Allergy to cat saliva

Almost every one of us is a lover of such beautiful animals as cats. Their mere appearance causes delight and joy in children. But not everything is as cloudless as it seems at first glance. With the advent of this pet in the house, people often observe allergic reactions in themselves. At first they are almost invisible, so the patient does not attach much importance to them. But when everything develops into an acute form, the treatment is delayed for a long time.

Allergy manifestations

The first signs of allergy can appear both from the first minutes of being in the company of an animal, and a few hours after that. The first symptoms of an allergy to cat saliva include rhinitis, redness of the eyes, and lacrimation. If they are noticed, immediately stop contact with the pet. If you ignore this advice, the following complications will definitely appear:

You should not allow your condition to Quincke's edema. This symptom develops quite quickly. In just a few minutes, the organs and parts of the human body increase beyond recognition through edema. Most often it spreads to the limbs, cheeks, lips, eyes. Swelling of the tongue, palate, throat and internal organs is considered very dangerous. All this prevents the flow of air into the lungs, and the person runs the risk of dying from asphyxia. It is equally important to protect yourself from bronchial asthma. This disease is considered incurable and will accompany you throughout your life.

Main Causes of Cat Saliva Allergy

The cause of the disease is a protein produced by the cat's body, which is distributed with the help of the saliva of the animal. Everything in the house turns out to be infected: furniture, dishes, clothes, interior items. From this we see that the opinion about the allergenicity of cat hair is erroneous. Taking care of itself, the animal licks itself, which spreads the harmful protein over the entire surface of its body. Allergens can also be found in the dead cells of a cat.

People who already have such types of allergies as hay fever or allergies to household dust fall into the risk zone. This should also include residents of large cities with a low protective reaction of the immune system. Immunity suffers precisely because of exposure to harmful substances, work at large industrial enterprises. The work of the liver is disrupted, which subsequently is not able to cleanse the body of toxins in a timely manner, their accumulation occurs.

Caution should be those who suffer from autoimmune diseases, frequent viral infections. Particular attention should be paid to the manifestations of the child's body. This age is the most vulnerable. But, scientists have found that the presence of a cat next to the birth of a child, significantly reduces his chances of getting allergies. This is due to the fact that the immunity of the newborn from the first days begins to produce antibodies. While for a three-year-old organism, the allergen is new, and the immune system does not know what to do with it.

How to treat the disease

When treating a disease such as an allergy to cat saliva, you should immediately consult a doctor. It will help to verify or refute your diagnosis, and only then prescribe an effective treatment. Of course, save yourself from any contact with the animal. Immunotherapy is widely used in medicine. This method involves the gradual introduction of small doses of the allergen under the skin, so that the immune system gets used to it and begins to produce antibodies. Its disadvantage is the duration in time (up to 1-2 years) and the periodic stay in the hospital in the hospital. Injections are carried out three times a week only under the supervision of a physician.

Medical treatment is considered less expensive. It consists in the use of antihistamines. If skin manifestations occur, creams and ointments are prescribed. All antihistamines are divided into three generations. The third can be called the safest and most perfect compared to the rest. It has much fewer contraindications and adverse reactions, which allows you not to become attached to the age limits. But, nevertheless, some first-generation drugs have a milder effect, which will allow them to be used in childhood.

If this type of allergy manifests itself in the form of allergic rhinitis, drugs must be prescribed to affect local immunity. These include nasal drops and sprays. They are prescribed only by a doctor, as they have completely different characteristics: hormonal, vasoconstrictor, non-hormonal, moisturizing, combined.

Adult Treatment

Among the antihistamines, the following can be distinguished:

In combination with tablets, it is desirable to use nasal agents. In acute allergic rhinitis, hormonal and vasoconstrictor sprays are prescribed. They start their action from the very first minutes. As a rule, they are used for no more than one week, as they are addictive and provoke atrophy of the nasal mucosa. Due to its composition, they affect the entire body, by changing the hormonal background. Rarely prescribed for the treatment of children. Available only in the form of a spray, which avoids an overdose of the substance. Among these are the following:

• Sanorin;
• Nazol;
• Nasonex;
• Nasobek;
• Aldecin.

Often, with allergies, combined drops are prescribed, which quickly relieve the inflammatory process in the nasal cavity. Their effect lasts up to 24 hours. Used once, maximum twice a day. These include Levocabastin and Allergodil. Vibrocil drops have a vasoconstrictive effect, but their effect on the mucous membrane is quite mild, so they are classified as antihistamines.

In rare cases, patients with allergies to cats and their saliva complain of hives. Such manifestations should not be ignored. Ointments for skin rashes come with and without hormones. First you need to assess the degree of the disease. If the urticaria is in an acute form, then hormone-based ointments can be used here. They are quickly absorbed by the skin and have an immediate effect. They are applied in a very thin layer so as not to have a detrimental effect on the entire body. It is enough to use once a day. Pregnant women and children need to be careful with such drugs. They'd better stop using them. The most popular are:

With a relatively mild course of the disease, it is worth giving preference to non-hormonal ointments. All of them have a cooling and anesthetic effect, which can reduce pain and soothe the skin. In a fairly short period of time, inflammation and redness of the skin are removed. Their use is not limited to the number of times per day. Among these, I would like to mention the following ointments and creams:

Treatment of children

The choice of drugs for allergies to cat saliva for children should be approached carefully. Among antihistamines, there is a strict age gradation that needs to be studied. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the medicines allowed at a certain age:

• Up to one year: Suprastin, Zirtek (drops), Pipolfen, Diphenhydramine.
• From one to three years: Lomilan, Tavegil, Erius (syrup).
• From the age of three: Claritin, Phencarol, Ketotifen.
• From the age of six: Cetirizine, Astemizol, Cetrin.

To eliminate rhinitis, it is better to use means for washing the nasal cavity. They contribute to the rapid and effective healing of the mucosa and its restoration. They have a moisturizing effect. Together with sputum, they remove the allergen and prevent its re-penetration and influence. They are absolutely harmless, since they contain only sea water and salt. These include Aqualor, Aquamaris, Humer, Marimer, No-sol and others. Any non-hormonal ointment will save a child from hives and dermatitis. If scales and dry crusts begin to form on the baby's body, use a greasy-based baby ointment.

folk therapy

From an allergy to cats, a decoction of dried nettles can save. Two tablespoons of herbs are required to be poured with 0.5 liters of boiling water and insisted for one hour. After straining, you can add honey for taste. The decoction is drunk during the day in several doses. Thyme decoction is considered an antioxidant. To prepare it, you need about 100 grams of this ingredient and one liter of boiling water. Having combined all this, boil for 10 minutes. Leave for a couple of hours to settle and cool. A decoction is taken before meals, 100 grams.

Celery root juice will quickly remove the allergen from the body. To relieve skin manifestations, use herbal baths. To do this, you can use any different plants with any combination of them: chamomile, mint, lemon balm, lavender, thyme, hawthorn, angelica, succession, nettle. But the most effective can be called a bath with needles. If it is not possible to use natural ingredients, use their essential oils.

Try to drink during the day not just the usual tea, but brew yourself chamomile with mint. And use honey instead of sugar. Honey will also help you in preparing an ointment for hives. Mix it with lemon juice in the same amount. For ointment, rice starch with glycerin or aloe juice with petroleum jelly are suitable. It is useful to chew zabrus during the day.

To get rid of allergies, you need to use diuretic products. These include the following: garlic, watermelon, eggplant, orange, cucumber, cabbage, celery, melon, rosehip, pear, apple, parsley, spinach. Consume the following fresh juice smoothie:

• A bunch of parsley;
• 4 carrots;
• 2 apples;
• stalk of celery;
• 2 cauliflower florets.

Some recommendations

If you find yourself allergic reactions to cats, you need to get rid of the pet. If you have become attached to love for him, and do not even consider this option, and the symptoms are not pronounced, follow these rules:

• Bathe your pet regularly. To do this, use only hypoallergenic cosmetics.
• Feed your cat only high quality foods.
• Keep the room clean. Get rid of carpets, thick curtains, soft toys - they are accumulators of dust and all kinds of allergens. The floor should be covered with linoleum or laminate.
• Cat utensils and toilet should be in the place where you are the least likely to be. Keep the animal out of your bedroom and bed. Don't let him go outside.

During periods of both exacerbation and remission, follow a hypoallergenic diet. This will help cleanse the body and quickly respond to toxic substances. You will need to exclude the following products for a while: