A research conducted in the United States concluded that
children who lived with dogs or cats in their first year of life had a lower
risk of allergies. This would be as a result of early exposure to allergens,
which strengthen the immune system.
The study also indicated that this positive effect occurred
in children, but not girls, a finding that left investigators baffled. At the
same time revealed that exposure to pets at any time after the first year of
life had no significant effect on the risk of allergy, emphasizing the
importance of the time variable in preventive issues.