Dog dander is one of the most common causes of respiratory allergy, and it consists of several allergenic molecules.1 These allergens are present not only in the homes of dog owners (primary exposure) but also in public places, schools, and homes without dogs (secondary exposure), where they can cause allergic reactions such as rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma in sensitized people.
For the physician, it is often a challenge to definitively establish the disease-triggering allergen. Objective assessments are available in terms of specific IgE measurements against allergens in blood and skin prick tests (SPTs), but for both methods falsepositive results are a well-known problem. This can have major social implications for families who must decide about keeping a pet on the basis of results of allergy testing
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