Animals that cause Allergies

There is a big long list of animals that can cause allergies. These include any warm-blooded animals that have fur, feathers or hair. The list of these animals includes: cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, ferrets, gerbils, chinchillas, guinea pigs, rats, mice, goats, sheep, monkeys, pigs, cattle, donkeys, mules, any type of large cats such as lions, bobcats etc, all types of birds, including chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys etc.

Cats are the most problematic on the list and they are the ones that cause the most allergic reactions. After which follow dogs and horses. Obviously the most common house pets are cats and dogs so we will concentrate on those two specifically. No matter what type of cat or dog you have, whether it be mixed, purebred, shorthaired, longhaired, wired haired – and even hairless – can cause allergies. But don't let this discourage you into not getting a cat or dog. There are certain types of cats and dogs that don't cause as many problems as others, so the trick is in finding the right one for you and your family. Many people are led to believe that the amount or length of hair the animals has is what causes the problem, but in fact the important thing to look at is the amount of hair the animal sheds. Remember that all dogs and cats shed their hair (that is of course unless you have a hairless one), and this shedding is what seems to produce more allergies. This usually happens because of the allergens the dead hair has in it. Remember also that if an animal has a skin problem it usually causes it to shed more and an increased amount of dander is produced in the process. There are many people that believe that shorthaired pets shed less, but the fact is that these can spread just as many allergens around the home as the longer haired ones. Dogs and cats that have double coats can also cause problems to some people and specifically those that shed a lot naturally. The ones that seem to cause less allergy problems are those that have curly hair or silky hair.

All cats and dogs are hypoallergenic, however, some cause less problems than others though. Although there are pets that generate more allergens than others, the distinctions are not precise to any specific breed. It has been discovered that allergens are actually controlled by hormones in which case it is important to point out that male dogs and cats produce more hormones than females, although once a male has been neutered, the amount of allergens it produces reduces considerably within a few weeks.

The only types of animals that do not spread allergens and don't cause problems of this sort are those without hair, fur and feathers such as fish, turtles, snakes, toads, frogs etc. These could be considered the only animals that don't affect allergic people. However, it is good to know that the tanks these animals are kept in can cause allergies if not cleaned on a regular basis due to the mold they can accumulate.