Babies have lower risk of developing asthma if they grow up around dogs

"Babies who grow up around dogs are less likely to develop asthma, new research has found. A study by a team from The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada has found that small children exposed to dog allergens in their home had a lower risk of developing asthma by the age of five, but exposure to cat allergens did not have the same protective impact."

"Babies who were exposed to higher levels of dog allergen had around a 48 per cent lower risk of developing asthma aged five when compared to other infants. They also had better lung function. The protective effect was even stronger for babies who were at higher genetic risk of worse lung function. Scientists analysed the dust samples from the houses of 1,050 children, part of the Canadian CHILD cohort study, taken when they were between three and four months old."

The Independent covers reproductive rights, climate change and Big Tech, and uses reader donations to fund on-the-ground reporting that presents multiple perspectives. The outlet avoids paywalls to keep quality journalism freely accessible. Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada analysed dust from 1,050 homes and found infants exposed to higher dog allergen levels had about a 48 per cent lower risk of asthma by age five and improved lung function. The protective effect was stronger for infants with higher genetic risk of poor lung function, while cat allergen exposure did not show the same benefit.

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