# If allergic to dogs & cats...what other animals am I likely to have a reaction to? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 17, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106 "2015-01-17T23:09:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andrea\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/1 "2015-01-17T23:09:28Z")
I came across [this adorable photo](http://i.imgur.com/dkHRzwx.jpg) recently and it got me to thinking: if I, like many, have allergic reactions to contact with most dogs (save-for non-shedding dogs like poodles) and cats, what other types of animals am I likely to have a reaction to? And which ones might be ok? Most importantly, can I get a pet monkey? (I would presume so because I don’t think they shed so likely hypoallergenic) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/2 "2015-01-18T00:09:48Z")
Horses, rabbits, most animals you can have as pets, really. Monkeys make terrible pets; they haven’t been bred as companion animals for generations like the animals we generally think of as pets. Lizards and snakes would be fine, though. They’re not exactly cuddly but they can be fun in their own way. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/3 "2015-01-18T02:48:59Z")
When I was younger I was allergic to dogs and cats, and had a problem with horses also. In fact I wasn’t happy with any barnyard animal, but I’m not positive I was actually allergic to goats and such. Went away with age for me. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/4 "2015-01-18T16:01:00Z")
It’s actually quite difficult to predict. The studies are quite contradictory. The official medical recommendation is to get general animal dander skin testing to those animals you are regularly being exposed to, or contemplating getting exposed to, if allergies are a concern. That way you’ll have a better idea of your own personal reactions, and not base your decisions on rather confounding and poorly designed population studies. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/5 "2015-01-18T16:02:52Z")
Dust bunnies. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_doped](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@straight\_doped](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_doped)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/6 "2015-01-18T18:06:20Z")
i have heard of people that are allergic to cat and dog to get pig to cuddle and love. plus, you get to grow bacon! i cannot think of a better solution. ---
**Author:** ![andrea\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/7 "2015-01-18T22:23:02Z")
Thanks for the interesting pig recommendation. I think I’ll just stick with hypoallergenic dogs though! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/8 "2015-01-18T22:44:27Z")
> [@andrea\_green](#): > > I think I’ll just stick with hypoallergenic dogs though! There is no convincing evidence that certain breeds of dogs are less allergenic than others. [The myth of hypoallergenic dogs (and cats).](http://www.allergyaway.com/DownloadFile.aspx?type=n&id=1010) PDF file. ---
**Author:** ![andrea\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/9 "2015-01-19T05:11:35Z")
**Qadgop:** I can only provide anecdotal evidence, but, for what its worth, my experience strongly supports the [common idea](https://www.akc.org/about/faq_allergies.cfm) that non-shedding breeds cause little to no (in my case zero) allergic reaction. If I were to play with a cat or a Labrador I would experience a rapid and dramatic set of symptoms ranging from itchy watery eyes to sneezing and a rash. However, I have lived with four different poodles and have never had any reaction whatsoever despite hundreds hours of snuggling and playing. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/10 "2015-01-19T07:24:12Z")
Maybe the poodles were more frequently bathed/groomed? Did they have the classic “Poodle Cut”? My info is that people who are allergic to cats are NOT allergic to the fur the allergy is to the skin oils (which coat the hairs). If you have a dog which is kept as a show animal (or just owned by an over-enthusiastic groomer), there may be less oil on the fur. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/11 "2015-01-19T15:58:17Z")
> [@andrea\_green](#): > > **Qadgop:** I can only provide anecdotal evidence, but, for what its worth, my experience strongly supports the [common idea](https://www.akc.org/about/faq_allergies.cfm) that non-shedding breeds cause little to no (in my case zero) allergic reaction. If I were to play with a cat or a Labrador I would experience a rapid and dramatic set of symptoms ranging from itchy watery eyes to sneezing and a rash. However, I have lived with four different poodles and have never had any reaction whatsoever despite hundreds hours of snuggling and playing. I’ve had the same experience. A close friend has two Bichons, and I have zero allergic reaction to them. They are indoor and outdoor dogs, so it can’t be a pollen-on-the-skin issue. I also don’t react to poodles or Yorkies. However, my uncle’s golden retriever (lovely dog, sweet as can be) makes me break out in hives. ☹ Weirdly, not allergic to cats. ETA: I also test as allergic to horses and goats, but have no problem being around them. I also test as allergic to cockroaches, which means I will never realize my dream to open a cockroach ranch. (_rolls eyes_) To the OP: depending on the severity of the allergy, there are treatments that can help. I also swear by Allerpet-C for cats – it made my first boyfriend not have reactions to my cat. That said, if your allergies are severe…perhaps an aquarium. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/12 "2015-01-19T16:46:39Z")
> [@andrea\_green](#): > > **Qadgop:** I can only provide anecdotal evidence, but, for what its worth, my experience strongly supports the [common idea](https://www.akc.org/about/faq_allergies.cfm) that non-shedding breeds cause little to no (in my case zero) allergic reaction. If I were to play with a cat or a Labrador I would experience a rapid and dramatic set of symptoms ranging from itchy watery eyes to sneezing and a rash. However, I have lived with four different poodles and have never had any reaction whatsoever despite hundreds hours of snuggling and playing. That’s the best test; what you do and don’t react to. But trying to extrapolate from that hasn’t been proven to be effective as of yet. And positive skin testing isn’t real predictive of whether or not a person will have a reaction to what they’ve tested positive to. Lots of false positive tests occur, with people tolerating what they’ve tested positive to quite nicely. However negative skin testing correlates much better with lack of an allergy. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/13 "2015-01-19T18:34:22Z")
Some Bengal cats are “pelted” and if so you may not have a reaction to them. ---
**Author:** ![andrea\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-allergic-to-dogs-cats-what-other-animals-am-i-likely-to-have-a-reaction-to/710106/14 "2015-01-21T06:26:43Z")
DrDeath: Bengals look cool, I will definitely further investigate this point, thanks you!!!