# animals and allergies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485 "2005-06-23T03:28:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485/1 "2005-06-23T03:28:17Z")

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After leaking like a faucet the other day from a customer’s dog, i had to wonder-

Why is it that animals especially dogs with such highly perceptive noses never develop allerigies themselves?

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**Author:** ![TastesLikeBurning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@TastesLikeBurning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TastesLikeBurning)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485/2 "2005-06-23T03:48:51Z")

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What makes you think they don’t?

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**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485/3 "2005-06-23T03:57:10Z")

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They do - my sister-in-law’s beagle had to get three shots a week for allergies - I think that dog was allergic to herself! Before the shots she would scrape herself raw. When they did the test at Auburn I believe they tested for 100 allergens and she was allergic to 98 of them.

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**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485/4 "2005-06-23T05:23:24Z")

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Also, how well a particular species is able to perceive odours has nothing to do with the development of allergies. An allergy is when your, or your pet’s, immune system recognizes a harmless protein, such as pollen, cat dander, etc., as a threat. Your body then mounts an immune response against that allergen, resulting in anything from the runny nose and itchy eyes that you associate with hayfever up to anaphylaxis, although that’s more common with food allergies.

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**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485/5 "2005-06-24T02:56:31Z")

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I’m not convinced that a higher perception of odor has nothing to do with what your immune system attacks. I’ve had allergies my whole life, I understand this about having an immune system that is as my doctor once said “too good”.

But I can’t forsake the idea that when a larger spectrum of “odors” is perceived that it would not increase the probability that your immune system would attack harmless particles.

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-and-allergies/309485/6 "2005-06-24T09:48:06Z")

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I’ve known cats, dogs, and horses all with allergies.