This Allergy Can Make Your Pet Downright Miserable - And May Horrify You

The recent story of a dog named Adam who is allergic to humans raised widespread awareness of human dander allergies in pets. Adam’s skin was such a mess he didn’t even look like the black Labrador Retriever he was. He was taken in by a wonderful rescue organization, and was ultimately correctly diagnosed and treated.

Pet allergies to human dander are not uncommon, but since the sensitivity takes time and repeated exposure to develop, animals are often 2 to 5 years old before they become symptomatic

Pets with a human dander allergy do best with a combination of immunotherapy, an anti-inflammatory diet, and beneficial supplements.

Pet Allergies to Human Dander Aren't Uncommon

Many pet guardians are shocked to learn their dog or cat is allergic to them. But since humans can be sensitive to pet dander, it makes sense that some pets are also allergic to us.

According to Dr. Tom Lewis, a veterinary dermatologist in Phoenix, when pets are allergic to humans, "It's never an obvious and direct reaction. They'll scratch and get a lot of secondary infections. Some of these dogs just are miserable."

And because it takes time and repeated exposure to human dander for an allergy to develop, the average dog is 2 to 5 years old before he begins to react.

Pet allergies to human dander are fairly common, but often go undiagnosed. Dr. Lewis believes that purebred dogs are more likely than mixed breeds to have this type of allergy. Labs, Golden Retrievers, and some terriers seem predisposed.

Helping a Pet with a Human Dander Allergy

If your dog or cat has a confirmed allergy, the usual advice is to remove the allergen (in this case, you and all other human members of the household) from your pet's environment, which obviously isn't a workable solution.

A few common sense environmental changes can be helpful, such as getting a good quality air purifier, vacuuming and mopping regularly to remove human dander and hair, and if your dog sleeps on your bed with you, covering your bedding with a hypoallergenic, washable duvet to keep your skin cells away from your dog.

You can also opt for desensitization injections (allergy shots), or oral drops if available. Studies show sublingual (under the tongue) drops can be just as effective as injections.

Don't forget to remove the "needle" off of the syringe
before inserting it into your pets mouth.

Dr. Karen Becker said she routinely prescribes certain supplements for pets with allergies, starting with quercetin, which she calls "nature's Benadryl" because it's very effective at suppressing histamine release. Histamine is what causes the inflammation, redness, and irritation associated with an allergic response.

Bromelain and papain are proteolytic enzymes that increase absorption of quercetin, making it more effective. I like to combine quercetin, bromelain, and papain together because they have a great synergistic effect. They also suppress prostaglandin release, which in turn decreases the pain and inflammation of irritated mucus membranes and other areas of the body.

Dr. Becker also frequently recommends a product called HistoPlex-AB by Biotics Research. This is a blend of standardized herbal extracts with immunomodulating effects. She also uses Moducare by Thorne Research to help modulate overactive immune systems. Nettles tincture (an herbal remedy) can also be beneficial for these pets.

Additionally, there may be several homeopathic remedies that can benefit your dog, based on his or her specific symptoms. (*See below for additional help and remedies for your pet.)

Addressing Your Pet's Diet

Pets with allergies should be transitioned to an anti-inflammatory diet if they aren't already on one. Diets that create or worsen inflammation are high in carbohydrates.

Your allergic pet's diet should be very low in grain content (preferably no grain) and potato-free. If you adhere to Chinese food energetics or Chinese food theory and principles, you will also want to avoid feeding "energetically warm" or hot foods during periods of inflammation in your pet. This means avoiding chicken and beef as protein sources.

Omega-3 fatty acids can decrease inflammation throughout the body. Adding them into the diet of an allergic pet can be very beneficial. The best sources of omega-3 are krill oil, salmon oil, tuna oil, anchovy oil, sardine oil, and other fish body oils.

Also recommended is coconut oil for allergic pets because it contains lauric acid, which helps decrease the body's production of yeast. Using fish body oil with coconut oil can help moderate or even suppress the inflammatory response.

*I highly recommend visiting Native Remedies "Pet Alive" online store. They have a team of experts that can help you with your pets problem.  This is a free call. If you'd like information about "Pet Alive" remedies click here or go directly to their online store by clicking here.