| Main |

An unusual way to fight allergies: Get a dog

10:18 AM, April 30, 2008

The Times (of London) has some news for all the parents of kids with allergies ... or those parents who fear their children will develop allergies:

Children run less risk of being sensitive to allergens if there is a dog in the house in the early years of their lives, scientists have found.

The conclusion, based on a six-year study of 9,000 children, adds weight to the theory that growing up with a pet trains the immune system to be less sensitive to potential triggers for allergies such as asthma, eczema and hay fever.

And that's not all:

The “hygiene theory” of allergy holds that modern life has simply become too clean, meaning that babies’ immune systems are not exposed to enough germs to develop normally.

So for all of you out there who are fastidious housekeepers and thinking of purchasing a goldendoodle (known for little or no shedding),  perhaps a trip to the pound is in order instead? 

-- Alice Short

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c630a53ef00e5521ba5db8834

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference An unusual way to fight allergies: Get a dog :

Comments

Its out there as a therapy option. But I prefer to stay closer to home and avoid common triggers that turn up in just about every skin care product you can name from shampoo to bubble bath. Why can't more manufacturers follow the example of brands like exederm, vancream and califonia baby - color free, fragrance free, parabens free - surely an easier way to deal with skin allergies like eczema than turning to cats & dogs !

Post a comment
If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.
Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until they've been approved.

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In







Unleashed, on the go:

Follow @LATunleashed to have animal news sent directly to your mobile device.
Overheard on Unleashed:
"...quite simply, BSL has failed to reduce bites/attacks/deaths everywhere it has been enacted. It's knee-jerk, feel good legislation that does not one thing to increase public safety."

- Roofy Martineez, on Aaron Rochester, the Iowa politician whose Labrador retriever bit a neighbor and was deemed vicious after Rochester pushed for breed-specific legislation (BSL) to ban pit bulls
Questions? Comments?
E-mail us. We'd love to hear 'em!
Animal Blogs:
Animal Crazy
Born Animal
For The Love of Dog
Ohmidog!
People Pets
San Diego Zoo Blogs
Science Daily: Animal News
South Bay Pets
Tails Of The City
Unleashed (Baltimore Sun)
Vet Blog

Animal Care Agencies:
L.A. City Animal Services
L.A. County Animal Services
Long Beach Animal Control
Orange County Animal Services
Riverside County Animal Services
San Bernardino County Animal Services
San Diego County Animal Services
Ventura County Animal Regulation

Zoo & Aquarium Webcams:
All The Rage
American Idol Tracker
Angels Unplugged
Babylon & Beyond
Big Picture
Booster Shots
California Consumer
Comments Blog
Company Town
Culture Monster
Daily Dish
Daily Mirror
Daily Travel & Deal Blog
Dish Rag
Dodger Thoughts
Fabulous Forum
Gold Derby
Greenspace
Hero Complex
Homicide Report
Jacket Copy
L.A. at Home
L.A. Land
L.A. Now
L.A. Unleashed
La Plaza
Lakers
Money & Co.
Movable Buffet
Opinion L.A.
Outposts
Pop & Hiss
Readers' Representative Journal
Show Tracker
Technology
Ticket to Vancouver
Top of the Ticket
Up to Speed
Varsity Times Insider