A pet allergy refers to a reaction that you have toward your pet’s skin, dander, saliva, or urine. On most occasions, it is the dead skin cells that cause the pet allergy.
Even though nearly any pet can potentially cause an allergy, cats and dogs are the most common triggers of pet allergies. You can be exposed to your pet’s proteins through either direct contact or inhalation.
Note: Pet allergies can potentially worsen other medical issues such as eczema, hives, rhinitis, or even asthma.
If you have a pet allergy, it is highly recommended that you seek immediate medical attention.
Regardless of the type of symptom, they will erupt immediately when you come into direct contact with the pet or if you share a room with the pet.
Sometimes, these symptoms are delayed because of the pet’s fur clinging to either your clothing or furniture after the pet has vanished from the room. The pet dander can linger in the air for some time before you eventually come into contact with them.
If your symptoms do not improve after two weeks, chances are high that you might have a pet allergy.
If your symptoms and signs are severe, with your nasal passages feeling completely blocked and you also experience sleeping problems, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor.
Seek emergency assistance if wheezing or shortness of breath worsens.
Pet allergies are highly prevalent and anyone can easily experience them. However, research shows that you are more likely to suffer from a pet allergy if either asthma or allergies run in your family.
Being exposed to pets at a younger age can help prevent pet allergies.
Yes, complications include;
Those with asthma and pet allergy usually have a tougher time managing their symptoms.
Your doctor may use a lighted instrument to evaluate the condition of your nose’s lining. If you suffer from a pet allergy, the lining of your nasal passage may be swollen or appear pale.
For a more accurate diagnosis, your doctor may recommend allergy testing.
A skin prick test involves pricking the surface of an area of your skin with multiple allergies at once. The doctor will then establish whether you are allergic to any particular substance through the presence of swelling or redness at the site of the prick.
If you suffer from other skin conditions such as severe eczema, are on certain medications that may impact the skin prick test results, or are at risk of experiencing a severe reaction to an allergen, your doctor might recommend that you undergo a blood test to diagnose your pet allergy instead.
A blood allergy test involves extracting a blood sample and sending it to the laboratory where your doctor will look for antibodies of specific allergens, indicating what might be causing your allergies.
Even though there is no cure for pet allergies, there are treatment options that can help manage and alleviate your symptoms.
The concept of early avoidance as prevention of future allergy has been challenged over recent years.
Allergy Immunotherapy modifies a person’s body immune response towards allergens, hence easing allergy symptoms.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis are important. This can be life-saving.
Checking the skin or nail lesion with wood lamp involves shining a hand-held wood lamp device on the area of concern by your physician.
Cryotherapy or colloquially known as ‘cold therapy’ is a procedure that uses liquid nitrogen to deliver freezing cold temperature locally to destroy and remove abnormal skin lesion.
Electrocautery is a bedside procedure where your doctor will use an ‘electric pen’ to deliver high frequency electric current onto the skin to generate heat in order to stop bleeding or remove abnormal skin cells
A steroid injection is simple bedside procedure where your doctor will inject minute amount of steroid onto the skin.
Skin cancer screening is usually performed by your physician using a dermatoscope. Dermatoscope is a medical magnifying glass that allows your physician to visualize the size and shape of the mole that you are concerned of.
Fungal scrape and bacterial culture tests allow physician to confirm or debunk fungal/bacterial diagnosis of skin condition
Skin tags are benign. They are also known as acrochordons medically. They are small, soft overgrowth of the skin commonly located among the face, eyelids neck, armpit, groin, breasts and buttock folds.
An excision biopsy is a bedside procedure where your doctor uses a surgical blade to remove the entire skin lesion under the use of local anaesthesia.
A shave biopsy a bedside procedure where your doctor uses a surgical superficial shaving blade to remove the skin lesion under the use of local anaesthesia.
A skin biopsy, or punch biopsy, is a bedside surgical procedure where your physician will use a small knife ‘puncher’ to obtain a small skin sample under local anaesthesia.
Herpes zoster, commonly referred to as shingles, is a painful blistering rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus— the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Seborrheic Dermatitis is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the skin. It is categorized as a type of chronic eczema, affecting the body area that has more sebaceous glands. characterized by red, greasy scaly patches.
Living in a hot humid climate of Singapore, fungal infection of the skin is common. The fungus thrives and favors body areas that are moist and warm such as the armpit, breast folds, groin, buttocks, feet, toes or even nails.
Eczema is a common inflammation condition of the skin. Although eczema can occur any time in one’s life, it typically starts presenting when one is a child.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It is a common skin disease that can affect 1 in 50 people.
Nearly 20% of people will get hives at some point in their lifetime. While they may not be life-threatening, hives can potentially cause both physical and emotional issues, particularly if they occur frequently.
