Does my dog’s insurance policy cover allergy testing? This is one of the most common questions pet owners ask when their dogs show the symptoms of allergies. Unfortunately, allergy testing for your dog with a vet can be expensive. That’s why pet owners ask, “Is pet insurance worth it for a dog with allergies?”
First things first! If your dog’s insurance doesn’t cover allergy testing, you can use an at-home dog allergy testing kit. This inexpensive allergy testing is a non-invasive, pain-free, and hassle-free way to test your furry companion for allergies. You can also use these kits to test your pet for sensitivities and intolerances.
Now, let’s get into details to answer this – does dog insurance cover allergy testing? But, before that, we need to understand dog allergies and if these are pre-existing conditions.
Itching, chewing, licking, scratching, biting, rubbing, gnawing. If you notice your dog doing this constantly, it might be because your furry companion suffers from an allergy.
Dogs are susceptible to allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances like humans and other animals. There are so many reasons that can trigger an allergy in your pet. These could be environmental allergens, including mold, grasses, pollen, feathers, medicines, pests, chemicals, and many more.
Sometimes, food can also be the reason behind your dog’s allergic condition. For example, specific gains, proteins, additives, and other ingredients in your pet’s diet may cause allergy issues. Besides, you might use household products, like cleaning chemicals, that might cause dog allergies.
Types of Dog Allergies
Allergies are adverse reactions to foreign substances by your dog’s immune system. Your pet might suffer from different types of allergies, which can include the following:
Skin Allergies
Skin allergies are also known as allergic dermatitis. It’s the most common type of allergy in dogs. The main causes of a skin allergy in dogs include the following:
● Food allergies
● Flea allergy dermatitis
● Environmental allergens
Many dogs are allergic to flea saliva, which causes excessive itchiness in dogs, especially in the tail. It can make their skin inflamed, scabbed, and red. Food allergies and environmental allergens may also cause atopic allergic reactions in dogs. Food allergies often itch a pet’s ears and paws, accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms.
Besides, environmental allergies can be seasonal, causing itching during a certain time of the year. Environmental allergies often affect ears, paws, underarms, groin, and areas around your canine’s eyes.
Food Allergies
Food allergies are not common among human beings. But when this happens, the immune response can range from skin conditions to gastrointestinal signs. In some cases, it can result in anaphylaxis, which is a relatively severe reaction.
But how does food allergy affect dogs? Well, food allergy in dogs has been termed food intolerance. In dogs, the condition doesn’t involve an immune response. Instead, it mainly happens due to a gradual reaction to certain ingredients in the pet’s food, such as beef, eggs, milk, soy, corn, or wheat.
As a result, your dog may exhibit several symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, poor skin, itchiness, and chronic foot or ear infections.
Acute Allergic Reactions
Acute allergic reaction is the most alarming of all kinds of dog allergies. A severe reaction to an allergy can force your pet into anaphylactic shock. So, it’s important to recognize and get it treated timely.
Make sure you closely monitor your dog after any new vaccine, foot item, or drug is given to your dog. Otherwise, your dog may develop symptoms like hives, facial swelling, or other serious signs of anaphylactic shock.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Allergy Treatment?
Dog allergies can be seasonal and very complex to severe. As a result, dog allergies are one of the most common things pet owners look for while deciding the insurance. The average allergy claim in 2020 was $262.95.
So, yes, pet insurance provides coverage for dog allergies. However, it solely depends on the agreement. Most pet insurances cover accidents, cancers, and serious illnesses, but a customized plan can also help you recover the cost of allergies. So, discuss with your pet insurance provider to modify or discuss the coverage.
Does Allergy Count as a Pre-existing Condition for Dog Insurance?
If your dog has an allergy before signing up for the insurance, it’s considered a pre-existing illness. Therefore, it may not be covered by health insurance. Whereas, if your pet shows allergy symptoms after going for the insurance, the plan may cover it. For example, if the allergic symptoms appear after a policy’s effective date and the waiting period has passed, it will be eligible for coverage.
So, to sum up, a pre-existing allergy before health insurance will not be covered. Also, according to your plan, if it covers allergies, they will be treated after the insurance. Moreover, the insurance covers the medications and treatments an authorized veterinarian prescribes.
Many pet owners willingly choose an extensive plan for insurance because many breeds are prone to allergies and certain diseases. So, discussing your plan with the insurance provider will be a smart choice.
What do you Need to Know About pet Insurance?
Before opting for any pet insurance, you must research the plans it offers. Some of the crucial points to take into consideration are:
● The coverage of the policy. It must cover allergies and diseases, and the suitable amount
● It must have great customer service, which is available round the clock
● The average time for claim processing should be between 1 and to 2 weeks
● There must be a vet direct pay option
● There should be options to customize the plan
Another common question is, are insurance discounts available for owners of multiple pets? Yes, if there is more than one pet in a single household, various insurance providers give discounts. However, you must check with plans and customize them accordingly.
Types of Allergy Treatments Covered by Pet Insurance
The first step will be visiting your vet. The allergy test can cost from $200 to $400. After narrowing down the allergen, the vet will prescribe medications, therapies, or any precautions you must take. Some of the major treatments that valid pet insurance can cover are:
● Anti-inflammatory therapy is quite common. It can include antihistamines, corticosteroids, and oral allergy medications. It’s suitable for immediate exposure and symptoms to the allergen.
● A shampoo therapy that included hypoallergenic shampoo. There will be several baths weekly, followed by other ointments and some precautionary steps. It’s best for pets with inflamed or itchy skin.
● Desensitization or hyposensitization therapy is a specific treatment targeted toward the allergen. It will target a particular area, be very specific, and show results effectively.
● There can be medications, treatments, and therapies scheduled for weeks or months according to the severity of the impact.
These were some treatments and medications which can be covered under the insurance. Rest it’s best to discuss it with your insurance provider and vet.
Is Pet Insurance Worth it for a dog With Allergies?
Pet insurance’s worth depends on the plan and the treatments it covers. Generally, the insurances exclude allergies or don’t treat them if they are pre-existing. Also, routine checkups are excluded unless you buy the wellness plan. Furthermore, you have to pay the amount that surpasses your limit. Therefore, according to the breed and the problems it can face, you should plan the insurance wisely.
The costs of allergy testing depend upon the severity of the problem. The vet can charge $350 for a skin test and $300 for a blood test. In addition, there will be exam fees, medications, procedures, and sedation fees.
If your dog is facing allergies, you can also diagnose the problem at home with home allergy testing kits. The duration of the results is between one week to three weeks, and they cost between $80 to $200 approximately.
You have to collect and send the samples to the company’s lab. However, the customer support, pricing, and assured results and advice are worth it. They are authentic, easy, quick, and very beneficial.
Some of the home allergy test kits are:
5Strands Pet Standard Package tests 350 of the most typical pet food ingredients that can cause allergies in dogs. It uses advanced bioresonance technology and its complete solution to rule out allergies at home.
The elements can be proteins, fruits, veggies, preservatives, grasses, trees, grains, etc. You can initiate four tests and get the results in the minimum time possible. Moreover, it helps you narrow down 100 items, including cleaning supplies, dander, decay, textiles, etc., which can be bothering the dog.
To begin with, you have to gently collect 10 to 15 strands of your pet’s hair and place it in the collector. After that, mail this sample to the lab, and within a week or so, you will get a thorough analysis of the allergies.
The test result is easy to read and has a low, mild, or high allergy severity. Also, there is extremely good customer support via email and phone. So, perform this simple test at home to rule out your pet’s potential causes of allergy. This test will help remove the allergic substance directly, avoiding forthcoming difficulties and relieving your loving dog.
The EasyDNA dog allergy test has various packages and has 18+ years of experience in the pet/human DNA category. First, you must order the most suitable kit and subscription for your dog. Once the kit arrives, you must carefully insert the swab in your pet’s mouth and collect the saliva sample. Then, send the sample back for testing to the company’s lab. Within a few weeks, you will get a detailed analysis of allergies, suggestions, and more.
The EasyDNA for allergy test standard package can 119 allergens and list the result in three categories: strong intolerance, mild intolerance, and no intolerance. Also, EasyDNA delivers live chat support to its buyers for factual and real-time information on kits, their processes, and results.
The suggestion will let you instantly cut off allergens such as certain food, external elements, etc. Then, you can carry this report to your vet and start with effective medication to ease your paw-some friend.
Note: Always perform the swab test when there is enough time between meals or in the morning. The food particles in the mouth can change the outcome.
Allergy Test My Pet is a very extensive home allergy testing kit that helps the pet parent to rule out 150 allergens, including household & environmental factors. It works by testing the proteins in your dog’s sample collected with a sample collection device.
You will get a very easy-to-use kit that will have a sample collector. First, you must collect the saliva by moving the swab in the pet’s mouth. Then, send this sample to the labs. After a few weeks, you will get a thorough and full report with food suggestions for the dog.
The best part about this is that your dog doesn’t have to stop taking supplements, as the results are unaffected. The straightforward, reasonable, and very practical home allergy testing kit helps to determine the reason for the allergy. The detailed report can help you stop using products with an allergic element.
Nutriscan is an authentic and approved home allergy test kit by Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM. It helps to narrow down 100 everyday foods and by-products that pets struggle to handle. The process begins by collecting 0.5 ml of saliva with a saliva collection device.
You have to send the sample to the lab, and within weeks, you will receive a detailed analysis of reports, a guide for the new diet, and much more. Moreover, it also assesses two antibodies (IgA and IgM) twice with robotic automation. In addition, Nutriscan has a very famous website, a one-stop solution for allergies, infections, and countermeasures.
