Cottonseed oil and linseed are two possible sources of pet-related allergy that deserve special note. Cottonseed meal is a highly allergenic material found in certain kinds of baked goods (such as buns, brown cookies, glazed doughnuts, and fried cakes), pan-greasing compounds, and salad oils. But most important for the purposes of this discussion, it is also found in certain animal foods. For some people, exposure to dust from this material can trigger severe debilitating allergy symptoms. In this event the allergy is clearly not directly related to your pet but to what your pet eats. This is an eminently easier problem to remedy because you can change the animal's diet. (Note: The cottonseed oil found in Spry, Crisco, and Wesson oils is highly processed and is generally not considered to be allergenic.)

Linseed, or flaxseed, is found in a number of common products including some depilatories, insulation, carpeting materials, hair-waving preparations, and shampoos. It may also be inhaled from cattle and poultry feed and dog food. For some individuals, especially asthmatics, linseed can be extremely irritating and may even provoke severe attacks. Once again, changing the animal's food may be all that it is needed to reduce symptoms.