Allergies to animals
Animal allergies often are a respiratory allergy and rarely a skin allergy. Animal allergies produce symptoms of:
- Hay fever (allergic rhinitis), such as itchy, watery eyes; sneezing; runny, stuffy, or itchy nose; headache and fatigue; dark circles under the eyes; and postnasal drip.
- Wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. These symptoms may mean a person has an allergic asthma condition.
When allergies are worse around pets, symptoms may be caused by your pet's dead skin (dander), urine, dried saliva, or hair.
- Keep the pet outside of the house or at least out of the bedroom.
- Consider finding your pet a new home if your symptoms are severe.
| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: July 11, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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