Many people suffer from allergies to pets such as cats and dogs. About 40% of children with asthma also have allergic reactions to animals. But is it possible for an animal to develop an allergy to a human?
Unfortunately, at the moment, when an owner notices allergic reactions in their pet, a veterinarian can only recommend gradually eliminating possible allergens and observing the animal's condition. Therefore, it is quite difficult to assert definitively whether a human can cause an allergic reaction in an animal, but there are several theories on this topic.
Douglas DeBoer, a dermatologist from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, emphasizes that if such an allergy does exist, it is extremely rare. The scientist explains that an allergic reaction in an animal is most likely caused by human dander, similar to how we start sneezing when in contact with cats or dogs, as our reaction to animals is usually related to the pet's dander, that is, dead skin cells.
Elia Tate Voyno, an immunologist from the University of Washington, notes that allergy testing in animals is a rather complicated process. Veterinarians do not even conduct it to identify food allergies, so it is unclear whether animals can be allergic to humans. Most often, the doctor simply prescribes allergy medications for the pet without conducting serious examinations. Therefore, at the population level, it is difficult to determine how many animals suffer from allergies in general.
Nevertheless, although the question of whether cats and dogs can be allergic to humans remains controversial, there is evidence that pets can have allergic reactions to each other. Although it is rare, there have been cases where cats predisposed to allergic asthma exhibited allergies to dogs.
