Although dogs are known as being man's best friend, they can also cause unpleasant physical symptoms for those with dog allergies. The allergic reaction typically occurs in response to the proteins in the dog's dander, urine or saliva. Since the symptoms of a pet allergy are similar to those of many other allergies, without a doctor's assistance it can sometimes be difficult to determine if you are allergic to dogs or another allergen.
MayoClinic.com notes that human allergic reactions to dogs are the result of a hypersensitivity to proteins found in a dog's hair, saliva and dander--a material made up of dead skin cells and similar to human dandruff. Someone ...
Kids love pets, so parents may not realize that their infants have dog allergies until they have already adopted and bonded with a puppy. When suspicions allergy symptoms appear, it may be too late to break up the budding relat...
Some people are sensitive enough to dog dander that they need short- or long-term medication. Allergic reactions can occur from inhaling tiny particles of dander, from petting a dog or from being licked or scratched by a dog. P...
Pet allergies affect around one in seven people, Discovery Health reports. While more people have cat allergies than dog allergies, dog allergies are still common. Although it may seem that the fur triggers an allergy, the dand...
An allergy to dogs can present itself in various ways, and the signs can range from mild to severe. The allergic reaction is an overreaction of the immune system to a protein found in the dog's dander, saliva or urine. A person...
Allergies to dogs are caused by dog dander. All dogs shed dander continuously. Dander is the microscopic bits of hair and skin that have a protein-based oil secretion on them. Because the dander varies slightly from one dog to ...
