My dog has allergy symptoms. Are there accurate allergy tests?

Question

Can a dog get tested for allergies? Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Female | spayed | 1 year old | 47 lbs

Catherine Stecyk · Accepted Answer

Hello and thank you for reaching out to PetCoach. A number of unproven tests have been proposed for evaluating allergic patients including cytotoxic food testing, ALCAT test, bioresonance, electrodermal testing (electroacupuncture), reflexology, applied kinesiology, etc. There is little or no scientific rationale for these methods. The best way to diagnose food allergies is through avoidance and a strict hypoallergenic dietary trial. Unfortunately, there is no "easy" way to determine if your dog or cat has food allergies other than a strict hypoallergenic dietary trial. In order to have the maximum success with a strict hypoallergenic diet, it is recommended that you work closely with your veterinarian or veterinary dermatologist to pick the best hypoallergenic diet based on your pet’s history and current medical conditions. Long story short - there are no good tests out there that accurately diagnose allergies in dogs and cats. If you are concerned that your dog has allergies, I recommend talking to a veterinary dermatologist about the best way to help your pet. I hope this is helpful! Here are two scientific resources to check out that may provide more information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20456716 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16047707

My dog has allergy symptoms. Are there accurate allergy tests?

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