[News] Hypoallergenic Dog Claims Don't Stand Up

[Rhetts_mama]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

"Researchers in Detroit analyzed dust samples collected from 173 homes one month after a newborn baby was brought home to check allergen levels from hypoallergenic dogs and other breeds."

Research is my "schtix" and this study is flawed.
Who knows what those homes were like prior to bringing home a baby? Could have been a garbage dump. And what do they consider and allergic reaction. None of this is clear.

I know many, many folks who can tell you they have had dogs they could not tolerate and then found a breed they could. There are many factors involved and this study is too short and with too many variables to be accepted as the truth.

Gee, O.K., I need another glass of wine........

I agree it needs more study and a larger sample. However, it shouldn't be written off completely due to antecdotal evidence. While most people tend to associate allergies to just fur (because it's the most common) it's possible to be allergic to fur, dander (dead skin cells) and even saliva or any combination of those.

[nychelse]

I hope that I dont have any reaction to my new puppy.. I will just have to get a prescription then.. oh well... cuz umm im not giving him up #nope #iwont

[aproctor]

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. There are just certain breeds that are less likely to give people a reaction because the smaller the dog the less allergens it has. See article below:

Pet allergy: Are there hypoallergenic dog breeds? - MayoClinic.com

I have also watched Dogs 101 on Animal Planet and they also say there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Breeders label dogs with that so they can charge more money for them~my brother fell for it.

I myself am allergic to dogs and cats. I have severe reactions to certain cats and to certain dogs. I take zyrtec everyday because I hate the allergies but I LOVE MY DOGS!
I have a lab springer mix and I have been allergic to him since he was a puppy. I know they say exposure to pups early on can supposedly give you more immunity to the dog but that was not the case with him.
Now my yorkie I got when she was 2 1/2 years old and I have NEVER had a reaction to her at all~I am still taking the zyrtec but if I forget to take it I still don't react to her and she is up in my face all the time.
I just think there are certain small dogs that have less dander therefore they are less likely to give people with allergies a reaction.

[aproctor]

Originally Posted by Namor

I have no problem with my yorkie. I am very allergic to dogs that shed and have an undercoat. I can't be without my inhaler. I can't even breathe when I enter a home with a cat. I even react to people who have dog hair and dander on them if they sit next to me. Thank goodness I can love my little boy and breathe!!!!!

I understand completely I have asthma that is exacerbated by allergies and dogs and cats set that off. I have a lab springer who I am allergic to and a yorkie whom I am not but I take zyrtec and singulair everyday so that I can live with my precious furbabies!!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by aproctor

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. There are just certain breeds that are less likely to give people a reaction because the smaller the dog the less allergens it has. See article below:

Pet allergy: Are there hypoallergenic dog breeds? - MayoClinic.com

I have also watched Dogs 101 on Animal Planet and they also say there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Breeders label dogs with that so they can charge more money for them~my brother fell for it.

I myself am allergic to dogs and cats. I have severe reactions to certain cats and to certain dogs. I take zyrtec everyday because I hate the allergies but I LOVE MY DOGS!
I have a lab springer mix and I have been allergic to him since he was a puppy. I know they say exposure to pups early on can supposedly give you more immunity to the dog but that was not the case with him.
Now my yorkie I got when she was 2 1/2 years old and I have NEVER had a reaction to her at all~I am still taking the zyrtec but if I forget to take it I still don't react to her and she is up in my face all the time.
I just think there are certain small dogs that have less dander therefore they are less likely to give people with allergies a reaction.

There may be no such thing as hypoallergenic dogs, but I know there are hyperallergenic dogs! I don't need a study to prove it to me; all I have to do is pet certain dogs.

[aproctor]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

There may be no such thing as hypoallergenic dogs, but I know there are hyperallergenic dogs! I don't need a study to prove it to me; all I have to do is pet certain dogs.

Oh I agree with you. I have pet some dogs and I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head they were so itchy!!!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by aproctor

Oh I agree with you. I have pet some dogs and I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head they were so itchy!!!

I know, me too, and it can happen so fast!

[Dolcesmama_xoxo]

Yes, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog or cat. The only difference is dogs with fur hold a lot more allergens/dander because i guess it sticks better to the fur. Dogs with hair it doesnt cling to the hair as much, but their skin produces the same amount of allergen/dander it just goes somewhere else, i guess out into the air LOL Soooo the study that the OP posted tested the room right? well there would be the same amount if not more allergens in the room because its not sticking to the dog (with the "hypoallergenic breeds") and there would be less with the "fur" breeds because most of it is on the dog.
That is my understanding of it. Let me know what you think

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Dolcesmama_xoxo

Yes, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog or cat. The only difference is dogs with fur hold a lot more allergens/dander because i guess it sticks better to the fur. Dogs with hair it doesnt cling to the hair as much, but their skin produces the same amount of allergen/dander it just goes somewhere else, i guess out into the air LOL Soooo the study that the OP posted tested the room right? well there would be the same amount if not more allergens in the room because its not sticking to the dog (with the "hypoallergenic breeds") and there would be less with the "fur" breeds because most of it is on the dog.
That is my understanding of it. Let me know what you think

Yeah, I agree with your theory. I don't get sick when I just walk into a room with dogs, I get sick when I touch the dogs, so testing the air quality seems pointless. I’ve read that dander tends to stick to things, so it’s probably not floating around in the air. I think people misunderstand the word hypoallergenic and think it means it won't cause any allergies, hypo means low or less than normal, so there is no totally non-allergenic dog, but I really believe that there are hypoallergenic dogs, and the yorkie is one of them. As you said, the hair instead of fur may be part of the difference.

[aproctor]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I know, me too, and it can happen so fast!

Yes it does and I have asthma that is usually set off by allergies and if it doesn't make my eyes itch then eventually I will have a harder time breathing....it is not good. I have no reaction to my yorkie and I hold her up to my face all the time!

Originally Posted by Dolcesmama_xoxo

Yes, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog or cat. The only difference is dogs with fur hold a lot more allergens/dander because i guess it sticks better to the fur. Dogs with hair it doesnt cling to the hair as much, but their skin produces the same amount of allergen/dander it just goes somewhere else, i guess out into the air LOL Soooo the study that the OP posted tested the room right? well there would be the same amount if not more allergens in the room because its not sticking to the dog (with the "hypoallergenic breeds") and there would be less with the "fur" breeds because most of it is on the dog.
That is my understanding of it. Let me know what you think

I agree that there is no such thing. I have heard the smaller the dog the less the dander which is why we don't react to yorkies. I do remember being very allergic to an old roommates dog and she was a cocker spaniel...cutest thing but I got all stuffed up I would get close to her or pet her...they have a thicker coat and may even have the under coat too.
I don't know why we react to some and not others but I don't like the fact that breeders make more money by advertising hypo-allergenic dogs.

[smartpuppiepets]

Well, if the size of the dog was the issue, my husband would not react as bad as he does to Pom's... he can not even stand in a roon with one and he will start a severe reaction. Also, if size was the matter, when you put too many small dogs together would cause him a reaction, well, he is not one tiny bit , not even an itty bitty allergic to our yorkies and Shih's all together.
So they can say whatever they want to say . There are some breeds of dogs that do not cause allergies to my husband, none, not at all. And other breeds and animals he not stand.
I do not need much more than that .
XOXO

[aproctor]

I don't think it is just the size it also has to do with the type of fur vs hair. Yorkies have hair and I believe Pom's have very thick fur with an undercoat.
I agree that Yorkies seem hypoallergenic I just don't think any dog should be labelled with hypoallergenic if they are not~I don't think it's okay for breeders and pet stores to get away with getting more money because they brand certain dogs with hypoallergenic.

Even hairless dogs carry a certain amount of dander which can cause allergies~all people react differently.

I just think there are certain dogs that are better for for people with allergies (and one of them is yorkies) and certain dogs that make allergies worse.

I am the same way as your husband I can be around one type of dog and get no reaction and be around another and I won't be able to breathe and I want to scratch my eyes out!

Originally Posted by smartpuppiepets

Well, if the size of the dog was the issue, my husband would not react as bad as he does to Pom's... he can not even stand in a roon with one and he will start a severe reaction. Also, if size was the matter, when you put too many small dogs together would cause him a reaction, well, he is not one tiny bit , not even an itty bitty allergic to our yorkies and Shih's all together.
So they can say whatever they want to say . There are some breeds of dogs that do not cause allergies to my husband, none, not at all. And other breeds and animals he not stand.
I do not need much more than that .
XOXO

[smartpuppiepets]

Well, i understand some people may be allergic to anything, everything, somethings, it is like that with foods, perfumes, fabrics and pretty much anything in life.
To be honest with you, i believe when someone is looking for a hypoallergenic breed or advertising one dog or breed as hypoallergenic, the aim is not to get more money, but to describe the breed or the dog. Some breeds cause more allergies to more people than others. I have heard of people who are allergic to saliva, therefore any animal , including humans, can cause them allergies.
I personally have nothing against the word. Our Shihtzus have an under coat and my husband is not allergic to them either. We have discussed this with our family doctor several times, they happen to own one of our dogs, and often we bring the subject into our conversation, she also uses the word and when people who have allergies are looking for a dog she recommends them to check the breeds that are called "hypoallergenic s". I believe for some , there will never be a totally hypoallergenic dog or breed no matter what, but for a great number of people who suffer from pet allergies and are not bothered by hypoallergenic breeds the word stand just fine. As with anything in life, the point of view may change the perception of the object.
I usually do not see just any dog labelled hypoallergenic, just the breeds that cause less reaction to most people who are allergic.
XOXO

[KazzyK810]

You've gotta wonder if how clean a person keeps their home and how often the dog is bathed plays a role in allergy symptoms.

I've grown up with yorkies & never had a problem with them, but then I went in a person's house with couple of yorkies and definately had a reaction after petting them. But those dogs are rarely bathed & the house was dusty, so I'm guessing more dander laying around?

[anevarez]

I have to disagree... I would get hives from my English Bulldog. I am just fine with my two Yorkies.