People at my school are allergic to animals, but I have a dog and a horse. What if I wear clothes with animal hair on them to school? I always wear clean clothes but I pet my dog and horse goodbye in the morning.
Sincerely,
- PuppyPony

It's animal dander — tiny flakes from animal skin, fur, or feathers — that people are often allergic to. And if you're petting your animals goodbye, some of the dander could get on your clothes and skin. It's a good idea to wash your hands well after petting the animals and heading to school. And if you are cuddling or brushing your animals, it's probably best to change into different clothes.

Even if you do all that, you'll probably still bring some animal dander with you to school. But you will have done a lot to cut down on the amount. You also might ask your friends with allergies how to best protect them — everyone's allergies are a little different, and what causes a problem in one person may not in another.

Last, but not least, it is very considerate of you to think of others!

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: April 2012