North Baltimore Journal

Spring brings seasonal allergies, which may cause pet owners to wonder if they are suffering from seasonal allergies, pet allergies -- or both.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. Symptoms worsening around cats or dogs may indicate the possibility of having a pet allergy.

Dr. Jamie Oberman at Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers explained how patients can determine specifically what they are allergic to.

"You're doing either skin-prick testing on the back or the forearm, and you're placing the allergen and see if they develop a flare," Oberman told North Baltimore Journal. "So that's called in vivo testing, and that is still performed, but equally as sensitive and specific is what's called in vitro testing or RAST. In vitro testing, which is a blood test, we're testing for a specific allergy-type antibody. This is a specific antibody to an allergen that somebody is allergic to, and it would be elevated on a blood test. And it's specific for a geographic region, specifically for the Frederick, mid-Atlantic states that we test for in addition to other panels for food and other allergens." 

In the U.S., as many as 30% of people with allergies have reactions to cats and dogs, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Suffering from cat allergies is approximately twice as common as suffering from dog allergies. Scientists at National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that more than half of households have a dog, a cat or both.

Unfortunately for sufferers, the idea of "hypoallergenic pets" is a myth. Mayo Clinic reports that there is no true allergy-safe pet. In fact, even hairless cats and dogs can trigger allergies. It would be more accurate to say that some people are more allergic to some breeds of dog or cat than others. A 2011 study by the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy found that the level of dog allergen in homes with hypoallergenic dogs was no different than the level of allergen in homes with other dogs.

Acute sinusitis, sinusitis symptom that do not last longer than 12 weeks and may resolve on its own, whereas chronic sinusitis lasts more than 12 weeks and may be caused by pet allergens. In adults, chronic sinusitis antagonized by allergens is most often linked to symptoms of nasal swelling, which can cause facial pain, according to Harvard Medical School. Unfortunately, these symptoms and resulting pain may be at the hands of the family fur baby. 

If you're interested in evaluating your sinus or allergy symptoms and are considering seeing a doctor, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.