you are one of those sneezing, tearing, and breathless “full-of-symptoms” victims, you surely are not suffering alone!  Approximately 54% of the American population experiences the discomfort of allergies; this statistic has increased five-fold since 1990!  So what is causing this substantial increase?  Although no one knows the answer s for sure, scientists have reached a few valid possibilities.

Experts say that we can point a finger at our extreme degree of cleanliness.  Who would’ve thought that being too clean could be a bad thing?  Our compulsive need to be dirt free proposes the idea that we aren’t exposing ourselves (and especially our children) to enough bacteria.  However, this doesn’t mean we should go run through the contagious disease section of a hospital!  If we aren’t exposed to enough infectious agents, we could develop an under-stimulated and overly vulnerable immune system; ultimately not producing enough anti-bodies.  A problematic immune system could attack harmless agents, anything really, from peanuts to pollen!

Another possibility for the increase in allergies can be due to the constant changes in our environment.  Global warming and rising carbon dioxide levels have led to earlier plant flowering and increasing pollen levels with longer seasons.  Also, even though we may be “too clean” of a population, not everything about us is clean; take a look at what we do to our environment.  The increased pollutants in the air may be exasperating our allergies!

It wouldn’t be surprising if the actual number of allergies wasn’t in fact undergoing the increase, but instead, the number of diagnoses.  With our health-obsessed society, people are going to the doctor for the smallest skin rash or pimple on their forehead, always believing they have something worse.

Although we don’t know the exact cause of allergies, there are many measures we can take so that allergies don’t take over our lives.  There are readily available over-the-counter drugs such as Allegra and Clariton, as well as prescription medications through your doctor such as Clarinex.  There are also natural remedies in the works, such as herbal supplements like saline or European herb butterbur, as well as natural nutrients like grape seed extract and flavonoid which occur naturally in many foods.

So what’s the outcome?  Are we too clean, is our environment too dirty, or are we simply over-diagnosing ourselves?   Don’t trap yourself in an Purell bubble; there is nothing wrong with letting your kids play in the dirt!