Cat shedding of Fel d I is not reduced by washings, Allerpet-C spray, or acepromazine.
BACKGROUND
No published studies have compared the effectiveness of several treatments proposed to reduce cat allergenicity. Cat washing studies demonstrating efficacy involved very small sample sizes or infrequent washings. Allerpet-C (Allerpet, Inc., New York, N.Y.), a widely advertised topical spray, and acepromazine, a tranquilizer advocated as efficacious in subsedating doses, have never been scientifically studied.


OBJECTIVE
We compared the effects of cat washing, Allerpet-C spray, and acepromazine with that of no treatment on the shedding of the primary cat allergen, Felis domesticus I by cats.


METHODS
In a blinded, comparative, controlled study, we measured the amounts of Fel d I shed during an 8-week treatment period with a sample of 24 female mongrel cats randomly assigned to four groups; one group received weekly distilled water washings, one received weekly Allerpet-C spray applications, one received daily oral acepromazine, and one had no treatment (control). Thirty-minute, twice-weekly air samples were collected from each cat with a laminated plastic-acrylic chamber and air sampler.


RESULTS
One-sample, two-sided t tests comparing baseline to final-week measurements revealed no significant change in Fel d I within each group (mean change +/- SD: washing; 487.6 +/- 1896.4 mU per 30 minutes, p = 0.63; Allerpet-C spray, 429.2 +/- 871.6 mU per 30 minutes, p = 0.46 acepromazine; -620.6 +/- 1031.2, p = 0.52 per 30 minutes). Furthermore, analysis of covariance revealed no significant change in Fel d I levels between groups (p = 0.72).


CONCLUSIONS
Out data do not show significant reductions in Fel d I shedding as a result of any of these treatments. Therefore we cannot recommend them to patients allergic to cats.
Klucka
C V
CV
Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Mich., USA.
Ownby
D R
DR
Green
J
J
Zoratti
E
E
D000075:Acepromazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000481:Allantoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014867:Water / Q000494:pharmacology
D000485:Allergens; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011506:Proteins; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014867:Water; D000481:Allantoin; D000075:Acepromazine; D014508:Urea; D003094:Collagen; C059296:Fel d 1 protein, Felis domesticus