Can I cure cat allergy for good?
Q
MY daughter has developed an allergy to our cat. She sneezes and gets itchy eyes when she is home. I have read that there may be a vaccine to make the cat non-allergenic. Is this true?
A
ALLERGY to cats is mainly due to protein allergen found in their saliva. When the cat grooms itself this protein is distributed on the hairs, and these are shed in the home.
Allergy to cats occurs in up to 10 per cent of people. Currently the only way to control the problem is to give the cat up for adoption, which is obviously not ideal.
However symptoms can be minimised by keeping the cat out of the bedroom, washing hands and, in more severe cases, help can be sought from a pharmacist or GP.
New research aims to deal with the problem by targeting the offending protein with antibodies. Theoretically, if the allergen can be neutralised, it may no longer cause the allergic response.
Two research groups – one in the United States, one in Switzerland – have coincidentally published the results of their research in the last month.
The USA group used a vaccine formulated against the protein, injected into cats every three weeks for 10 weeks, with resulting significant decreases in the allergen.
The Swiss group did things differently by feeding egg yolk, high in antibodies, from chickens immunised against the cat allergen. This showed decreases in the allergen by an average of 47 per cent.
Further research over the next few years might therefore result in a permanent solution for allergy sufferers.
Q
OUR three-year-old terrier cross developed an itchy rash this year. She has had good flea treatment and various tests, including a food allergy trial.
Our vet has diagnosed a hay fever-type allergy, which has responded to treatment, but with a warning it may be long-term. What do you think?
A
HAY fever-type dermatitis, also called atopy, is found in perhaps as much as 20 per cent of dogs. Some breeds, such as terrier types are more prone to the problem. It has some similarities to hay fever in people and is caused by the same things, including pollen. But the major difference is that in dogs it is a skin disease.
If the symptoms are seasonal you can suspect tree pollens in the spring, grass pollens in the summer and tree pollens in the autumn. Unfortunately many dogs develop an allergy to one of the house dust mites, in which case symptoms are year-round.
The major thing to look out for is an itch, which occurs on the ear, the feet or the non-hairy part of the abdomen. Frequent secondary complications are bacterial and/or yeast infections. These will make an already itchy dog very itchy and more difficult to treat. There is no simple diagnostic test. Instead you need to rule out parasites, infections and food allergy, just as your vet has done.
New drugs are effective in managing the symptoms, but usually it’s a question of control, not cure. That could change in future, as there is a lot of research into this condition.