Cat allergy is manifested? How to cure an allergy to cats

According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the world's population suffer to some extent with such a disease as an allergy to a cat. How is this state manifested, why does it arise and what are the most effective methods of combating it? Let's understand.

Causes of allergy

Many people mistakenly believe that they are allergic to the cat's fur, think that if you have a short-haired animal (the Sphynx breed, for example), all unpleasant symptoms will stop annoying. In fact, the reaction is not provoked by the pet's coat, but by the protein that is contained in the dead skin cells, as part of the urine and the saliva of the pet.

People with allergies have low immunity. Therefore, their body is very sensitive to external stimuli. On any allergen, it includes a protective reaction. If the immune system is weakened, the main symptoms of allergy arise, which are a side effect of the body's struggle with irritants.

Even if a person does not suffer from allergies to cats, a pet can easily bring it. So, the fluffy pet often brings from the street into the house a mold, pollen and other allergens.

Symptoms of allergies

In order to be sure that there was an allergy to the cat, as such a state manifests itself, it is simply necessary to know. It is worth noting that each person, due to his individual characteristics, reacts to these pets in different ways, and therefore one or several of the following reactions can be observed:

1. Nasal congestion and runny nose.
2. Tearfulness and irritability of the eyes.
3. Constant sneezing.
4. Asthma attacks (shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing).
5. Redness of the skin area, which directly contacted the animal.

So, a person assumes that he is allergic to a cat. How does this ailment manifest, after what time interval can the first symptoms be observed? Symptoms of an allergic reaction of the body can occur either immediately after contact with a fluffy pet, and a few hours after it. The allergy in the baby to the cat shows all the same symptoms as in adults. However, in view of the fact that the immunity of newborn babies is very weak, the consequences of an allergic disease can be extremely dangerous: the development of bronchial asthma or allergic rhinitis in a child.

Ways to identify allergies to a cat

If a person does not know such a state as an allergy to a cat, how this illness manifests itself, he can not say with certainty, then, if suspicions arise, before you say goodbye to your pet for good, you should visit a doctor. Perhaps the pet has nothing to do with the host allergic reaction.

In order to make sure of this, the specialist will offer to conduct allergic tests. However, it should be borne in mind that standard tests are not always informative and effective. This is explained by the fact that the allergens used for them are taken from the "average" cat (a nonbreeding animal), while allergens still have minor so-called "pedigree" features. In more modern allergic centers, it is possible to carry out a test on the basis of an individually prepared reagent, which can be wool, urine or saliva of a pet.

Errors in home diagnoses of allergies

If, after the appearance of a cat in a house, someone from the household has signs of conjunctivitis, dermatitis, or rhinitis, you must carefully analyze the situation and make sure that there are no other reasons for the appearance of these symptoms before you pronounce the "allergy to the animal" sentence. First of all, you should check whether your pet has an invasive or infectious disease that can occur in both animals and humans. So, under conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis, such diseases as toxoplasmosis, mycoplasmosis or chlamydia are often masked. Redness and itching of the skin can be caused by tick-borne invasion, known as scabies, or fungal infection-we are depriving.

It should be borne in mind that in most cases the external manifestations of the disease can be absent in the cat itself. Thus, in an animal that has been ill with chlamydia, there may not be clinical manifestations of conjunctivitis in the form of minor outflows from the eyes, but at the same time a pet's home, being an infection carrier, can infect hosts.

On the skin of many cats can parasitize a microscopic in size mite - Heilithiella, which does not cause any problems for the animal. On human skin, this parasite does not live, but, hitting the skin, can produce a bite, which will lead to itching and irritation in this place. Another common mistake in the "home diagnosis" of allergic reactions to a cat is an incorrect determination of the allergen. So, it is likely that the cause of an allergic disease is not the pets themselves. In modern times, people are increasingly faced with such phenomena as allergy to feed in cats, zoo cosmetics, toilet fillers, toys and other accessories.

Allergy Treatment: Highlights

Get rid of allergies forever - the task is almost unrealistic, and it is possible with a high degree of probability to say that from time to time this ailment will remind oneself. But at the same time it is quite possible to significantly alleviate the human condition and prevent the emergence of new coils of the disease with even more acute symptoms.

So, if there was an allergy to a cat, what to do in this case? First of all, it is necessary to completely limit any contact with the pet. It is also important to control your emotional sphere and try not to allow the influence of various stress factors on the body, arising mainly from separation from your beloved animal.

The main question that most allergy sufferers are trying to answer: "Where to put an expensive pet, without which it seems impossible to live without it?" Parting, of course, is very difficult. But if a person suffers from a triggered allergy to cats, then it is absolutely necessary. But it is better at this time to think about where the pet will be comfortable. For example, you can give a cat to relatives or close friends to be sure that they care about the animal.

Useful tips on how to get rid of allergies to cats

1. First of all, it is necessary to avoid prolonged close contact with the cat: less often to take the pet in your arms, iron it. It is recommended to find an alternative to tactile communication. So, for example, it can be talking, playing with "fishing rods", balls, watching the animal from the side.
2. The territory of an apartment or house should be strictly "divided" with his four-legged friend. It is forbidden to let the cat into the bedroom of an allergic person, especially in his bed.
3. After communicating with the pet or with its accessories, you should thoroughly wash your hands and even change your clothes. Wash things should be with powder with special additives.
4. It is recommended to remove from the home items that can collect allergens: soft furniture, carpets, down and woolen bedding.
5. Daily it is necessary to conduct a wet cleaning in an apartment using anti-allergenic agents, use a vacuum cleaner with special filters, air cleaners.

The importance of proper nutrition and regular cat washing

American studies have shown that washing a cat can significantly reduce the number of allergic stimuli. However, over time, the level of allergens is restored, and therefore the animal needs to be washed every week. For this, you can use both professional or anti-algae shampoos, and plain water.

It is very important to feed your pet properly. This is due to the fact that poor-quality feeding can adversely affect the skin of the cat, causing moult and other damage, which, in turn, increase the concentration of allergens in the environment.

Medication

How to cure allergy to cats with the use of medicines? The doctor first of all advises to take antihistamines, which block the action of allergens. Some of them (medicines "Claritil" and "Benadryl") can be purchased at the pharmacy yourself, while others (the drug "Zirtek") are released solely on prescription. If an allergy to a cat is diagnosed, what do traditional medicine recommend in this case? Well proven in the solution of this problem, anti-pedicure drugs, which include drugs "Allgra-D" and "Sudafed." Their task is to reduce edema and prevent congestion of the mucosa.

It is easy to eliminate the symptoms of allergies will help and other medications. For example, sprays "Nazonex" and "Flonaz", traditionally used to eliminate allergic reactions, have a special effectiveness.

One of the options for getting rid of allergies is the injection course. But it is worth noting that such treatment, which is not always effective, can last for more than one year. This method of fighting allergies is unsafe, and therefore it is forbidden to spend it to children under 5 years old.

Interesting Facts

It is proved that cats, in comparison with cats, spread significantly less amount of allergens. Also, the younger the pet, the less irritants emanate from it. Sterilized and neutered four-legged friends are less allergenic compared to full-fledged cats.

Studies have revealed that, regardless of the breed and sex, allergic reactions to these pets of a dark pattern or color appear in people much more often than on cats of the light. Allergenic properties of saliva, urine and skin of animals do not depend on the length of the coat and the breed.

Knowing how to cure an allergy to cats, and following the recommendations for keeping a pet, you can get rid of unpleasant allergic manifestations without parting with your beloved four-legged friend.