Intradermal Allergy Testing Dog

A patch of the dog s skin is shaved so antigens can be inserted into the skin.

Intradermal allergy testing dog.

At the present time the only reliable way to diagnose allergies pollen dust etc in dogs and cats is through intradermal allergy testing commonly called skin testing. Value of intradermal skin tests. Intradermal allergy testing idat canine atopic dermatitis is a clinical diagnosis which is established upon ruling out or controlling other similar skin disorders such as cutaneous adverse food reaction and flea allergy dermatitis. While intradermal skin testing has long been regarded as the gold standard in determining the cause of atopic dermatitis it is only performed by veterinary dermatologists.

Each method has its own pros and cons. Intradermal skin testing or rast testing. After a few hours the skin patterns are observed to see which antigens caused a reaction. Intradermal allergy skin testing allows us to pinpoint the exact nature of your pet s allergies and more importantly provides the information necessary to custom formulate an allergy.

Allergy testing in dogs can be performed using two techniques. Although allergy blood tests for dogs and cats are commercially available they are not recommended due to their less accurate results. After a clinical diagnosis of atopic dermatitis has been made and you want to identify the relevant allergens to include in an allergy vaccine as an adjunct test to confirm flea allergy in a dog. The process of intradermal skin testing involves sedating the dog first.

Feline atopy non flea non food allergic dermatitis follows similar principles of diagnosis. Most reactions will occur within minutes although you ll likely need to bring your pet back in for further examination several hours later or the next day.