At Animal Friends Dermatology our pet dermatology specialist offers Intradermal Allergy Testing For Pets to diagnose skin conditions in cats and dogs from Orange Park and beyond.
Allergy Testing for Cats & Dogs at Animal Friends Dermatology
In order to provide your pet with the best possible treatment for their uncomfortable dermatological symptoms, our Orange Park veterinary dermatologist will first need to pinpoint the underlying issue causing your pet's condition.
In many cases ear, skin, coat and nail conditions seen in dogs and cats are caused by either environmental or food allergies. That's where veterinary allergy testing comes in.
At Animal Friends Dermatology we offer two types of allergy tests to help us identify the precise cause of your pet's allergy symptoms. Understanding what your pet is sensitive to allows us to create a customized treatment plan to address your pet's symptoms.
Our Orange Park veterinary dermatologist can then work with you to help bring relief to your dog or cat.
Allergy Testing For Pets
Following your pet's preliminary exam, and ruling out other possible causes for your pet's symptoms, your veterinary dermatologist may recommend allergy testing for your pet.
There are two primary forms of diagnostic testing for allergies Intradermal Allergy Testing and Serum Allergy Testing. The type of allergy testing that your vet recommends will be based on the symptoms your pet is presenting and a number of other factors.
- Intradermal Allergy Testing for Pets
Intradermal testing is the gold standard in allergy testing for environmental allergies.
A sedative is given to relax your pet, an area on the side is shaved, and multiple different allergens that are common to the Southeast are injected into the skin.
The test site is then examined at 20 minutes and again at 2 hours to detect which allergens created a red, raised reaction.
- Serum Allergy Testing for Pets
Serum allergy testing for pets involves taking small sample of your pet's blood for diagnostic evaluation.
Your dog or cat's serum will be tested for sensitivity to a number of potential allergens including pollen from trees, grasses, weeds and shrubs as well as fungi, house dust and mites, and a range of potential food ingredients that are common in commercial dog and cat food preparations.
Allergy Treatments for Pets
Once allergy testing is complete our specialist vet will recommend appropriate allergen avoidance strategies, and create an allergy serum (often referred to as allergen-specific immunotherapy or allergy vaccine) that can be used to treat your pet's specific allergy.
If an allergy serum is right for your pet, treatment will be in the form of either injections or oral drops to help desensitize your pet to their relevant allergens.
Follow-up is important to monitor treatment success and make adjustments as necessary.