TOPLINE:

Regular washing of hospital dogs significantly reduces allergen levels, with the Can f 1 allergen decreasing from 21.8 to 5.8 ng/mL (P < .0001). Both tested shampoos effectively lowered Can f 1 and Can f 4 allergens, with reductions lasting 3 days.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers collected 29 fur samples from hospital dogs before washing, after washing, and following child interactions to measure changes in allergen levels.
• Analysis included competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure dog allergens Can f 1 and Can f 4.
• The investigation involved two hospital dogs, with dog 1 being washed and participating in 29 child meetings and dog 2 being tested with two different shampoos over a 7-day follow-up period.
• Testing occurred in a pediatric ward at Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, involving children aged 3-18 years with various diagnoses.

TAKEAWAY:

• Mean concentration of Can f 1 allergen showed a significant decrease from 21.8 ± 11.2 ng/mL before washing to 5.8 ± 3.7 ng/mL after washing (P < .0001).
• Both tested shampoo types were effective in reducing Can f 1 and Can f 4 levels, with effects lasting for 3 days.
• Allergen samples were consistently collected before and after washing the hospital dog for all 29 different child interactions in the study.
• The special washing procedure was conducted in a dedicated dog shower facility adjacent to the hospital dog’s rest area.

IN PRACTICE:

“Considering these results, the risk of environmental contamination with allergens from fur can likely be mitigated by washing the dog. And if the dog is trained not to lick patients, the risk of spreading allergens from the saliva can be further reduced,” wrote the authors of the study.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Anitha Risberg, Department of Health, Education and Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden. It was published online in Acta Paediatrica.

LIMITATIONS:

According to the authors, few studies have previously investigated how allergen levels are affected by washing dogs, highlighting a gap in existing research that this study aimed to address.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by grants from the Samaritan Foundation, the Gillberg Foundation, Crown Princess Lovisa’s Fund, Agria and the Swedish Kennel Club’s Research Fund, the Children’s Cancer Fund, ALF Funds, and the Josephine Neiman Foundation.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.