How to Test for Dog Food Allergies
NutriScan Food Sensitivity and Intolerance Test for Cats and Dogs
Dog food allergies are a hot topic and a multi-million dollar industry. Dealing with food allergies is frustrating for both dogs and their pet owners. Thankfully, we have numerous limited ingredient diets lined up at our local pet supply store. However, when first encountering a dog food allergy, where do you start? Does your dog really have a food allergy? It’s time to find answers. Check out these dog health tips that helped my dogs immensely!
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Start With Your Vet
As with any pet health issue, always start by having your veterinarian examine your dog thoroughly. So many times, pet owners assume their dog has a food allergy when it’s usually an allergic reaction to outdoor allergens, fleas and ticks.
Before your vet appointment, write down any issues that may have caused your dog to scratch, chew or rub at her skin, and bring this journal to your veterinary appointment. Note dog food allergy symptoms, such as:
- Does your dog immediately start itching right after walking through grass? After playing at the dog park?
- When was the last time you applied pest control medication, and what type?
- Did your dog start itching after ingesting a certain treat. If so, how soon afterwards?
- What are the ingredients in your dog’s food and treats (take a pic of the dog food ingredient list)?
- When are your dog’s allergies the worst? Spring, summer, fall or winter?
All of these questions and answers will certainly help your vet during his diagnosis. If your vet suspects food allergies, a simple test will be conducted.
Complete the NutriScan Dog Food Allergy Test
If your vet is having a difficult time narrowing down the cause of your dog’s itching, ask him to complete a food allergy test on your dog.
NutriScan Food Sensitivity and Intolerance Test for Cats and Dogs is available online or through your vet’s office. We recently completed this dog food allergy test for both of our pets, and I was pretty much spot on about their food allergies. Yet, there were a few surprises as well.
Your dog needs to fast overnight before the test, but she can have water the day of the test. A NutriScan test requires a lot of your dog’s saliva, which is collected by putting a long cotton rope in between your dog’s cheek and teeth. Once the cotton rope is saturated with saliva, place it in a plastic tube and mail for results. Test results took about 2-3 weeks, and were either faxed or emailed to my vet.
The NutriScan dog food allergy test will check if your dog is allergic to common and not so common proteins, such as beef, chicken, rabbit, white fish, salmon, milk products, peanut butter and so forth. It also checks for allergies to certain grains, such as corn, wheat, rice, lentils and several other grains. Afterwards, you’ll receive a written report listing your dog’s food allergies, weak allergic reactions and non-reactive responses.
If price is an issue, I suggest ordering this test online and doing it yourself. Our vet’s office charges an extra $100 to complete the test. If you complete this test on your own and receive the results, I advise printing a copy of the results for your dog’s veterinary record. Your vet needs to be aware too!
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Choose a Food for Dogs With Allergies
If your dog has reacted to several foods tested by NutriScan, bring this list with you while shopping for a new dog food. As mentioned before, with so many limited ingredient diets, choose a protein and carbohydrate dog food that your dog is not allergic to. Flip the bag over and review the ingredient list. Sometimes, other ingredients are listed further down the list, which can cause your dog’s allergies to flare up. Don’t forget to read the ingredient list for all of your dog’s treats as well. Even at small amounts, an allergen can cause your dog to react.
Persistence is key, and I hope a NutriScan test provides you with valuable information quickly. It surely helped us. Good luck!
