Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic is the characteristic of provoking fewer allergic reactions in allergysufferers. Hypoallergenic means to have a decreased tendency to cause allergies; hypo means less, not none. Hypoallergenic pets still produce allergens, but because of their coat type or absence of fur, typically produce less than others of the same species. People with severe allergies and asthmamight still be affected by a hypoallergenic pet.

There is no such thing as a nonallergenic pet.

Hypoallergenic pets

For allergysufferers, a hypoallergenic petmight enable them to have a pet in their home, whereas most dogs, cats, rabbits, and other fur-bearing animals can make their lives miserable. The proteins that cause allergies are found not only in the animals' fur or hair but also in saliva, urine, mucous, and hair roots and in the dandersloughed from the animals' skin.

Some dog breedshave been promoted as hypoallergenic, such as the Afghan Houndwhose coat (hair) does not shed and is the same pH as human hair creating no dander, Maltese, Bichon Frisé, Poodle, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, and the Schnauzer. The Goldendoodleor other Poodle hybridsmight do well for some who have allergies because they do not shed their hair. However, no canine is known to be completely nonallergenic.

In October2004, the Los Angelescompany Allercaannounced that within three years it will be able to produce a hypoallergenic catusing genetic modification. At the same time, the company denied that it will be able to do the same for dogs, because whereas cats have a single gene that produces the allergenic protein, dogs have many allergenic proteins controlled by multiple genes.

See also

• Hypoallergenic dog breeds

External links

• Information regarding allergies to dogs
• Article about hypoallergenic cat
• Allerca site

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoallergenic Wikipedia article Hypoallergenic.