It's not the hair itself, but the dander, and the proteins from saliva, urine, and other body secretions that contaminate it. Pet-related allergens are second only to dust mites as a major allergy source.

Almost 4 out of 5 people allergic to animals are allergic to cats. Fel d1 is deposited on the skin and coat both by the sebaceous glands and through the cat's own saliva during self-cleaning, with the highest concentrations around the genitalia and base of the tail. It's extremely potent, capable of triggering a reaction almost instantly.

No — research has shown several dog breeds to have breed-specific allergens, but no single breed has been found to be more or less allergenic than any other.

Any animal with fur or feathers can trigger a reaction — cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, mice, and birds included. Cats are by far the worst offenders, followed by rabbits and dogs. For small caged pets, urine is of special importance, along with dander and saliva.

Being caged doesn't prevent birds from scattering feather dust into the atmosphere as they flutter their wings and move about. To minimize this, mist with Allerpet using a trigger spray bottle, spraying away from the head and towards the tail.

It can usually be done by the allergic person, but if you're very sensitive, it's better to have someone else do it. Let your pet lie on your lap on a terrycloth towel where it feels secure, then comb (cats) or brush (dogs) to remove as much dead hair as possible and break apart any mats or tangles.

Wet a washcloth with just enough Allerpet to make it damp, but not enough to drip when lightly squeezed. Run the cloth both with and against the lay of the hair, making certain to get down to the skin. Pay more attention to the areas pets lick most — around the genitalia and the base of the tail, where urine residue tends to collect.

Subsequent applications should be applied once a week. It's safe to use Allerpet more often if necessary — brushing or combing isn't necessary before every application, but dogs and cats should still be kept free of tangles and dead hair.

Bathing will definitely help, but is usually not as effective — it requires the right preparation and the experience to rinse the animal thoroughly, and needs to be repeated weekly, particularly for cats. Weekly bathing without conditioning tends to dry out the coat and leave excessive dander after a period of time. A big advantage of Allerpet is that you can apply it while watching TV or just relaxing — cats and small dogs love the grooming.

Yes — any professional groomer will brush, bathe, and/or apply Allerpet to your cat or dog. You don't need to own a "groomable" dog or cat to patronize them. Consider using one periodically between your daily groomings — it's a normal service at a small cost, and a good time to have your pet's nails cut and ears cleaned too.