Pet allergies. If you have them, you know it's nothing to sneeze at, so what is it that we're allergic to and why?

Animals have become cherished additions to our families. We love them like children, and in most cases they love us just as much, if not more, in return. Not everyone experiences pet allergies. Unfortunately, some of us experience mild to severe allergies from these loved ones. Some people have little to no allergy symptoms around cats and dogs, some are allergic to only cats, while others can't even have a pet because of severe allergic reactions. Up to 10% of the population in the United States is allergic to pet allergens- dander. Blame genetics. Pet allergies often runs in families. People with pet allergies tend to have a higher incidence of sensitivity to dander when their parents have pet allergies. Similarly, if you have a pet allergy, the chance of passing this allergy to your children is far more likely. Children with both parents allergic to pets are up to 80% more likely to have a pet allergy themselves.

Most people mistakenly believe that their pet allergy is caused by pet hair. This is not the case. We're actually allergic to pet dander. But what is dander? Dander is microscopic flakes of animal skin that travels through the air and lands on our skin, in our eyes, mouths and in our noses creating an allergic reaction. It is not so much that we're allergic to these microscopic skin flakes as we are allergic to what's IN these skin flakes (dander). Dander is composed of urine-derived proteins which is secreted from an animal's skin glands. These proteins, in addition to saliva proteins on dander from grooming, is where the bulk of our allergies comes from. So even though your pet may groom and lick his fur, it's the protein and saliva on the DANDER that remains the major source of pet allergens.

We all love our pets and I believe most of us have just learned to accept the symptoms. It's important to know that with continued, untreated exposure, your pet allergies may silently trigger worsening asthma, allergic sinusitis or allergic rhinitis. While it's not very realistic to buy a hypo-allergenic pet (hypoallergenic cats actually do exist!), you can take a daily remedy to lessen your pet allergies such as Allergena Pet Dander. It works great and is safe to use daily. We do so much to show our pets we love them, why not do something for ourselves to ensure we're loving them without the misery of pet allergies?