New Dog Allergy Test!

If you start sneezing and get watery eyes when you’re around dogs – you may not be allergic to ALL dogs. Just male dogs!

Dr. Lakiea Wright is an allergist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and she says, one in three people who are allergic to dogs are actually allergic to one specific protein that’s made in the prostate of male dogs. And now there’s a blood test that can identify that allergy – it was approved by the FDA last year. And if you’re allergic to only that specific protein in male dogs, you’ll probably be fine around female dogs or a neutered dog.

Because, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, it’s not an animal’s hair that triggers an allergic reaction. It’s proteins in their urine, saliva and dander – which is comprised of dead skin cells. And people can be allergic to one of six dog proteins but not others, which means different breeds and genders may not trigger a reaction at all. And now, an allergist can test for a reaction to a specific protein in male dogs through a skin prick or blood test. So you may be able to have a dog after all!