In case you don’t know the answer this is a myth and pure fiction.

But before I get into that let me go back in time.

Pets came and went from my childhood home because of my horrible childhood asthma. Even so, a parade of pets moved through the house in search of a pet that I could live with.

My first word was “fish” because that was one of the few animals that did not trigger allergies but this did not stop the variety of purebreds that passed through the home which included many different breeds including a poodle and a schipperke.

Forget cats—I got too sick.

For a while the only animals I was allowed were stuffed ones—and due to the dust they were also taken away.

Eventually, I had a bird and then was allowed to have outdoor pets including a kitten who adopted me. However it didn’t stop be from making animal friends around the neighborhood–a tradition that still continues for me today.

Although things changed as I grew older, my career choice of working with marine mammals was made because I had to take allergies into consideration.

Fortunatey I overcame many of those in adulthood but haven’t work too much with livestock due to hay mold and dust allergies. (I can detect a bad load of hay from about 50 feet!)

Since the mid-1980s my home has always contained an animal and I work with a variety of critters today without a problem.

I share my story because it is not an unusual one. It is estimated that one in five people have some sort of animal allergy and this has sparked an industry for “hypo-allergenic” pets.

Cat breeds such as the sphinx or Devon rex and dogs such as the Chinese crested, Bedlington terrier, the Maltese, and several other dog breeds are considered to be non-allergenic pets but there really is no such thing according to some allergists.

The term is misconstrued to mean non-allergenic when it really means less allergenic.

Allergies are caused by reaction to the proteins in an animal’s saliva or dander and not the fur. Some animals drop less dander than others.

On a side note, when I was training big cats I did fine with leopards and tigers but sneezed around the lions.

Today, I don’t spend too much time with rabbits either because being in close proximity usually triggers a reaction.

Every pet is different and so is each individual’s body chemistry. So, before getting a pet it is important to spend some time around it to make sure you are not allergic to the pet.

In addition to using care with breed selection, there are actions people can take to reduce allergies.

Some people choose to get allergy shots while others just take a pill to reduce the symptoms.

Other actions are to place air filtration systems throughout the home, vacuum daily, and to make sure pet bedding and toileting areas are clean.

In addition, bathe and groom the pet regularly. I’ve found many people respond well to a product designed to reduce dander called Allerpet. I encourage you to try Allerpet D for dog allergies or Allerpet C for cat allegies.

You can also wash pet bedding with theAllerpet De-Mite Laundry Additive to reduce further issues.

Finally, if you or a family member suffers from allergies consider getting a non furry pet for the household such as a fish, hermit crab, or reptile. Birds can also trigger allergies so use care before any adoption.

Do you or someone you know have allergies to your pets? If so, let me know how you cope by leaving a comment below.