Allerpet University Study

Under the sponsorship of Bayer AG of Germany, extensive formal testing of Allerpet® was completed at Utrecht University in the Netherlands (An abstract of this study was presented at the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology meeting in New York in February of 1995). Based upon the successful conclusion of this testing, Bayer AG, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and chemical companies, manufacturer of human pharmaceuticals including Bayer Aspirin and veterinary medical products such as Baytril, Pro-Spot, Tiguvon and Drontral, contracted for the distribution of Allerpet in many countries of the world, excluding the USA.

Allerpet is a product for people who are allergic to pets… 15 to 20 million in the United States alone. It is a solution that reduces the volume of cat allergens contained in house dust by a significant 50% and reduces both Fel d1 and dander on the animal’s fur and skin by eliminating them at their source. By reducing the amount of animal dander that gets into the air, an allergy sufferer’s ability to comfortably tolerate their pet is markedly increased. Allerpet is effective for approximately 80 to 85% of those who use it. The complete treatment consists of lightly wetting a washcloth with Allerpet and ‘dry washing’ the animal once a week … and brushing or combing it occasionally to remove dead hair. The process is so easy that it can be done with the pet in the owner’s lap.

The premise behind Allerpet is that the cleansing of the pet-related allergens from the animal’s fur and skin, before they have had a chance to enter the environment of the allergic person, will allow the sufferer’s environmental allergen load to fall within acceptable levels.

Currently, the treatment of choice for most patients who are allergic to animals is complete avoidance. Unfortunately, this treatment is not always practical. Intense emotional issues surface when people are told to give up their pets, being especially traumatic when several children are involved and only one is allergic. Indicative of this are the large numbers of persons, perhaps as high as 65%, who keep their pets in spite of being told to give them up.

Fel d1, commonly referred to as the ‘cat allergen’, is generally thought to be the sensitizer most responsible for cat allergies. Deposited on the fur from secretions of the sebaceous glands and during the cat’s self-cleaning process, it dries, flakes off, and is released into the air to become part of the total environment. Unlike the larger dander, dust and pollen allergens that settle to the ground within minutes, the Fel d1 allergen is so minute (as small as 2.5 microns) that it remains airborne for extended periods of time, thereby enabling it to be inhaled deeply into the lungs. Dander is also present on all cats and does cause reactions, but it is the Fel d1 that is the real issue.

Dogs do not present the same problems as cats. Dander, or scaling, is usually considered to be the major source of allergic reactions to dogs. Individuals, while sensitive to it, are not as violently reactive as they are to the Fel d1 of cats. Studies show that the proteins of the saliva and urine are also major sources of allergic reactions to dogs.

Contrary to popular belief, breed-specific allergens have never been found that differentiate the allergenicity of one breed of cat or dog versus another. A given animal within a specific breed may cause allergic reactions, while another of the same breed (or even litter) will not. There are, however, a few canine breeds, including Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers that are prone to seborrhea and consequently shed far more dander than others. Their epidermal turnover of approximately every 3 to 5 days instead of the normal average of 21 can cause an allergen overload of the environment.


Allerpet is presently available through veterinarians, allergy mail order catalogs, stores that sell allergy supplies and finer pet shops.

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