HEALTH TIME

ASK DR. MARIANNE

Dear Marianne

My husband and I are thinking about getting a dog. We have two children, one five- and one three year old. They are both used to animals since our family on both sides have cats and dogs. However a friend of mine bought a cat last year but after a while their son started to get allergic symptoms, and now they either have to give the cat away or go to the vet. Since I don't want to end up making that decision, my question is: should I put my kids through an allergy test? There are no known allergies in our family, as we know of, and our kids seem to be doing fine around cats and dogs.
Sandra, Zurich

Dear Sandra,
There are several things to consider if you plan to get a pet. Allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a substance which is harmless to most people. The substance is called an allergen which typically can be dust mite, pollen, molds, pets, foods and insect stings. An allergy can reveal itself like allergic rhinitis (runny, congested nose), allergic conjunctivitis (runny, red, itching eyes), eczema and asthma. The most severe and dangerous allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis, and can be life threatening. People who are allergic may experience some or all of the above mentioned. When an allergen get in touch with an allergic person the immune system tries to protect the body by producing antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) which acts on cells called mast cells which release histamine among other substances which acts on different organs and cause a inflammatory reaction. To test for allergies it is possible to take a simple blood sample and measure IgE to various allergens. Skin testing is also possible.

There are several theories to this with regards to exposure, cleanliness and so forth. We know that children of parents with allergies are more likely to become allergic themselves. There aren't really a consensus whether early exposure to pets is beneficial or not with regards to developing allergies in children. Somehow, if there is a family history of allergies, early exposure to pets seems to be a trigger to develop allergies. Data show that there seem to be a higher prevalence of allergies in people living in urban areas than people living in the country-side. Allergies also seem to be more frequent in the developed parts of the world compared to third world countries. Caring for a pet is in many ways positive for a child's development, for instance learning the child to take responsibility for the pet, show empathy and so forth.

My answer to you, Sandra, is that it probably is safe for your family to get a dog, because there aren't any known allergies in your family and your children have been exposed to various kinds of pets and haven't showed symptoms of allergies. Under these circumstances any allergy testing will make no sense.

Good luck!
Dr. Marianne

MARIANNE EFSKIND Born: Norway Family: married to John Olav Occupation: intern in public health and family medicine in Vik.

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