We love our cats and dogs and they certainly provide a wonderful companionship and relentless love to millions of us. Insects, maybe not so much!

So what’s causing you misery? The dander (dead cells) from pets can cause you to have an allergic reaction. If your nose runs, your eyes water or you start sneezing and wheezing after petting or playing with a dog or cat, you may have a pet allergy. A pet allergy can contribute to constant allergy symptoms, as exposure can occur at work, school, day care or in other indoor environments, even if a pet is not present.  

Pet allergy symptoms include:

• Sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Facial pain (from nasal congestion)
• Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing
• Watery, red or itchy eyes
• Skin rash or hives

Dogs and cats are the most common types of pet allergies. They produce multiple allergens (proteins that can cause allergy). These allergens are found on the fur and skin, saliva, and urine. Exposure to this can sometimes cause allergic reactions, but pet dander is the most common source of pet allergies. Your immune system believes it needs to fight the offending allergen and overreacts, causing the unpleasant symptoms. Dust and pollen in their fur can also cause allergy symptoms. In those cases, the allergy is to the dust or pollen, not necessarily your pet.

Since insects have different characteristics than pets, the cause and allergic reaction is also different. Insect allergies, such as bee stings, can have a wide variety of reactions ranging from temporary pain and discomfort to a severe allergic reaction. While mostly bee stings are just annoying and painful, they can pose a much larger issue if you are truly allergic to bees stings or if you’ve been stung multiple times. So why is that? That is because bee sting venom contains proteins that affect skin cells and the immune system, causing pain and swelling around the sting area. In people with a bee sting allergy, bee venom can trigger a more-serious immune system reaction than people who are not allergic and simply have mild discomfort after a sting.

Reactions from bee stings may include:

• Pain at sting site
• Redness, welts
• Swelling
• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Skin reaction, hives/itching
• Loss of consciousness