Hypoallergenic dog breed

The term hypoallergenic dog breed is commonly used to refer to a dog breed (or crossbreed) that is more compatible with allergic people than other breeds. However, prominent allergen researchers have claimed that there is no basis to the claims that certain dog breeds are hypoallergenic and, while allergen levels vary among individual dogs, the breed is not a significant factor.

Though some studies suggest the possible existence of hypoallergenic dog breeds, there is too much variability to conclude that such a breed exists. According to researchers, claims about the existence of hypoallergenic dog breeds may have been fueled by unsubstantiated articles on the internet. In a recent interview, Christine Cole Johnson, Senior Staff Scientist at the Henry Ford Hospital & Health System, referring to the findings of her article in the July 2011 issue of the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy, explained that it was unclear where the name hypoallergenic dog breed came from, and asserted that the existence of such a breed was just a myth. The significant allergens are proteins found in the dog's saliva and dander. Some studies have suggested that the production of the allergen, and therefore human allergenic reaction, varies by breed, yet more recent scientific findings indicate that there are no significant differences between breeds in the generation of these allergens. One study found hypoallergenic breeds to have significantly more allergen in their coats than non-hypoallergenic breeds although there was no differences in the allergen levels in the air or on the floor.

Breeds that shed less are more likely to be hypoallergenic, since the dog's dander and saliva stick to the hair and are not released into the environment. However, protein expression levels play a major role and amount of shedding alone does not determine degree of allergic reaction. "Even if you get a hairless dog, it's still going to produce the allergen," Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul, chair of the Indoor Allergen Committee for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology is quoted in the newsmagazine U.S. News & World Report as saying. How hypoallergenic a particular dog is for a particular person may vary with the individual dog and the individual person.

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