Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Spring is in the Air !!

Yes, spring is in the air. And, so are a wide variety of pollens. Tree pollen, grass pollen....oh, they can make our lives miserable. Runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes...we all know the routine.
But, there are other allergens that can affect our health year round.
Do you have pets ?

Specifically, do you have

CATS ?

Cats are one of the most allergenic pets. Some evidence suggests that
dogs may be worse than cats, but cats are probably responsible for more allergic
reactions. The allergens from cats can cause hayfever like symptoms. They can
also cause asthma and cat scratch fever.
Cat fur is always blamed for the allergies.

But, the fur is not the problem.
Cats clean themselves, and the saliva deposited on the fur
drys and becomes dandruff.

Here lies the source of the allergic reaction:

DANDRUFF

The allergy occurs as a reaction to an allergen, and histamines are produced

Symptoms include:

itchy eyes
sneezing
and even rashes.

The allergen is a protein in the saliva.

FEL d 1
Petting the cat releases the dandruff from the fur.
That is why cats need brushing, and long hair cats need even more.
Bathing can reduce the allergen, but we all know how cats love water!!

Scratches from cats can cause cat scratch fever.
Although the name refers to fever, a fever rarely occurs.
The reaction is to a bacteria,

Bartonella henselae.
In stead of fever, systemic illness and lymph node
lesions can occur.

Healthy humans will have a minor infection.
Those with poor immune systems are at greater risk.

Learn more about cat disease and humans:

cats