Have you ever had your dog or cat scratch, itch, get infected, or lose hair continuously? What causes this problem? How can you solve it? Today, Talingchan Animal Hospital will answer these questions so that owners will know how to solve these problems using allergy testing.
Why do we need to test our pets for allergies?
Allergy testing It is a procedure that veterinarians use to check for skin problems or allergies in pets, especially when pets are experiencing itching, redness, dry skin, or hair loss. The test can help diagnose the symptoms of an external allergen, such as dust or other chemicals, as well as skin infections caused by fungi, bacteria, or parasites.
Inspection Procedure
- Treat external infections first
- If you suspect that your baby has an allergy, you should change the food before 2 months.
- If symptoms do not improve and environmental allergies are suspected, consult your doctor about further testing methods.
How can we check?
After we know that your pet has an environmental allergy, the owner can send them for testing to find out what substances are causing their pet's allergic symptoms. There are 2 main methods:
- Blood test to determine IgE levels (Blood test results that indicate the degree of allergy) – It can detect approximately 36 samples that may be allergens in your baby, such as insects, dust mites, soil, or grass, etc. The advantages of this method are: No need to drug or shave your pet. Just draw blood and wait for the results in about 6-8 weeks. This method may require discontinuation of some medications before testing.
- Intradermal test It involves injecting the allergen directly into the pet's skin and interpreting the results. Approximately 20-30 samples can be used for testing. The advantages of using this method are: It only takes about 1-2 hours, but you will need to be put under anesthesia and have the fur on your pet's body shaved off so that the injection can be done.
How to prevent
After we know what our dogs and cats are allergic to, the first thing we need to do is “Avoidance” Keep our pets away from allergens and use the ingredients that they are allergic to.Get allergy vaccination To reduce allergic reactions or reduce the amount of medication that needs to be administered.
Therefore, when your pet has symptoms of scratching, itching, or recurring infections, it is recommended to bring it to a veterinarian for a symptom assessment and to discuss the treatment process. This is because these diseases require treatment time and understanding from the owner in diagnosing the disease and providing continuous treatment for the good quality of life of your pet in the future.
Is there a way to test for food allergies?
At this time, there are no reliable tests for food allergens. However, if you suspect that your dog or cat has a food allergy, you should: food trial Or change to eating the food tested for allergies and observe symptoms instead.
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