Hypoallergenic
Encyclopedia
Hypoallergenic, meaning "below normal" or "slightly" allergenic, was a term first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items (especially cosmetics and textiles) that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic
reactions. Hypoallergenic pets still produce allergen
s, but because of their coat type or absence of fur or absence of a gene that produces a certain protein, typically produce fewer allergens than others of the same species. People with severe allergies and asthma
may still be affected by a hypoallergenic pet.
Note that the term lacks a medical definition, but it is in common usage and found in most standard English dictionaries. In some countries, there are allergy interest groups that provide manufacturers with a certification procedure including tests that ensure a product is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, but such products are usually described and labeled using other but similar terms. So far, public authorities in no country provide an official certification that an item must undergo before being described as hypoallergenic. The cosmetic industry has been trying for years to establish an industry standard for use of the term.
sufferers, a hypoallergenic pet
might enable them to have a pet in their home, whereas most dog
s, cat
s, rabbit
s, and other fur-bearing animals can make their lives miserable. The proteins that cause allergies are found not only in the animals' fur or hair but also in saliva, urine, mucous, and hair roots and in the dander
sloughed from the animals' skin.
Some dog breed
s have been promoted as hypoallergenic because they do not shed their hair, shed very little, or have the same pH as human hair. However, no canine is known to be completely nonallergenic. Yorkshire Terrier
s, Poodle
s and Poodle hybrids are commonly mistaken as being hypoallergenic, when in reality they are known to cause different forms of allergies, including bronchitis, as does any breed of dog.
Cat breeds such as the LaPerm
, Sphynx
, Devon Rex
and Cornish Rex
, which lack some or all of the normal layers in cats' fur, are believed by mild allergy sufferers to be significantly less likely to provoke an allergic reaction than other breeds. Siberian cats
and Russian Blue
are also believed by some to have such properties.
A company called Allerca
recently claimed to be able to produce a so-called hypoallergenic cat
using gene silencing
, but it has now instead used traditional breeding methods, starting with cats that naturally lack the gene that produces the glycoprotein Fel d 1
causing an allergic reaction in some people. However, no peer-reviewed studies have confirmed the company's claims and some scientists are skeptical of the company's assertions. Allerca is currently accepting orders for hypoallergenic kittens. Another company, Felix Pets, also claims to be developing a breed of hypoallergenic cat.
There is only one known hypoallergenic horse breed. The Bashkir Curly
horse has a uniquely textured coat that lacks the protein (present in all other horse fur) believed to be the source of allergic reactions to equines. Many people with severe allergies to horses can handle Bashkir Curlies with no reaction.
Allergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...
reactions. Hypoallergenic pets still produce allergen
Allergen
An allergen is any substance that can cause an allergy. In technical terms, an allergen is a non-parasitic antigen capable of stimulating a type-I hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals....
s, but because of their coat type or absence of fur or absence of a gene that produces a certain protein, typically produce fewer allergens than others of the same species. People with severe allergies and asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
may still be affected by a hypoallergenic pet.
Note that the term lacks a medical definition, but it is in common usage and found in most standard English dictionaries. In some countries, there are allergy interest groups that provide manufacturers with a certification procedure including tests that ensure a product is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, but such products are usually described and labeled using other but similar terms. So far, public authorities in no country provide an official certification that an item must undergo before being described as hypoallergenic. The cosmetic industry has been trying for years to establish an industry standard for use of the term.
Hypoallergenic pets
For allergyAllergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...
sufferers, a hypoallergenic pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
might enable them to have a pet in their home, whereas most dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s, cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s, rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s, and other fur-bearing animals can make their lives miserable. The proteins that cause allergies are found not only in the animals' fur or hair but also in saliva, urine, mucous, and hair roots and in the dander
Dander
Dander is an informal term for a material shed from the body of various animals, similar to dandruff. It may contain scales of dried skin and hair, or feathers. It is a cause of allergies in humans....
sloughed from the animals' skin.
Some dog breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
s have been promoted as hypoallergenic because they do not shed their hair, shed very little, or have the same pH as human hair. However, no canine is known to be completely nonallergenic. Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of terrier type, developed in the 19th century in the county of Yorkshire, England to catch rats in clothing mills. The defining features of the breed are its size, to , and its silky blue and tan coat...
s, Poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
s and Poodle hybrids are commonly mistaken as being hypoallergenic, when in reality they are known to cause different forms of allergies, including bronchitis, as does any breed of dog.
Cat breeds such as the LaPerm
LaPerm
The LaPerm is a recognized breed of cat. A LaPerm's fur is curly , with the tightest curls being on the belly, throat and base of the ears. LaPerms come in many colors and patterns. LaPerms generally have a very affectionate personality....
, Sphynx
Sphynx (cat)
The Sphynx is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a coat.The contemporary breed of Sphynx started in 1966, in Roncesvalles, Toronto when a hairless kitten named Prune was born. The kitten was mated with its mother , which produced one more naked kitten...
, Devon Rex
Devon Rex
The Devon Rex is a breed of intelligent, short-haired cat that emerged in England during the 1960s. They are known for their slender bodies, wavy coat, and large ears, similar to the Cornish Rex.-Discovery and relations:...
and Cornish Rex
Cornish Rex
A Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex has no hair except for down. Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in their coats: the outer fur or "guard hairs", which is about 5 cm long in shorthairs and 10cm+ long in longhairs; a middle layer called the "awn hair";...
, which lack some or all of the normal layers in cats' fur, are believed by mild allergy sufferers to be significantly less likely to provoke an allergic reaction than other breeds. Siberian cats
Siberian (cat)
The Siberian is a domestic cat breed that has been present in Russia for centuries. The full name of the cat is the 'Siberian Forest Cat' although sometimes referred to as the 'Siberian' or the 'Siberian Cat'. The cat is an ancient breed that is now believed to be ancestral to all modern...
and Russian Blue
Russian Blue
The Russian Blue is a cat breed that has a silver-blue coat. These cats are known to be highly intelligent and playful but tend to be timid around strangers...
are also believed by some to have such properties.
A company called Allerca
Allerca
Lifestyle Pets, formerly Allerca, is a Delaware-based biotechnology company that claims to have bred hypoallergenic cats through a selective breeding process. The company was originally incorporated in California....
recently claimed to be able to produce a so-called hypoallergenic cat
Hypoallergenic cat
Cat Allergy in humans is an allergic reaction to one or more of the five known allergens produced by cats. The most common of these are the glycoprotein Fel d 1, secreted by the cat's sebaceous glands and Fel d 4, which is expressed in saliva...
using gene silencing
Gene silencing
Gene silencing is a general term describing epigenetic processes of gene regulation. The term gene silencing is generally used to describe the "switching off" of a gene by a mechanism other than genetic modification...
, but it has now instead used traditional breeding methods, starting with cats that naturally lack the gene that produces the glycoprotein Fel d 1
Fel d 1
Fel d 1 is a protein that in cats is encoded by the CH1 and CH2 genes.Fel d 1, produced largely by cat saliva and sebaceous glands, is the primary allergen present on cats. The protein is of an unknown function to the animal but causes an IgG or IgE reaction in sensitive humans...
causing an allergic reaction in some people. However, no peer-reviewed studies have confirmed the company's claims and some scientists are skeptical of the company's assertions. Allerca is currently accepting orders for hypoallergenic kittens. Another company, Felix Pets, also claims to be developing a breed of hypoallergenic cat.
There is only one known hypoallergenic horse breed. The Bashkir Curly
Bashkir Curly
A Curly is a breed of horse. Curlies, also called Bashkir Curlies, American Bashkir Curlies, and North American Curly Horses, come in all sizes, colors, and body types but all carry a gene for a unique curly coat of hair.- Traits :...
horse has a uniquely textured coat that lacks the protein (present in all other horse fur) believed to be the source of allergic reactions to equines. Many people with severe allergies to horses can handle Bashkir Curlies with no reaction.