University of Iowa Health Science Relations and
John Weiler, MD
Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine
First Published: November 2000
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

Ann is 70 years old and lives alone, except for her long-time companion, an aging calico cat named Molly. Although Ann has trouble breathing when she is around the cat, and her doctor has warned her that her health is not likely to improve unless she gives the cat away, she refuses to give up Molly's companionship. Is Ann doing the right thing?

"Pet allergies are often difficult to control because people usually want to keep their pets indoors," says Dr. John Weiler, professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa College of Medicine and a staff physician at the UI Hospitals and Clinics.

Allergies to household pets can cause severe allergic response, from a runny nose or hives to severe breathing difficulty, but people can be extremely attached to their animals and find it difficult to part with the furry source of their allergies.

Pet allergies often appear for the first time in children or teenagers, but even adults who have never had a problem may suddenly find themselves sneezing when they snuggle up to their pet. Pet allergies can be worse than allergies to pollen (hay fever), Weiler says. "It is like bringing ragweed plants into the house and sleeping next to them." Although allergies to cats are the most common, people can also be allergic to dogs and small animals such as gerbils and guinea pigs.

If you think that you might be allergic to one of your pets, your doctor may suggest allergy tests. This involves injecting tiny amounts of allergens, materials to which you might be allergic, underneath your skin. Signs of redness or swelling, much like a mosquito bite, indicate a positive allergic response. If you are indeed allergic to your pet, you and your doctor will need to decide upon the best course of action. "The best treatment for any respiratory allergy is avoidance. There is no question that avoiding exposure to the animal is best," Weiler says.

If you can't stand the thought of giving up your pet, other options might work for you. Keeping your cat or dog out of the bedroom is usually the first step. One recent study has also shown that bathing your cat frequently can help.

Your doctor may also prescribe allergy medications or recommend a series of allergy shots. Each time you receive an allergy shot, you get an increasingly higher dose of the substance to which you are allergic. The hope is that these doses will dramatically reduce your allergic response when you curl up with your pet.

However, Weiler says that data are limited on the actual success rate of allergy shots when people continue to live with their pets. "People have to realize that if they are living in a sea of allergies, shots may not provide much relief."

In the end, it is always your decision. If you can live with your symptoms, you can probably continue to live with your pet.