Many parents ask whether they can have a pet, such as a dog or cat, when they or their child have atopic dermatitis. In this article, we address this common question.
Sooner or later, many parents hear their children ask for a dog, cat or another pet. Caring for an animal can have several benefits for children, including companionship and opportunities to develop responsibility and emotional bonds.
Some studies suggest that living with dogs during early childhood may be associated with a lower risk of atopic dermatitis. Other authors have also reported that children growing up in rural environments with regular exposure to animals may have a lower prevalence of atopic dermatitis or milder forms of the condition. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution and cannot be applied to every child with atopic dermatitis. Any potential protective association has been observed particularly in situations where the pet was already present in the household before the child was born.
In some children, animal dander and other pet-derived allergens may trigger allergic reactions or contribute to atopic dermatitis flare-ups. Pet hair can also carry dust mites, dust and pollen. For this reason, if there is reason to suspect that a pet may be aggravating the dermatitis, the situation should first be assessed clinically and, where appropriate, confirmed by an allergist using specific allergy testing.
What can we do if my child with atopic dermatitis is diagnosed with an allergy and we already have a pet?
If an allergy is confirmed, the appropriate measures will depend on the child’s symptoms, the allergen involved and the severity of the condition. In many cases, it is not automatically necessary to remove the pet from the home. However, measures such as the following may be recommended, together with any additional advice provided by a dermatologist expert in atopic dermatitis:
• The pet should not sleep in the child’s bedroom.
• Areas frequently used by the pet should be kept clean and well ventilated.
• Pet bedding, toys, cushions, cages and other accessories should be cleaned, washed or vacuumed regularly. The pet’s grooming and hygiene routine may also need to be reviewed.
Management should be individualised, particularly if the child also has respiratory allergy or significant sensitisation to the animal. We invite you to share this article on children with atopic dermatitis and pets with family and friends who may find it useful.
Authorship and references
The content of this article has been prepared by the Grupo Pedro Jaén Communications Department and Medical Team in accordance with our editorial commitment, which ensures the accuracy and regular updating of the information provided.
References on the relationship between atopic dermatitis and pets such as dogs and cats:
1. Ojwang V, Nwaru BI, Takkinen HM, Kaila M, Niemelä O, Haapala AM, Ilonen J, Toppari J, Hyöty H, Veijola R, Knip M, Virtanen SM. Early exposure to cats, dogs and farm animals and the risk of childhood asthma and allergy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020 Apr;31(3):265-272. doi: 10.1111/pai.13186. Epub 2020 Jan 11. PMID: 31829464.
2. Bedolla-Barajas M, Morales-Romero J, Bedolla-Pulido TI, Bedolla-Pulido TR, Meza-López C, Pulido-Guillén NA. Exposure to dogs but not cats is associated to a decrease in the prevalence in atopic dermatitis amongst school-children. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2018 Sep-Oct;46(5):431-437. doi: 10.1016/j.aller.2017.09.032. Epub 2018 Feb 15. PMID: 29456039.
3. Chong AC, Chwa WJ, Ong PY. Aeroallergens in Atopic Dermatitis and Chronic Urticaria. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2022 Jul;22(7):67-75. doi: 10.1007/s11882-022-01033-2. Epub 2022 Apr 1. PMID: 35362938.
4. Chong AC, Visitsunthorn K, Ong PY. Genetic/Environmental Contributions and Immune Dysregulation in Children with Atopic Dermatitis. J Asthma Allergy. 2022 Nov 23;15:1681-1700. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S293900. PMID: 36447957; PMCID: PMC9701514.
5. Simpson A, Custovic A. Pets and the development of allergic sensitization. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2005 May;5(3):212-20. doi: 10.1007/s11882-005-0040-x. PMID: 15842959.
6. Lødrup Carlsen KC, Roll S, Carlsen KH, Mowinckel P, Wijga AH, Brunekreef B, Torrent M, Roberts G, Arshad SH, Kull I, Krämer U, von Berg A, Eller E, Høst A, Kuehni C, Spycher B, Sunyer J, Chen CM, Reich A, Asarnoj A, Puig C, Herbarth O, Mahachie John JM, Van Steen K, Willich SN, Wahn U, Lau S, Keil T; GALEN WP 1.5 ‘Birth Cohorts’ working group. Does pet ownership in infancy lead to asthma or allergy at school age? Pooled analysis of individual participant data from 11 European birth cohorts. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43214. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043214. Epub 2012 Aug 29. PMID: 22952649; PMCID: PMC3430634.
7. Lodge CJ, Lowe AJ, Gurrin LC, Matheson MC, Balloch A, Axelrad C, Hill DJ, Hosking CS, Rodrigues S, Svanes C, Abramson MJ, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC. Pets at birth do not increase allergic disease in at-risk children. Clin Exp Allergy. 2012 Sep;42(9):1377-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2012.04032.x. PMID: 22925324.
8. Almqvist C, Garden F, Kemp AS, Li Q, Crisafulli D, Tovey ER, Xuan W, Marks GB; CAPS Investigators. Effects of early cat or dog ownership on sensitisation and asthma in a high-risk cohort without disease-related modification of exposure. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2010 Mar;24(2):171-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2010.01095.x. PMID: 20415774.
9. Sandin A, Björkstén B, Bråbäck L. Development of atopy and wheezing symptoms in relation to heredity and early pet keeping in a Swedish birth cohort. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2004 Aug;15(4):316-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2004.00166.x. PMID: 15305940.
10. Korppi M, Hyvärinen M, Kotaniemi-Syrjänen A, Piippo-Savolainen E, Reijonen T. Early exposure and sensitization to cat and dog: different effects on asthma risk after wheezing in infancy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2008 Dec;19(8):696-701. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2008.00758.x. PMID: 19076565.
11. Li C, Chen Q, Zhang X, Li H, Liu Q, Fei P, Huang L, Yao Z. Early Life Domestic Pet Ownership, and the Risk of Pet Sensitization and Atopic Dermatitis in Preschool Children: A Prospective Birth Cohort in Shanghai. Front Pediatr. 2020 Apr 24;8:192. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.00192. PMID: 32391295; PMCID: PMC7193020.
