The medical team monitored the health of these until they turned five. They then tested the young participants for asthma, assessing their genetic predisposition to develop the condition and .
The analysis revealed astonishing results. Infants exposed to higher concentrations of the Can f1 allergen, which is released through the skin and saliva of dogs, had a 48 percent lower risk of developing lung diseases compared to other children.
Additionally, toddlers who grew up with showed improved lung function. This was demonstrated by a test measuring how much air participants could exhale in one second after taking a deep breath. This protective effect was even stronger among children with a higher genetic risk of impaired lung function, as reported by Daily Mail.
Interestingly, the researchers did not find this protective effect in children exposed to dust containing cat allergens.
Dr. Jacob McCoy, the lead author of the study, presented the findings at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam. He stated, “We found that exposure to allergens was associated with improved lung function and a reduced risk of developing asthma.”
He also noted that asthma is a very common chronic respiratory disease in children, with most cases occurring in the first four years of life. “This condition is caused by a complex interaction of genetic factors and environmental influences, such as infections, allergens, and air pollution,” Dr. McCoy explained.
Sarah Sleet, the CEO of the British charity Asthma and Lung UK, commented on her colleagues’ work: “Previously, parents of children who wheezed or were at risk of developing allergic asthma were often advised to remove pets from the home. Meanwhile, this exciting new research suggests that having a dog in the house may actually reduce the likelihood of developing asthma. While we need further studies to understand why this happens, the findings are promising.”
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