Allergy Testing
A procedure in which small amounts of environmental allergens are injected into the skin to see if your pet reacts to (is allergic to) the allergen. This procedure is frequently performed under a reversible sedative. Based on this testing, your pet is often started on allergen-specific immunotherapy injections or oral allergy drops to help desensitize your pet to their allergy triggers. Currently intradermal allergy testing for food ingredients is considered unreliable and is therefore not recommended.
There are certain medications that need to be withdrawn for a certain period of time prior to allergy testing.
Serum (blood) Allergy Testing
A blood sample is sent to the lab to be analyzed for reactions to various environmental allergens or components of these environmental allergens. Based on this testing, your pet is often started on allergen-specific immunotherapy injections or oral allergy drops to help desensitize your pet to their allergy triggers. Currently blood allergy testing for food ingredients is considered unreliable and is therefore not recommended.