 This study found that exposure to dogs or cats during fetal development or early infancy may reduce the risk of developing certain types of food allergies. Dogs were associated with reduced risks of egg, milk, and nut allergies, while cats were associated with reduced risks of egg, wheat, and soybean allergies. Hamsters, however, were associated with increased risks of nut allergies. This article was authored by Hisao Okabe, Koichi Hashimoto, Mika Yamada, and others.