Food Allergy Testing
for Pets
A food allergy is a negative response by your pet’s immune system to a protein or carbohydrate in its diet. It is NOT usually associated with a sudden diet change and takes time to develop. A food allergy is not rare. In fact, up to 10% of allergic animals have a food allergy and up to 40% can have both a food allergy and an environmental allergy.
Although blood tests are available to buy online, they are NOT a reliable way to diagnose a food allergy. To accurately identify that your pet has a food allergy we need to perform a restricted dietary trial.
What to Expect at
YOUR CONSULTATION
What to Expect at
Your Consultation
1
HISTORY REVIEW
Detailed history and review of past treatments
2
EXAMINATION
Full dermatological and ear examination
3
TESTING
Diagnostic testing including video-otoscopy
4
TREATMENT PLAN
Provided with a tailored treatment plan based on your individual pet’s needs
HOW WE TEST
AND WHAT WE TEST FOR
HOW WE TEST
AND WHAT WE TEST FOR
Restricted dietary trial.
This involves feeding an elimination diet for 4 to 6 weeks for dogs and up to 8 weeks for cats.
During the trial it is vital that your dog or cat has NOTHING else to eat but the specified diet and fresh water to drink. You must not offer:
Treats
Human foods
Flavoured medication
Flavoured toys
If your pet eats something else, the trial must start all over again. You must make sure all family members and visitors to your home know your pet is on a diet trial.
Will the elimination diet help my pet’s skin?
Your pet’s skin may get better during the diet. If your pet's skin improves during the diet trial we will ask that you challenge the improvement by reintroducing the old food at the end of the diet trial. This will confirm the diagnosis of an allergy to that food. Most animals with a food allergy will have a flare-up within 1-3 days of reintroducing the old food, but some can take up to 2 weeks.
HOW WE TEST
AND WHAT WE TEST FOR
HOW WE TEST
We treat a wide range of skin conditions. Below is a list of different conditions, which gives an idea of the range of conditions we see.
Allergic Skin Diseases
Atopic dermatitis
(environmental allergies)
Flea allergy dermatitis
Food allergies/intolerances
Infections (Chronic/Recurrent)
Bacterial skin infections (pyoderma)
Yeast infections
Ringworm (especially in cats)
Autoimmune & Immune-Mediated Conditions
Pemphigus complex
Lupus diseases
Ulcerative diseases
Erythema multiforme
Vasculitis
Nodules and lumps with or without draining sinus tracts
Scaling disorders
Sebaceous adenitis
Epitheliotropic lymphoma
Crusting disorders
Zinc-responsive dermatosis
Metabolic epidermal necrosis
Chronic Skin Issues
Itchy or inflamed paws (pododermatitis)
Hair loss (alopecia) - Alopecia X, Colour dilution alopecia
Anal furunculosis
Pigmentary skin disorders
Hypopigmentation - Vitiligo, Uveodermatological syndrome
Hyperpigmentation - Post-inflammatory, Hypothyroidism
AND WHAT WE TEST FOR
HOW WE TEST
AND WHAT WE TEST FOR
HOW WE TEST
AND WHAT WE TEST FOR
We treat a wide range of skin conditions. Below is a list of different conditions, which gives an idea of the range of conditions we see.
Allergic Skin Diseases
-
Atopic dermatitis
-
(environmental allergies)
-
Flea allergy dermatitis
-
Food allergies/intolerances
Infections (Chronic/Recurrent)
-
Bacterial skin infections (pyoderma)
-
Yeast infections
-
Ringworm (especially in cats)
Autoimmune & Immune-Mediated Conditions
-
Pemphigus complex
-
Lupus diseases
Ulcerative diseases
-
Erythema multiforme
-
Vasculitis
Nodules and lumps with or without draining sinus tracts
Scaling disorders
-
Sebaceous adenitis
-
Epitheliotropic lymphoma
Crusting disorders
-
Zinc-responsive dermatosis
-
Metabolic epidermal necrosis
Chronic Skin Issues
-
Itchy or inflamed paws (pododermatitis)
-
Hair loss (alopecia) - Alopecia X, Colour dilution alopecia
-
Anal furunculosis
Pigmentary skin disorders
-
Hypopigmentation - Vitiligo, Uveodermatological syndrome
-
Hyperpigmentation - Post-inflammatory, Hypothyroidism
WHO DO WE Care For
All dogs and cats can be at risk of developing a food allergy, either as the sole cause of their symptoms, or as part of a more generalised allergy. Our aim is to accurately diagnose the components of the primary allergy. Once we know this we can then treat and manage the primary disease and any secondary infections. We'll work with you to design a tailored treatment plan for your pet.
FREQUENTLY
AskeD Questions
rELATED
Services
EAR DISEASE
ALLERGY TESTING
OTHER SKIN CONDITIONS
ALLERGY TESTING
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
"Simon has been our vet for over 10 years, so when we’ve encountered skin issues with our dogs we’ve been lucky to benefit from his in-depth, and enthusiastic expertise! A poorly pet is always a worry, but it’s easy to trust Simon as he bothers to take time to talk us through the problem, and importantly, the treatment options. Being part of that decision is really important to us.”
Genevieve Klasinski
Owner of Woody the Golden Retriever
"Henry has had severe allergies for many years now, and finding someone who truly understands and can manage his problems has made all the difference. Simon is kind, patient, and incredibly thorough. He takes time to explain everything and has worked with us to find a treatment plan that has finally brought Henry some relief. With Simon’s knowledge it gives us confidence and peace of mind that Henry is getting the best treatment”
Anna Green
Owner of Henry the Cockerpoo
"We feel really lucky to have found Simon. He successfully diagnosed our little dog (Candy) with multiple allergies - lots of other vets we had seen didn’t have the expertise to do this. This meant he was able to tailor her treatment to her allergies and all her symptoms have been well controlled for years now. Simon is always up to date with advances in veterinary science and involves us in decisions about Candy’s treatment. He has helped us manage her occasional flare-ups at home and to know when she needs professional help. He is just amazing and I can’t recommend him highly enough.”
Sheila Holland
Owner of Candy the Cavachon