Allergy testing and medical management
Scratching, licking the feet, chewing, and red irritated skin are all symptoms of allergies. Allergy testing is a diagnostic tool available for pets that are suffering from moderate to severe allergies. Allergy testing is a way to get a positive diagnosis for food allergens, atopy (pollen, dust, and mold) and to a lesser extent for contact allergies. When allergies to specific substances are identified, a customized serum is created so that the pet can receive hypo-sensitization injections.
Types of allergy testing
Allergy testing is performed to develop a specific therapy for the allergic animal. There are two basic types of allergy testing. The most common is a blood test that checks for antigen-induced antibodies in the dog’s blood. The other type of testing is intradermal skin testing. In this test, a small amount of antigen is injected into the skin of the animal and after a short period of time, the area around the injection site is observed to determine if the animal is allergic to the agent.