Indoor Air Quality
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Biological Pollutants
The protein comes from oil glands in the animals' skin and from the saliva when deposited
onto the fur during grooming. The very small and light animal dander and the dried
saliva will eventually flake off and can drift in the air for hours before settling
down. Once settled, the substances can remain in the home for several months, even
after a pet has been removed and despite cleaning. Of course, every movement in the
house will stir them up again. Furthermore, the dander easily sticks to clothes and
may be carried by pet owners into pet-
The dander presents a further problem, as it is also a food source for dust mites.
The fine hair or feathers are unlikely the source of an allergy but may irritate
the airways enough to cause problems to people with asthma and other respiratory
disorders. Your dog or cat may also carry pollen or dust into your home and birds
can harbour allergy-
Short of removing your pet from your home, you have many other options to limit the amount of allergens. Pets are an important part of our lives and with a little effort even an allergic person can enjoy the benefits of owning a pet. Before you blame your pet, though, make absolutely sure that it is really the pet allergen you are allergic to, and keep in mind that most people can get used to the allergens produced by their own pets.
Too many people have a pet allergy. Yes, I write pets, because it is not just the
cat or dog that triggers allergy symptoms, but also birds, rabbits, mice, rats, guinea
pigs, hamsters and farm animals. The immune system of allergic people, who inhale
or come in contact with the allergy-
Cat allergy symptoms stand out as being the most common, though. US health authorities estimate that 2% of US citizens are allergic to cats. Perhaps it has something to do with the large number of cats being held as pets and, in contrast to dogs, cats spend a lot of time indoors and are close to the owner.
Many people believe that the fur or the feathers of their pet cause the allergy. This may be true in part, but most allergies are actually caused by the protein in skin flakes of animals, called dander, and by saliva and urine.
Animal Dander
