What pets can you get if you are allergic to animals?

Allergy is a rather unpleasant phenomenon, and pet allergy– doubly unpleasant. Many people believe that animal allergies are caused by their fur. In general, this is correct, but allergic reactions occur not only to wool, but also to saliva, dandruff, sebum, urine, even on feed. If you suspect this kind of trouble, but really want to have a pet, then in this article you can find out what kind of pet you can afford.

Hypoallergenic cats

It is known that 15% of the population are allergic, and specifically to cats. But a third of these people have cats at home and get along quite well with them.

There are no completely non-allergenic cats. Hypoallergenic ones differ from regular ones in that they produce less Fel D1 protein, which causes allergic reactions in people. Even when a cat simply washes itself, this protein evaporates into the air that a person breathes.

It is believed that light-colored cats are less allergenic than dark-colored cats. And the saliva of cats contains less protein than the saliva of cats, especially affectionate and not neutered ones. And the minimum percentage of this element contains kittens.

It should be remembered that having acquired an animal, it requires care, and if you are allergic, then care should be regular and special. All personal cat items: cups, house, bed, toys should be washed daily. You need to bathe the animal a couple of times a week, and you need to wash your hands with soap after each contact with your pet. Do wet cleaning at home a couple of times a week.

Ten of the “safest” hypoallergenic cat breeds:

• Orientals;
• Balinese;
• Javanese;
• Siberian;
• Lykoi;
• Devon Rex;
• Cornish Rex;
• Peterbald;
• Canadian Sphynx;
• Don Sphynx.

The Siberian is considered the most hypoallergenic among all other breeds.

Hypoallergenic dogs

Just like cats, there are no non-allergenic breeds of dogs. But there are those with whom people with allergies can easily live and communicate. Allergies can mainly occur due to dog hair, dandruff, saliva. The less a dog sheds, the less dandruff it has. This is why hypoallergenic breeds are predominantly shorthaired.

Considered the safest Yorkshire terriers due to the special structure of their hair. They are similar to human ones, so there are no allergic reactions to them.

Also among the safe breeds are:

• Labradors;
• Bichon Frize;
• Schnauzers;
• Shih Tzu;
• Bedlington Terrier;
• Poodles, both large representatives of the breed and miniature ones;
• Portuguese merman;
• Basenji;
• Samoyed breed;
• Commanders are known as dogs with dreadlocks;
• Maltese;
• Chinese Crested;
• Mexican naked;
• American Hairless Terrier.

All these The breeds are quite friendly, good-natured and wonderful friends for adults and children., which is important, because often children also develop allergies to animals.

After every interaction with your pet, do not forget to wash your hands and face. Do not put your hands in your face or eyes without washing them first. Pets need to be bathed at least once a week. Don't forget about combing animal fur. Among other things, both dogs and cats must be regularly treated for various parasites: fleas, worms, lice eaters, ticks. Then your pet will not itch, dandruff will not occur and, as a result, you will not develop any allergies.

Other hypoallergenic animals

Of course, in order to avoid an allergy to an animal, it is necessary that it does not have fur, does not drool, and does not go into the litter box. The choice is not particularly large, but still there is one.  Suitable animals are rats, chinchillas, hamsters, hairless guinea pigs. Moreover, there are two types of rats - with fur and sphinx rats without fur. All these animals are small in size and hypoallergenic. They spend most of their lives in a confined cage space, and the most important thing is regular cleaning of the house.

The next group of animals are reptiles. Of course, you are unlikely to get yourself a crocodile, but an iguana, turtles, lizard or chameleon - easy. They have no fur, they do not splash with saliva - so they are completely safe for allergy sufferers. The bravest ones can get themselves a small snake.

Another option is fish in an aquarium. This is probably the safest and easiest option. They will not groom themselves, have no fur, and require minimal grooming. True, in some cases there is a possibility of an allergy to food, or to damp wood and foliage in an aquarium or terrarium.

You can get yourself a sweetheart rabbit, but under certain conditions: the rabbit will be from a small breed, with short fur, and a girl or a neutered boy.

Some extreme sports enthusiasts get unusual pets: bats, spiders of various types, scorpions, cockroaches. They are also not allergenic, so the choice of a pet depends only on you, your desires and preferences.