Choosing a Pet
Where can I get advice on choosing the right pet if I suffer from allergies?
Your vet may be able to advise you on the best species and breed as it depends on the nature of the allergic reaction. For some general advice, have a look at the PHC ‘Pets and Allergies’. Some points your may want to consider are:
- Dogs are usually less likely to cause a reaction than cats. Cats tend to lick their coats more as they have a useful protein in their saliva which helps to keep their skin healthy - the dander (or particles) caused as a result of this protein is more likely to cause an allergic reaction.
- The breed of cat or dog can make a difference to some allergies although, generally not to asthma sufferers.
- Some people have found poodles to be less allergenic than other breeds of dog as their coat is more like wool than fur.
- Rex cats seem to be better for some sufferers, as they have less hair than other breeds of cat. However, every reaction is individual and as a result there is no hard and fast rule. The general guide though is that pets that moult less fur are less likely to cause a reaction.