Dogs are in the asthma 'dog house'

Beezy Marsh|Daily Mail13 April 2012

It has long been believed that cats make bad company for people with asthma.
But a research has revealed that dogs are more serious offenders when it comes to aggravating the breathing condition.

Canine hairs affect the lungs of people with asthma more than the fur from felines, according to scientists.

They said yesterday that doctors should warn asthma patients of the potential for dogs to adversely affect their illness.

Many sufferers - there are an estimated five million in Britain - are known to have allergies which may exacerbate their condition, leading to wheezing or severe attacks which may require hospital treatment.

Scientists from the Asthma Clinical Research Network in the U.S. tested the irritant effect of allergens from dogs and cats, along with other known asthma triggers such as the house dust mite.

Their results were presented yesterday at the American Thoracic Society's annual conference in Seattle.

Research was led by experts at Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Centre, who studied 809 adults from six medical centres across the U.S.

Although a greater number showed an allergic reaction to cat allergens, dog hairs actually caused the greatest change in lung function in the asthmatics - meaning they pose more of a risk to health.

Lead author Professor Tim Craig, of Penn State College of Medicine, said this conclusion 'may be surprising to many because it dispels the myth that cats cause more severe allergic reactions'. He added: 'This study shows that we, as clinicians, should be as diligent as we can in convincing people that they should consider their pets as a possible factor when trying to control their asthma.'

Skin tests were given to all patients and a number of known allergens were used - including those from dogs, cats, dust mites, cockroaches, grasses, tree pollens, weeds and moulds.

Results showed that dogs caused a reaction in 38 per cent of patients. About 72 per cent were allergic to cats and about 58 per cent were allergic to mites.

Researchers measured asthmatic reaction in various ways, including the amount of air exhaled and the amount of nitric oxide in the breath.

A reduction in the amount of air breathed out signals inflammation in the lungs, as does a rise in nitric oxide released from the cells in the respiratory tract. Professor Craig said: 'Even though a higher percentage of people had reactions to other allergens, only dogs caused a combination of reactions that included less air exhalation and more nitric oxide release.'

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