Both dogs and cats can cause allergies, but cats are twice as likely to do so. | Unsplash/Louis-Philippe Poitras
Both dogs and cats can cause allergies, but cats are twice as likely to do so. | Unsplash/Louis-Philippe Poitras
If you struggle from allergies once springtime hits, don't be so quick to rule out pets as the cause.
More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
"Facial pain is a common complaint I get a lot, and not all facial pain is sinus disease. I mean, there's other things that can cause facial pain, but it's my job as an otolaryngologist to really rule out the sinuses as a problem. We look at not only if you're having facial pain, but what other nasal symptoms are you having? Are you pulling discolored stuff out of your nose? Are you having trouble breathing through your nose? Are you stuffy all the time and having facial pain?"Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told the Panama City Reporter.
In adults, chronic sinusitis most often is linked to nasal swelling, which can cause facial pain and is caused by allergens, according to Harvard Medical School.
In the U.S., as many as 30% of people with allergies have allergic reactions to cats and dogs. Suffering from cat allergies is about twice as common as dog allergies, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. And more than half of U.S. households have a dog, cat or both, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
A pet allergy can contribute to annoying allergy symptoms. Symptoms are very similar to seasonal allergies. Sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, and facial pain due to nasal congestion are very common.
The concept of "hypoallergenic pets" is actually a myth. There is no true allergy-safe pet, according to Mayo Clinic. Even hairless cats and dogs can trigger reactoins. It's more accurate to say that some people are more allergic to certain breeds or dogs than others.
A study from 2011 found that the level of dog allergen in homes with hypoallergenic dogs was no different than the level in homes with other dogs, according to the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy.
If you're interested in evaluating your sinus or allergy symptoms, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
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