Skin Allergy Test

What is a Skin Allergy Test?

Is your pet often scratching or biting itself? Does it have patches of skin redness and fur loss? It may be suffering from allergies.

After ruling out ectoparasites, food allergies and infections, your veterinarian may recommend a skin allergy test to determine the cause of your pet’s allergic reaction.

In veterinary medicine, skin allergy tests are of two forms, namely, intradermal skin tests and serum allergy tests. For intradermal skin tests, tiny amounts of species-specific allergens are injected into your pet’s skin, and a positive response is indicated by swelling at the injection site. This testing requires your pet to be sedated, as there will be mild discomfort during the injections.At Dr Paws Vet Care, we offer another form of skin allergy test, a serum allergy test. No sedation is needed for this procedure, as we only require a blood sample from your pet. In addition, there is no need to stop steroids or antihistamines before this test, which means your pet does not need to suffer from itching for weeks to do this test.

Some of the symptoms of allergy are: 

• Sneezing, coughing, and wheezing
• Pet rubbing their eyes on surfaces, which is indicative of eye itchiness
• Yellow discharge oozing from their eyes
• Ear infections that manifest as redness and odour
• Excessively licking and gnawing at specific areas of their body
• Redness and rash-like appearance on skin that spreads 
• Patches of scabs and redness on certain localised areas
• Sensitivity on their paws, some pets may react negatively when you touch their paws
• Swelling of eyes, ears, and face 
• Diarrhoea 
• Excessive drooling 
• Vomiting 
• Anaphylactic shock

When left unaddressed, skin allergies can lead to serious infections, wounds and poor quality of life for your pets. Thus, prompt and early intervention is vital in addressing allergies in pets. Skin allergy testing is the formative step in providing your pet with well-deserved relief. 
Skin allergy testing is the gold standard in veterinary medicine to accurately detect the specific matter your pet may be allergic to. Here in Singapore, detecting the source of allergy reaction can be arguably simpler as we can often negate seasonal allergens (allergies that occur during certain seasons, such as spring and fall).

How does a Skin Allergy Test work?

A blood sample is collected from your pet from a skin allergy test. It involves just a small needle prick; no sedation is required. The blood sample will be analysed at an external lab to detect the levels of IgE antibody (the antibody responsible for allergy symptoms) towards the panel of allergens in the test. The higher the level of antibodies, the more allergic your pet is towards that particular component. 

What is Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy?

After identifying the items your pet is allergic to, your veterinarian may recommend allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves injecting custom-made small amounts of allergens into your pet at increasing doses. This may sound controversial, but it is a way of “teaching” your pet’s immune system not to overreact towards allergens and helping to build up tolerance to them over time. Unlike most other medications that control itch, side effects are minimal for immunotherapy, and there are no long-term side effects.

Up to 80% of pets respond well to immunotherapy. However, it must be noted that effects are only seen after some time (weeks to months).

Benefits of Skin Allergy Test

• Accurately determines the allergen (but not for food allergy)
• Enables owners to create a healthy environment for their pets 
• Provides an opportunity to introduce treatment for underlying allergy condition 
• Preserves pet’s health 
• Improves pet’s quality of life

What conditions can Skin Allergy Tests potentially help with?

Allergies can typically progress into other health conditions, such as: 

• Atopic dermatitis (atopy)
• Environmental allergies
• Flea allergy dermatitis
• Recurrent hot spots
• Alopecia (fur loss)
• Barbering
• Miliary dermatitis

Depending on the specific diagnosis, the source of the allergy may include; 

• Food allergies: allergy reaction to certain food that is accompanied by gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhoea. Food hypersensitivity may be evident with foods such as dairy, beef, chicken, chicken eggs, soy, or wheat gluten. Note that food allergies are diagnosed via a food trial rather than a skin allergy test. 
• Environmental allergens: allergy reaction to environmental elements such as dust, pollen, fungus, and mould. 
• Flea allergies: adverse reaction to flea bites and saliva.

What results can be expected from a Skin Allergy Test?

A skin allergy test will help you determine the cause of your pet's irritation and allergic reactions. The results obtained from the skin allergy test will thus, allow you to raise your pet in an environment that does not compromise their health. Upon receiving the results, our veterinarian will guide you on the changes to make to avoid future allergy reactions. 

If the allergy reaction has progressed to a secondary bacterial infection, your pet will be prescribed antibiotics. Medications will also be provided to treat symptoms presented by the allergic reaction.  You will also be guided on dietary changes to improve your pet’s general immunity.

A skin allergy test has brought relief to many fur parents, as watching their pets deteriorate can cause anxiety and worry.  Armed with information from skin allergy tests, you can confidently implement the necessary changes and no longer be in fear for your pet’s well-being.

How many sessions of Skin Allergy Tests are needed?

A skin allergy test is typically a one-off test. However, your pet can develop new allergies later in life. If your pet presents allergy symptoms, you may be required to repeat the test to determine the new allergen source.  

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is a skin allergy test?

A skin allergy test is estimated to be 75% accurate. In detecting the source of allergy, a veterinarian’s expertise also comes into play. This includes observing sites of allergic reaction, the type of reaction, and evaluating the environment they live in. An in-depth experience with the species of animal is also highly important. Whilst 75% accuracy may put some fur parents off, a skin allergy test remains the gold standard in the industry and should be explored in the primary stages of the investigation. 

Can I cure my pet’s allergy?

Allergies in pets cannot be “cured” per se. However, you can build their immunity and create an environment where they can thrive. An allergy is not a life sentence; with certain adjustments and treatment, your pet can be granted relief and a quality of life that is undeterred.