There is a myth among those who want pets, but who are also allergic to them, that there are several breeds of dogs and cats that are hypoallergenic. Is this true?
The answer is an emphatic no!
There are no breeds of cats or dogs that are hypoallergenic; however, having said that, I would like to qualify the answer. While there are no hypoallergenic breeds, there are some animals that may be reasonably close to being hypoallergenic.
Within any given litter of dogs or cats of any breed, you will on occasion find an animal that you do not have a reaction to or, conversely, one that you are especially sensitive to. As a generalization, the animals that you will probably be least sensitive to will be the females.
This condition is not breed specific. It can happen in any breed. It is litter specific...and it does not mean that all litters contain an animal that is relatively allergen free.
Unfortunately, if you are looking to buy a kitten or puppy, this doesn't help you very much. All puppies and kittens have soft, supple skins. At this early age, an allergic person can probably handle any one of them and not have much, if any, of a reaction. It is as the skin ages and becomes less supple and the sebaceous glands begin to produce more oils (sebum) that allergy problems begin to appear.
Virtually every article that I have read and every person that I have spoken to about animal allergies talks only about dander. This is may be because dander can be easily seen and understood. Dander is important as a problem causing allergen, but it is not the key one. Dander is usually the simplistic explanation of the cause of animal allergies.
Dander may be part of the cause of reactions to cats, but the real culprit and cause of the major reactions is from the secretion of the sebaceous glands. All skin, human or animal, contains these glands which produce an oily lubricant that keep the skin supple and the hair shiny. It is from this secretion that Fel d1, the cat allergen, surfaces. (It also surfaces from the persistent self-cleaning of cats). The protein composition of dander can, and does cause reactions, but probably 80% of the serious reactions stem from the Fel d1 allergen.
Lots of hair, little hair or no hair. All cats produce oils from the sebaceous glands which cause problems. The amount of hair that a cat has or does not have plays no significant part in its allergenicity. Cats, by the way, are probably responsible for two-thirds of all pet related allergies.
Because dogs are not self-cleaners to the extent that cats are, dogs tend to have more dander, however, it is still the production of the sebaceous glands that greatly adds to the causal effect of allergic reactions to dogs. Like cats, the amount of hair a dog has or does not have, or whether the hair sheds or does not shed, plays no particular part in its ability to cause allergic reactions. Articles have appeared recommending low-shedding or non-shedding breeds, i.e. Poodles, Maltese, Bedlington Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers and others, as being hypoallergenic. Another common misconception is that the fur of some breeds is like human hair, and thus these breeds do not cause reactions. These statements are definitely not so.
All is not necessarily lost for someone who is set on buying a pet or needs help in keeping one. There are many things that can be done around the house and products to use that will frequently ease the problem...there are no guarantees, but the odds are better than 50/50 and certainly worth a try.
Allerpet has a brochure with information about pet-related allergies, how you can minimize them...most of the time, and how to take care of your home. It is available at the Allerpet: Literature button.
