An animal-related allergy is one of the most important health hazards encountered by people working with animals. Because of the increased risk of developing allergies, it is the joint responsibility of the University of Missouri and its faculty, staff and students to minimize the risk of developing allergies while working with animals.

Animal related allergies develop as the result of repeated exposure to animal allergens via contact with the skin and/or mucous membranes and by inhalation. Allergy results when our immune system has an exaggerated response to these animal allergens. Common animal allergens include rat and mouse proteins in dried aerosolized urine, dander, saliva, fur, hair, scales and other animal wastes or body fluids.

Signs of allergies can be mild such as a runny nose, itchy eyes or skin and sneezing. The severity of these symptoms can increase until signs typical of asthma develop. These signs include coughing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. If you are allergic to an animal, one of more of the symptoms listed above will develop soon after exposure to an animal or its allergens but, symptoms can be delayed for two or more hours after exposure.

Animals that people are commonly allergic to include rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, and dogs. Other animals such as farm animals, horses, birds and frogs can induce allergies in people. People that are allergic to one animal often develop allergies to other species.

While working with animals follow the below recommendations to minimize exposure to animal allergens thus reducing your risk to develop allergies.

1. Do not wear street clothes while working with animals. Personnel that work closely with animals for long periods of time, such as cleaning and changing cages should have uniforms. Other personnel that work closely with animals should wear scrubs or at the very least wear lab coats. These uniforms, lab coats and scrubs should be laundered at work. Do not bring or wear any animal allergen contaminated clothes home. This will prolong your exposure to the allergens and expose family members to the animal allergens.
2. Reduce skin contact by wearing gloves while handling animals, animal products or their wastes.
3. Whenever possible, perform all animal manipulations within ventilated hoods or safety cabinets.
4. Keep animal cages and animal areas clean and take precautions to control allergen exposure during cleaning.
5. Use animal bedding that generates little of no dust such as absorbent pads or corncob bedding. Do not use sawdust. Change cages carefully so that aerosols are kept to a minimum or change cages under a safety cabinet. Use ventilated dump stations to empty dirty bedding from animal cages.
6. Do not overcrowd animal rooms. The animal room ventilation rate should support the number of animals housed in the room.
7. Use ventilated racks or filter top cages for rodents whenever possible.
8. Report and signs of allergies or asthma to your supervisor and Occupation Health and Safety official.

OHSP for Animal Care & Use Personnel | Animal Use Precautions | Common Laboratory Rodents | Non-Human Primates (Monkeys) | Allergies & Working With Animals