GettyImages.40 GH NOVEMBER^2019
Family + Pets ets
Cat lovers, rejoice!
ALLERGY RELIEF IS HERE
The new science on neutralizing allergens could help
The cause of a cat allergy is
not, as is commonly believed,
a sensitivity to fur. Allergens
are present in feline dander,
a mixture of saliva, urine
and skin, and they spread to
a cat’s fur as he cleans himself
and get dispersed throughout
your home as he sheds. The
coming treatments may help
people who react to the most
prevalent cat allergen,
called Fel d 1 , says Clifford
Bassett, M.D., a medical
advisor and spokesperson
for the Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America.Try these methods
from expert dog
trainer and host of
Lucky Dog Brandon
McMillan. Each should
stick after a week or
so of a few daily reps.- Turn around.
The easiest way to get
your dog to stay on
the ground is to turn
your back and take a
step forward when she
jumps. Withholding
your attention will
remove her motivation. - Grab her paws.
When she jumps up,
gently hold her paws
for 30 seconds while
sternly saying “Off!” - Make a noise.
Shake a plastic bottle
filled with coins as
soon as the dog jumps,
saying “Off!” in a firm
voice. The distractive
sound will help break
the habit.
TRAINING 101
Stop Your Dog
From Jumping
on guestsBest Picks for pet ownersUse an Air Purifier
Tr y a HEPA-certified
air purifier to help
reduce allergens
in the air. GH Lab
Pick: Honeywell
HEPA Air Purifier,
$2 50 , amazon.com.Clean Rugs
Deep-clean rugs
and upholstery reg-
ularly. GH Lab Pick:
Bissell ProHeat 2X
Revolution Pet Pro
Carpet Cleaner,
$300, amazon.com.Vacuum Smarter
Use a vacuum
with a HEPA or
equivalent air
filter and a sealed
bag. GH Lab Pick:
Miele Dynamic U 1
Maverick Vacuum,
$600, amazon.com.CAT STAT
About one in five
people is allergic
to cats, according
to a study in the
journal Allergy.Tr e a tment Option 2:
Cat Vaccine
While effective allergy shots
for people do exist, they
protect only the person
receiving them. The feline
immunization HypoCat,
created by Swiss company
HypoPet, aims to reduce the
Fel d 1 allergen at the source
by encouraging the cat’s
immune system to create
antibodies to neutralize it.
The manufacturer is in the
process of getting the vaccine
approved for distribution in
Europe and the U.S., which
could take several years.Tr e a tment Option 1 :
Antibody Cats Can Eat
Soon your kitty’s kibble could have
benefits for you. Immunologist
Ebenezer Satyaraj, Ph.D., director
of molecular nutrition at Purina,
coated cat food with an egg
product containing natural
antibodies to Fel d 1 , neutralizing
the allergen before it spread.
Three weeks after cats began
the new diet, there was a 47 %
reduction of Fel d 1 on their
dander and 97 % had decreased
allergen levels. Purina expects
to have consumer-product news
to share within the year, says a
spokesperson.GH TRIED + TESTED
CLEANING
LAB
Three Lab-approved ways to relieve allergies,
plus our top-tested products