Xinhuanet, Beijing, April 25 (Pi Chen) A furry cat rubbed around her feet, and the dog shook its tail and pounced on her face... These warm daily life is becoming the "unbearable lightness" of more and more people. Itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, and even difficulty breathing and asthma, it turns out that it is the "invisible killer" brought by pets - pet allergies.

Xinhuanet Health Channel has launched a series of popular sciences for allergies. This issue interviews Pan Zhouxian, the attending physician of the allergic reaction department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, to take you into a deep understanding of the nature of pet allergies, detection methods, treatment methods and scientific management methods.

Is pet allergic to hair not "alleviate to hair"? The root cause is invisible protein

"The real culprit of pet allergies is not hair, but specific proteins hidden in dander, saliva, and urine." Pan Zhouxian introduced that these proteins are secreted by pet sebaceous glands and are the "initiators" of allergic reactions.

Dandruff and hair falling on the floor, sofa, and bed are the main carriers of allergens, and saliva, urine, feces, etc. may also induce contact allergies. For example, redness, swelling and itching of the skin that has been licked by a cat is a typical manifestation.

Do cats have stronger sensitization ability? Different protein structures of cats and dogs lead to different reactions

Cats and dogs are common allergenic animals, but studies have shown that cats have stronger sensitization ability. On the one hand, the Fel d 1 protein contained in cat secretions is relatively high, has a stable structure and a small molecular weight, which is very easy to spread in the air and suspend for a long time; on the other hand, cats have frequent cleaning behaviors, such as licking hair and grinding claws, which will aggravate the release of allergens.

"Although cats and dogs have different allergic proteins, there is also a cross-reacting part." Pan Zhouxian pointed out that some patients are not only allergic to cats, but also react to dogs, which is related to the similar protein structures of the two, especially those with high sensitivity.

Allergic reactions are not only sneezing, but symptoms can affect multiple systems

Pet allergies have various forms of manifestations, and symptoms may vary depending on the contact site. Pan Zhouxian introduced:

1. Nasal contact: Typically, frequent sneezing, clear watery runny nose, itchy nose, and nasal congestion;
2. Eye contact: It can cause conjunctiva congestion, itchy eyes and even swelling of the eyelids;
3. Skin contact: rash, wind balls, itching, similar to urticaria;
4. Lower respiratory reaction: Inhalation of allergens may cause cough, asthma, and chest tightness;
5. Systemic reaction: In extreme cases, it can trigger life-threatening reactions such as allergic shock and loss of consciousness.

"These symptoms may occur immediately after contacting the pet, or they may gradually worsen after a few hours, so you need to be highly vigilant."

How to diagnose pet allergies? Blood and skin testing is key

If you suspect that you are allergic to your pet, you should undergo medical testing as soon as possible. Pan Zhouxian introduced that currently, the following two methods are mainly used to diagnose:

1. Serum IgE detection: blood is extracted to detect whether there are specific IgE antibodies against cat and dog allergens. The higher the value, the more obvious the sensitization level;

2 Skin prick test: Inject cat and dog protein extract into the skin in a small dose. If local allergic reactions such as erythema and wind balls occur, sensitization can be confirmed.

"A judgment on whether a true allergic depends not only on whether the test is positive, but also on the clinical symptoms. For example, someone who tests positive but does not have any symptoms can only be called 'sensitization' and does not necessarily develop allergies."

"Can you keep pets with allergic constitutions?" Dr. Pan said this

"For people with mild symptoms and controllable allergies, it is not absolutely impossible to keep pets." Pan Zhouxian said that the key is to do a good job in daily management and reduce exposure levels. She suggests:

1. Limit pet activity space, especially avoid entering high-frequency activity areas such as bedrooms;
2. Regular cleaning: Clean fabric furniture, carpets, curtains and other items that are prone to hair;
3. Take regular baths for pets, 1-2 times a week, which can help reduce allergens;
4. Feeding hypoallergenic pet food, some special cat food can reduce the content of allergic protein;
5. Use an air purifier and choose a high-efficiency air filter to effectively filter small particulate allergens in the air;
6. Ventilation: Open the windows every day for more than 30 minutes to help allergens spread.

"Especially, the bedroom must be completely prevented from entering pets, because once the quilt and mattress are contaminated with allergens, it is extremely difficult to remove them."

Treatment path: conventional drugs + desensitization and immunity + biological preparations

Pan Zhouxian pointed out that treatment options for pet allergies include:

(1) Drug treatment: Oral antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonists, nasal sprays, antiallergic eye drops, etc., targeted treatment according to the symptom site;

(2) Non-drug treatment: nasal irrigation, use of barriers, wearing masks, etc., can effectively reduce allergen contact;

(3) Desensitization treatment (allergen-specific immunotherapy): suitable for patients with severe conditions, ineffective drugs or inability to tolerate drugs. Through multiple injections of allergen extraction from cats or dogs, gradually increasing from small doses to high doses, and gradually establishing immune tolerance is the only fundamental way to treat allergies;

(4) Biological preparation treatment: For example, monoclonal antibody injections are suitable for allergic asthma, severe urticaria and other people, and can also be used for "escort" before desensitization treatment.

Keep pets scientifically, and prevent "love" from becoming a "burden"

"Pets have a positive effect on mental health, but allergies cannot be ignored." Pan Zhouxian said that for pet owners who are troubled by allergies, if they cannot give up their emotions with their pets, they should build a scientific way of coexistence under the guidance of doctors.

"Reducing the production and exposure of allergens, rational use of medication, and scientific desensitization are important ways to help allergic people maintain their relationship with their pets."

If you suspect that you or your family are allergic to pets, you might as well go to the hospital's allergy department to do a comprehensive test; if you have been diagnosed with pet allergies, you don't have to panic. Through scientific management and treatment, you can still live in harmony with your pet.

[Editor in charge: Bai Bixuan]