Washing the dog reduces dog allergen levels, but the dog needs to be washed twice a week.

Access to files

Full-text and supplementary files are not available from Manchester eScholar. Use our list of Related resources to find this item elsewhere. Alternatively, request a copy from the Library's Document supply service.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many asthmatic patients allergic to dogs refuse to part with their dog, and it is essential to develop techniques for lowering exposure with a dog in the home.OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of dog washing on thesubsequent recovery of Can f 1 from dog hair clippings and on the airborneallergen over a 7-day period. METHODS: Dogs, which had not been washed forat least the previous 3 weeks, were washed with a hand-held shower andproprietary shampoo. Hair clippings and dander samples from 25 dogs werecollected before and immediately after washing. After these initialstudies, 16 dogs had a small tuft of hair clipped from the collar orspinal area before washing and then daily for the next 7 days. Airsampling was performed in 5 homes, and the air samples were collected(airflow rate, 9 L/min) over an 8-hour period per day on 10 consecutivedays (3 days of baseline sampling before washing and then 7 consecutivedays after washing). Can f 1 level was measured by using 2-site ELISA.RESULTS: Washing significantly reduced recoverable Can f 1 from clippings(84% reduction: from 73 microg/g to 12 microg/g [geometric mean]; P<.0001) and from dander samples (86% reduction: from 347 microg/g to 50microg/g [geometric mean]; P <.0001). There was a significant reductionin Can f 1 levels in dog hair over the observed 8-day period (F = 18.4, P<. 0001). By using a multiple comparison test, this observedsignificance was found to be due to the difference between the baselinelevels and those on days 1 and 2 after washing, with no difference in thebaseline Can f 1 compared with days 3 to 7. Airborne Can f 1 levels showeda downward trend, which reached statistical significance when the datawere grouped into 3 sampling periods as follows: baseline (ie, mean of 3days before sampling) was compared with days 1 to 4 after washing (41%reduction, 95% CI 13%-60%) and days 5 to 7 after washing (61% reduction,95% CI 2%-84%; P =.014). CONCLUSIONS: Washing the dog reduces recoverableallergen from dog hair and dander. The dog needs to be washed at leasttwice a week to maintain the reduction in recoverable Can f 1 from itshair. Washing the dog achieves a modest reduction in the level of airborneCan f 1 in homes with a dog.

Keyword(s)

Air Pollution, Indoor; Animals; Baths; Humans; Time Factors; analysis: Allergens; chemistry: Hair; immunology: Dogs; prevention & control: Asthma; prevention & control: Hypersensitivity

Bibliographic metadata

Institutional metadata

Record metadata