It is a well-known fact that some people can be allergic to dogs. But let’s look at this in reverse; Can dogs be allergic to humans too? The answer is this: Just as humans can be allergic to dogs (or rather their hair), dogs can be allergic to humans.
As the American Kennel Club (AKC) states, dogs, like humans, can be allergic to certain foods, skin irritants, and medications, as well as environmental allergens such as pollen, dust mites, mold, and animal dander. The real surprise is that this list includes human dandruff.
Even if you’ve owned a dog all your life, this may be the first time you’ve heard of the possibility of being allergic to humans. And an AKC veterinarian specializing in dermatology, Dr. Valerie Fadok says there are good reasons for this. First of all, testing dogs for human dandruff allergies in veterinary practices has only been practiced in recent years. The second reason is partially related to fleas.
Fadok notes that before the early 1990s, when effective, modern, preventative flea control treatments became widely available, it was much less common for dogs to sleep in bed with humans. Now that flea guards are becoming more common, dogs are staying with their humans (especially in bed) for longer periods of time, making human hair allergies more noticeable than ever before, Fadok says.
Dogs’ environmental allergy symptoms are largely the same for any allergen. Therefore, if your dog experiences any of the following, you should take them to the vet for a test to determine the cause. According to the AKC, signs that your dog may be allergic to human dander (or other environmental allergens) are:
Allergy symptoms in dogs
- Scratching and licking, especially around their groin, anus, eyes, ears, paws and armpits.
- Moist, crusty, or bare patches of skin.
- Runny nose and/or sneezing.
- Watery eyes.
- Hives.
- Diarrhea.
If your vet has determined that your dog is allergic to human dandruff, they will also talk to you about the best ways to treat their allergies. Depending on the type and severity of your dog’s allergic reaction, the vet may recommend longer-term solutions like allergy shots or short-term treatments like an antihistamine or cortisone cream to soothe his skin.
There are also things you can do at home to reduce your dog’s exposure to your dander (and other allergens):
- Vacuum your home as much as possible.
- Switching to washable rugs and washing them regularly.
- Using a HEPA filtered air purifier in your bedroom.
- If your dog must sleep in your bed, change and wash your bedding and linens frequently.
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