A dear friend’s desperate call from abroad to check on his family in Abbottabad led me to visit their house and see what was wrong. Upon arrival, I found almost the entire family suffering from a skin allergy. Their faces were covered with rashes of various types, with scratch marks not only on their faces but also on other parts of their bodies. Out of three girls and two boys, only one boy and one girl were free of the rash. The rest of the family, including the children’s mother, were affected.
Dr. Munawar Aziz
The mother explained that they had never experienced such an issue before, but for the past week, the problem had persisted. Self-medication using antihistamine tablets and applying lotions had not helped. After a thorough history, it was discovered that a cat had been given as a birthday gift to one of the girls, coinciding with the onset of the allergy symptoms.
After much persuasion, the family reluctantly agreed to give up the cat. A thorough cleaning of the house — washing the floors and vacuuming the carpeted areas — eventually relieved them of the devastating skin allergy.
Always consider the possibility of allergies before bringing a pet into your home. Pet allergies are a common health issue affecting millions of people worldwide. These allergies are triggered by proteins found in an animal’s skin cells, urine, or saliva. While cats and dogs are the most common culprits, pigeons, parrots, and other birds can also be responsible.
Contrary to popular belief, pet hair itself isn’t the allergen — it’s the dander (tiny skin flakes) that clings to the hair. Symptoms of pet allergies can range from mild to severe and may include sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, skin rashes, and even asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. Reactions can occur immediately or take several hours after exposure.
Managing pet allergies involves minimizing exposure to allergens. This can be done by keeping pets out of certain areas (especially bedrooms), cleaning frequently, bathing pets regularly, and using allergy-reducing sprays. If you’re considering adopting a pet and know you have allergies, consult your doctor first.
While living with pet allergies can be challenging, proper management makes it possible to enjoy the companionship of animals while protecting your health.
- Dr. Munawar Aziz
Abbottabad, Pakistan.
aziz.munawar@gmail.com
Sir what about stray dogs and cats?
It’s always risky to have any kinds of pets indoors . Apart from cats,any people also keep dogs and all sorts of other pets (birds, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits etc ) inside their houses and sooner or later some allergy or other illness is likely to result . It’s better to make separate accomodation for pets outside , even doghouses and catteries and such . These can be kept clean and hygienic but without in any way affecting human habitations .
V nyc dr sb.