Has anyone used Allergy Test My Pet kit?

[FroxerMom]

Hi all,
I'm pulling my hair out over here regarding Daphne's continued itchiness. I saw a big decrease when switching her to raw food (frozen, commercial) but she is still occasionally licking her paws and scoots her butt around the carpet, daily.

I eliminated the rabbit treats I was giving and am exclusively back to everything duck. I have been giving a daily Zyrtec tablet for about a week on and off but it doesn't make much of a difference.

There is no blood in her urine. She isn't squatting often with nothing coming out. I wipe her face, chest, all paws, and lady parts down EVERY single time we come in from potty. I don't think it is her anal glands as I've read what to look for when they need expressing and it doesn't seem like that. I bought an itch formula shampoo and gave her a bath yesterday. We changed the A/C filters today too.

I am now thinking of ordering an online allergy test kit which is called Allergy Test My Pet. Anyone know anything about it or have used it? I understand that because they test her saliva, it will only give me feedback on potential things she is sensitive to so I can avoid them (and not that she has a true allergy to it like a blood test would). They test for over 100 food and environmental sensitivities. I send in the swab and get results in about two weeks. She has to be off antihistamines for 10 days before I take the sample. The test kit is $89.99.

I want to try this test kit if it is legitimate and then use the results to eliminate any triggers and see if it helps as it is more economical than going through the vet for blood or scratch tests. Daph has no missing hair and does not lick or scoot constantly. But the fact that she does sometimes still do it, bothers me as I want her to be comfortable. I really really want to know if it is something she is eating or something in the environment. She does not have watery eyes, does not sneeze, or get ear infections any longer.

I am trying to stick with just her patties, her nugget, and her goats milk. I stopped giving coconut oil, pumpkin, and kale until I can figure out what it is that is bothering her. I am thinking about switching her to a patty that is ONLY meat/organs/bone and doesn't have any of the fruits and veggies in it, like Vital Essentials.

Thanks for reading until the end and please let me know if any of you have used this test with success. Thanks!

 

[Cbrugs]

Regarding the butt scooting...does Daphne have a tail pocket?

I mainly use Vital Essentials for Jax because of all the added fruits and veggies in other brands. I have just now started using some other brands here and there but I really like VE. Tucker's is another brand that doesn't have fruits and veggies added.

Could also be environmental allergies. Jax is allergic to everything green outside. I never did one of the tests you are referring to but I did end up taking him to a dermatologist just before he turned 1 and they did an intradermal allergy test. They don't do food testing in my area so for me, that has all been trial and error.

 

[FroxerMom]

Regarding the butt scooting...does Daphne have a tail pocket?

I mainly use Vital Essentials for Jax because of all the added fruits and veggies in other brands. I have just now started using some other brands here and there but I really like VE. Tucker's is another brand that doesn't have fruits and veggies added.

Could also be environmental allergies. Jax is allergic to everything green outside. I never did one of the tests you are referring to but I did end up taking him to a dermatologist just before he turned 1 and they did an intradermal allergy test. They don't do food testing in my area so for me, that has all been trial and error.

I read the tail pocket info thread again because I still wasn't convinced I understand what and where it is. I'll have to check Daphne again when I get home. She has a really small tail and I can barely lift it, she clamps right down if I try to take a peek. Just to double check I have some semblance of understanding...if there is a space ABOVE her poop hole (sorry) and UNDER her tail, then that means she has a tail pocket?

Thanks!

 

[Cbrugs]

I read the tail pocket info thread again because I still wasn't convinced I understand what and where it is. I'll have to check Daphne again when I get home. She has a really small tail and I can barely lift it, she clamps right down if I try to take a peek. Just to double check I have some semblance of understanding...if there is a space ABOVE her poop hole (sorry) and UNDER her tail, then that means she has a tail pocket?

Thanks!

I don't know if I totally understand where the tail pocket is but I know neither of my guys have one. I think it means what you said about the space above her poop hole and under her tail.
[MENTION=2]2bullymama[/MENTION] [MENTION=10]Alice Kable[/MENTION]

 

[2bullymama]

I read the tail pocket info thread again because I still wasn't convinced I understand what and where it is. I'll have to check Daphne again when I get home. She has a really small tail and I can barely lift it, she clamps right down if I try to take a peek. Just to double check I have some semblance of understanding...if there is a space ABOVE her poop hole (sorry) and UNDER her tail, then that means she has a tail pocket?

Thanks!

Yes... it is UNDER the tail and there is a 'pocket' like area that traps moisture and cause itchiness. I agree with Citty -- environmental allergies seem more like the issue.

 

[Honeys Owners]

Congratulations !!! No ear infections- you've practically achieved perfection !!

If you can't find a tail pocket, try putting some Zincofax cream on her butt after pooping in case it's irritated from straining. Also try adding some canned pumpkin to her food for a week to give bulkier poos. I wouldn't stop the coconut oil- it's rarely allergenic and I found my dog had more allergy symptoms after I stopped it.

If her paws are really bad try soaking in a betadine bath daily for a week like suggested before.

I don't find antihistamines help much but I still give chlorpheniramine or Zyrtec every day to my dog " just in case " .

 

[Alice Kable]

I know nothing about the allergy testing kit, but when I had blood allergy tests on 2 of my boys it was $150 each. I had the tests run about 8 to 10 years ago.

Buster has just a little nubbins of a tail and he has a tail pocket that got infected once after having several days of loose stools. Our vet had to clean the pocket and Buster's screams should have emptied the waiting room!. Now I wipe his butt with unscented baby wipes after every poop. When I'm gone and my husband doesn't wipe him I can always tell because he sits and bounces and spins and his mouth opens and closes like he's saying, "yeah, that's the spot"!

 

[Honeys Owners]

There's also a possibility it could be worms but your vet probably already checked your dog.

Gold standard for identifying food allergies is elimination diet and for identifying environmental allergies is skin intradermal testing.

Immunotherapy has very few side effects as a treatment if your vet thinks your dog has environmental allergies, and if you use RESPIT immunotherapy, RESPIT - The Practical Alternative to Allergy Testing for Pets | Pet Allergy Reliefyou don't have to skin test your dog, since it contains all the allergens for your region. The drawback is that immunotherapy takes months to start working.

 

[FroxerMom]

Thanks everyone, for this additional information. There is space under her tail but there isn't anything but soft hair underneath, so no infection...???

I need to get my thoughts together on how I want to proceed with this....Thanks again!