At-home dog allergy tests can be a great way to identify potential allergies or intolerances in your pup. Salivary antibodies help study secretory responses to ingested material because they can be collected and analyzed quickly.
Many at-home saliva-based tests discussed below quantify the IgA and IgM antibody responses to more than 100 affinity-purified food antigens. The outcome is usually excellent when offending foods or allergens are entirely removed from your dog’s food or environment.
At-home intolerance testing for dogs is affordable and allows you to act quickly. It’s also good to retest a few months later to check for new reactive food antigens and developing food intolerances. Testing for intolerances for chicken fat, cornstarch, and fish oils is usually a good idea.
However, it is essential to understand how to read the instructions and results of these tests correctly. If your pup is constantly itching, has excessive gas, or partakes in non-stop paw licking, then at-home allergy testing may be a significant first step to figuring out what is causing your pup’s discomfort.
At-home dog allergy tests collect skin and saliva samples from your pup and test them against potential allergens. Depending on the type of kit you have chosen, the results can take from 5-7 days or up to 2 weeks for the full results.
Why is food intolerance testing so necessary for dogs of all ages?
At-home saliva and hair intolerance and sensitivity testing kits
At-home saliva and hair testing kits for sensitivities and intolerances offer a reliable and clinically predictive alternative to food elimination trials, serum-based food allergy testing, and skin patch testing.
They are also affordable and allow pet parents to work with their veterinarians so that you can feed your pup the proper diet and healthy lifestyle.
To start, you should review the instructions with the kit and ensure you understand all the information provided before beginning the test. This review will cover the basics of reading several popular at-home dog allergy tests and what you can do with the results.
First, the test will require a sample from your pup. This can be obtained by collecting fur or saliva using the provided collection swab or brush. (each test is different- either saliva of 10-15 strands of hair) Once collected, the sample should be sent off to a lab where it will be tested for various allergens.
Results
When you receive the results from the lab, it will include a list of allergens your dog has been exposed to in their sample. However, it’s important to remember that your pup may not show symptoms with every allergen they are sensitive to, so it is best to consult your veterinarian when interpreting the results.
Once you have identified potential allergens in your pup’s sample, you can look for ways to reduce their exposure. This may include changing your pup’s diet, grooming habits, or environment.
Additionally, you may need to consult a veterinarian for further testing and treatment options if needed. Here’s the takeaway:
EasyDNA Dog Allergy Tests $104 ( Easy mouth swab test)
One of our favorite allergy tests is the Easy DNA allergy test, which provides information about what allergens may be causing your pup’s discomfort. It tests over 120 allergens ranked as strong intolerance, no intolerance, or mild intolerance.
Easy DNA started in 2006 and has become one of the leading providers of at-home dog allergy tests. They have worldwide offices and a multilingual customer support team.
This is not an allergy test via blood work but rather a sensitivity or intolerance test to food and environmental factors done with a mouth swab that is non-intrusive and not stressful for the animal being tested. You also get to do it at home, making it a simple test.
Their EasyDNA Dog Allergy Test uses a simple swab or brush collection method, and after collecting a sample from your pup, it is sent off to their laboratory for analysis.
The results typically take about two weeks to come back and will include a comprehensive report detailing any allergies detected in your pup.
We all know how important it is to provide our dogs with the best care possible. But did you also realize that some foods can make them feel unhappy or trigger reactions?
Simple foods you may be feeding your pet, like dairy, soy, beef, egg, chicken, lamb, and wheat, can cause intolerances or sensitivities. The takeaway from this test is the following:
• Your pup needs to be at least six months old to do testing
• The pet must not be on any corticosteroids or antihistamines for testing results to be accurate
It includes a guide on eliminating these problematic items from their diet, plus detailed lists of helpful supplements such as probiotics and Omega-3 oils.
How to do the test
Simple at-home saliva collection test
It’s important to know what your dog is allergic or intolerant of so you can help them feel better. This test uses proteins in their system, which helps understand sensitivities and intolerance levels – but it isn’t DNA testing! Once you get the results back, the company recommends that you reach out to your veterinarian for medication and new diet advice.
The first step of this process will be sending off an easy DNA test, which allows you to find out about any food allergies or sensitivities your pup might have – but also enables you to figure out what changes need to be made in their dietary wise based on those results.
The company provides a testing kit containing the sample collection device and instructions for collecting your dog’s sample via a mouth swab test.
The company adds, “Get the swab head as wet as possible by placing it under your dog’s tongue, the side of the mouth, and inside the cheek for 1 1/2 minutes.”
This is similar to human DNA testing kits and easy to do. You’ll need to send the sample back to their laboratory. From the proteins found in the sample obtained, the test measures your dog’s sensitivities to over 120 common allergens.
Keep in mind that your pup cannot be on any pet meds like corticosteroids or antihistamines and, before testing, should be off the meds for up to 2 weeks so that they don’t affect test results.
How to read test results?
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“Without your help identifying what my dog was allergic to, especially Blue Thomson with Sunflower Oil, he would have continued to suffer hives and severe rashes. The vet told me no more steroid shots. I know your tests are accurate, as the food I was feeding changed its formula and started using sunflower oil. So I immediately saw the return of hives. I would have never known this severe allergy. Thank you so much for making the test affordable. You saved me so much time and torment for my dog—28th February 2022.
5Strands Pet Food and Environmental Intolerance Test $148.00
Hair Strand Testing
Holistic via Bioresonance testing
APP to track testing
5-7 day results
The 5Strands Pet Standard Package is an excellent option for cats and dogs who suffer from specific food intolerances and sensitivities. The bioresonance technology in 10-15 strands of your pet’s hair will provide an easy-to-understand report about what they are currently sensitive to, as well as any potential new allergens that may be present due to their changing needs over time! Bioresonance testing means no painful blood draws, and testing is much more affordable.
The takeaway with 5Strands Nutritional and Environmental testing is that the symptoms your pet may suffer from may be caused by intolerances or temporary imbalances instead of lifelong allergies.
You’ll receive this test within five days after sending off samples. This is another of our favorite intolerance and sensitivity at-home testing kits because it tests for proteins, grains, additives, preservatives, fruits, seafood, meal, grass, chemicals, plants, fabrics, etc.
The results will create an instant elimination guideline, identifying temporary imbalances and saving you time and money! This makes it easy to work with your veterinarian.
How to do the test
The process is simple: You’ll need to register the product after purchasing the kit. For testing, collect hair samples of 10-15 strands. Next need to send it back to 5Strands for testing within ten days of receiving it.
Be sure you keep track of the tracking information so they can follow up with you. This test requires 100% interaction with the company and takes time – but once completed, it provides an accurate reading of what may be going wrong regarding health issues.
Simple at-home hair collection (10-15 strands test)
With the test, you receive results in 5-7 days, allowing you to make the necessary changes regarding environmental allergens and food sensitivities very quickly.
We like this test because it tests up to 380 pet food ingredients and environmental intolerances. You can track your dog or cat’s test results with the NEW 5Strands mobile app.
The bio-resonance technology test provides a profile of energies that radiates from your dog. It also gives you easy-to-understand reports with color coding for foods and other triggers so they can be approached accordingly to help manage their condition further!
How to read test results?
Results 5-7 days
Mobile app
The takeaway with this intolerance test is that you get the results back within 5-7 days. Intolerance testing is a more accurate way of determining if your pet has an intolerance or sensitivity toward certain foods.
The bio-resonance technology test provides a profile of energies that radiates from your dog. It also gives you easy-to-understand reports with color coding for foods and other triggers so they can be approached accordingly to help manage their condition further!
If testing results show up numerous intolerances and a few items register in your results, keep in mind that intolerances change and are not a forever situation.
If you get an item that lists both nutrition, metal, and minerals, then it means that your pup is not processing the item normally and that there is an imbalance overload.
It measures temporary instances caused by their environment and food. The test result provides an exact list of items that are a priority in an elimination diet. Once again, you should reach out to your veterinarian after you receive the results.
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More dog allergy testing kits
How to do the test?
How to read test results?
Overall Best
At-Home Pet Food Intolerance and Sensitivity Test for Dogs $298.00
How to do the test?
How to read test results?
Verified review
Final thoughts
Even if your pup is not showing intolerance, at-home intolerance and sensitivity kits for dogs good to use. These kits allow you to test your pup’s saliva or hair for potential allergens.
Healthy nutrition and management should be the key goal for every pet parent, and dogs with food intolerances should have individualized diets with specialized nutrient intake.
That said, it’s always best to work with your veterinarian to extend and improve your dog’s life. It’s also important not to keep switching diets or supplements and to avoid additives.
At-home allergy testing can save you and your pup time, stress, and money by allowing you to quickly identify the cause of their allergies so that you can determine the best course of action.
Ultimately, consulting with a veterinarian is always recommended when diagnosing and treating allergies or intolerances in pets. By working together, you and your vet can ensure that your pup remains happy and healthy for years to come.
