Itchy eyes every time you clean the cage, or a bite that swelled far more than it should? Hamsters are popular first pets, and their proteins are a known allergy trigger. Our test checks your blood for IgE to the main allergen of the golden hamster and of the Djungarian dwarf hamster, as part of 300 allergens and allergen components, so you can see which one your blood reacts to.
"Hamster" covers several species. The big one most people picture is the golden or Syrian hamster. The small ones sold as dwarf hamsters are mostly Djungarian (Siberian) hamsters, Campbell's hamsters and Roborovski hamsters.
Their main allergens are different proteins. Both belong to the lipocalin family, small carrier proteins found in saliva, urine and fur. In research, IgE to the Djungarian hamster allergen did not recognise golden hamster proteins, and the reverse held too. So someone can react to one kind of hamster and not the other, which is why the panel reports them separately.
Typical reports are sneezing, a runny or blocked nose and itchy, watery eyes when handling the hamster or cleaning the cage. People with asthma may notice cough or a tight chest. Some get itchy welts on the hands and arms.
Hamster bites deserve a special mention. Saliva carries the allergen straight into the skin, and allergy research describes severe reactions after hamster bites. Swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing or feeling faint after a bite is an emergency. Call 112 (EU) or your local emergency number.
IgE to hamster shows sensitisation. Some sensitised people keep hamsters without symptoms. Others react strongly. The result alone does not tell you which group you are in.
Hamster cages also hold hay, sawdust and seeds, which bring grass pollen, storage mites and mould into the room. A reaction near the cage can have more than one cause. A doctor can put your result next to what you notice and when.
From your finger-prick sample, the lab measures IgE to two single hamster proteins as part of 300 allergens and allergen components. Guinea pig, rabbit, mouse, rat, cat and dog sit on the same panel, so you can see whether it is the hamster or furry animals in general. Your lab report gives each value a class from Negative to Very high.
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One finger-prick sample checks IgE to 300 allergens and allergen components, from birch and peanut to cat and house dust mite. Post it to the lab, and about 5 days after it arrives you get a value for every one. Our plain-English guide shows you how to read them. €399 in total, €1.33 per allergen.
Yes. Hamster proteins in saliva, urine and fur are known allergens. A blood test shows whether you have IgE to the main golden hamster and Djungarian hamster allergens. A doctor can tell you what that means alongside your symptoms.
Not as a rule. Dwarf hamsters carry their own allergen, which is different from the golden hamster's. Some people react to one and not the other. Our panel reports both, so you can see which one shows up in your result.
Hamster saliva contains the main allergen, and a bite puts it straight into the skin. Research describes severe reactions after bites in sensitised people. Swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing is an emergency: call 112 (EU) or your local emergency number.
No. The test measures IgE already in your blood, so you do not need contact with the animal before taking the sample.
