When my brother and I were little, we developed some pretty severe allergies, including allergies to animal dander. Forced to give up the family dog, we asked our allergist if we could ever have another pet.
"Sure," he'd answer. "Get a hermit crab. Get a snake!"
It wasn't quite the answer we wanted to hear. But if your allergies are that bad, something without fur may just be the way to go.
If your allergies are mild, you may be able to get away with a pet that is less likely to cause a reaction. A single-coated dog will be less likely to cause an allergic reaction than a double-coated dog. Some single-coated dogs are:
Want even less chance of a reaction? Hairless dogs will be even less likely to cause problems than the single-coated dogs! They may not look quite like the dog you imagine, but their lack of hair lowers the chances of causing a reaction.
Cats are (unfortunately) more often the culprit when it comes to allergies. But you may find your symptoms are less severe with a short-haired cat than a long-haired cat. There are even hairless breeds of cats like Rexes and Sphinxes.
Did you know that it's not actually the pet's hair that you are allergic to? Dogs and cats secrete certain proteins from their skin. The proteins can dry on the hair, but more often they soak into dead skin cells (dander) that flake off into the air.
Here are some other tips for coping with allergies and keeping your pets!
And by the way, hypoallergenic does NOT mean "free of allergens", it means less likely to cause allergic reactions.
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You didn't mention the Goldendoodle and Labradoodles. These dogs shed very little and are great dogs for people with allergies. I have a three month old female Goldendoodle named Sunny. Her daddy is a red Golden Retriever and her mommy is a white, standard Poodle.
Also the sugar glider is a good hypoallergenic pet all though they are an exotic . Thet run between $150 and up they are the most loving you could have there know to be a pocket pet . They eat fruits, no shots no vet bills they make great pets all around .
Single coated dogs are a good idea. Also bath often. Daily brush and then wipe down with a damp cloth, it is often the dust trapped in the hair that is actual causing the allergic reaction.
I'm allergic to many animals(I'm 12) and I have always wanted a small pet that is hypoallergenic.i I have asthma and my parents are really concerned when buying me a pet because most of the time we have to give it away because of my allergy. Can someone help me and give me a list of small hypoallergenic pets! THANK YOU!
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 the majority 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. """"
There is also another small dog the Havanese around 20 lbs and the President's dog the Portuguese Waterdog 50 lbs and up. Both are Hypoallergenic and very smart.
Awesome
Pet urine, saliva and dandruff are the top allergen producing byproducts of pets. It's a misnomer to believe that hairless breeds are less allergenic.
I notice that you didn't mention Maltese Dogs. These dogs only weight about 10 pounds. They have human hair, they do not shed hair, so you don't have to worry about allergies. They are a great pet. My first one I had lasted 15 years, and now I am on my second. They are very smart and entertaining dogs.
If you're looking for a big dog that won't give you much of an allergic reaction check out the black Greyhounds. While they come in several colors the fur on the black ones is similar to human hair so there's little reaction to them. They barely have a fur coat anyway. You can adopt them from the many Greyhound Rescue groups in your area and you'll be saving a life at the same time.
Siberian cats are hypoallergenic. The cats saliva is tested at 3 months of age to determine the potential for allergies with the human owner. They will test extremely low, very low and low. Most breeders will test a prospective buyer with a cat before a sale is made. These are beautiful and amazing cats. They are large like a Maine Coon, but very interactive and mellow. And hypoallergenic.
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