Pets

Is a food allergy blood test reliable for a dog?

Unreliable blood tests: The truth about diagnosing food allergies in dogs

No, blood tests for food allergies are not reliable. In fact, there is really no test for food allergies in dogs and cats that is reliable. There's a lot marketed out there like blood tests, salivary tests, all sorts of things, genetic tests. They are not reliable for food allergies. Derm allergies, so skin allergies, that's different. There are certain tests that may be more reliable in that instance, as well as intradermal skin testing, but for food allergies, the only way to diagnose food allergies in a dog or cat is to produce a food elimination trial. So what that means is that you have to choose a hypoallergenic diet. Now, dogs and cats typically develop allergies to the protein in the diet, despite what you might read. It's usually not the grains, it's usually not the corn. It's the protein source, with chicken and beef being the most common. And so a food trial with a hypoallergenic diet is either gonna be a diet that is a novel protein, so a protein your pet hasn't seen before, which can be quite hard in this day and age, or what we call a hydrolyzed protein, which is a protein that's been broken down into its amino acid building blocks so the immune system won't recognize it as foreign. If you wanna hear more about that, I'm happy to answer another question.

There is no reliable blood test for food allergies in dogs and cats. The only way to diagnose food allergies is to do a food elimination trial with a hypoallergenic diet, such as a novel protein or hydrolyzed protein.

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No, food allergy blood tests are not reliable for dogs. In fact, there is no reliable test for food allergies in dogs or cats. Despite the marketing of various tests like blood tests, salivary tests, and genetic tests, they are not accurate for diagnosing food allergies. However, for skin allergies (derm allergies), there may be more reliable tests available, such as intradermal skin testing.

To diagnose food allergies in dogs or cats, the only reliable method is to conduct a food elimination trial. This involves selecting a hypoallergenic diet. It's important to note that pets typically develop allergies to the protein source in their diet, not grains or corn as commonly believed. Chicken and beef are the most common protein sources that trigger allergies. A hypoallergenic diet for the food trial can either be a novel protein that the pet hasn't been exposed to before (which can be challenging to find) or a hydrolyzed protein, where the protein is broken down into amino acid building blocks to prevent the immune system from recognizing it as foreign.

If you would like more information on this topic, feel free to ask another question.

Can I make my own dog food? Why don’t more people do this?

Think Twice Before Making Your Own Dog Food

Can I make my dog's own food or my own dog food? Why don't more people do this? So the answer is, yeah, you can. You can feed your dog whatever you want, but whether that dog food is balanced and nutritionally adequate to meet our recommendations as veterinarians is another issue. In recent studies, they looked at people who home cook for their dogs and found that over 90 to 95% of these diets have nutritional inadequacies. And a lot of these diets are based on recipes that people have found online or what they think is a formulated balanced diet. So it's really important to recognize that the majority of these diets are not balanced to meet dog's needs. So if you are gonna make your own dog's food, it's really important that you work with a veterinarian or a nutritionist who can make sure it's meeting all the micro and macronutrient requirements and also meeting the needs for your dog and their health, depending on if they have any issues or not. So yes, you can cook for your dog, but I would not recommend doing so without consulting a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist to be sure that this diet is balanced, because I've definitely seen the downside to feeding dogs unbalanced or inappropriate diets.

Yes, you can make your own dog food, but it's important to work with a veterinarian or nutritionist to ensure the diet is balanced and meets all of your dog's nutritional needs.

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Can I make my own dog food? Why don't more people do this? Yes, you can make your own dog food. However, it's important to note that whether the homemade dog food is nutritionally balanced and meets our recommendations as veterinarians is a separate issue. Studies have found that over 90 to 95% of homemade dog diets have nutritional inadequacies. Many of these diets are based on online recipes or what people believe to be balanced formulations. It's crucial to understand that the majority of these diets do not meet dogs' nutritional needs. If you choose to make your own dog food, it's highly recommended to work with a veterinarian or a nutritionist who can ensure that the diet meets all the necessary nutrient requirements and addresses your dog's specific health needs, if any. While you have the option to cook for your dog, I would advise against doing so without consulting a professional to ensure the diet's balance. Feeding unbalanced or inappropriate diets can have negative consequences for dogs' health, and it's best to seek guidance from experts in this matter.

Understanding the Causes of Cloudy Dog Eyes

There are a number of reasons why your dog's eyes might be cloudy. So one of the more common reasons in aging dogs is something called nuclear or lenticular sclerosis. So this is a hardening of the lens. Typically these dogs have almost like a bluish haze to their eyes that you might notice, especially at night. They don't actually tend to be cloudy per se, but it's more of a haze and that can limit their vision, especially in darker conditions. Now other causes of a cloudy eye could be something like cataracts, where it's actually the lens is being taken over by the cataract and those dogs can look cloudy as well. And then also any sort of inflammation in the eye itself can also look like a cloudy eye. So if you're not sure, it's always best to go to your vet, have them do a proper eye exam so that they can tell whether this is something that needs further investigation or treatment. Sometimes the eyes can be what we say the window to the rest of the body. So things can show up in the eyes first that require further investigation and we find out there's something elsewhere. So an eye exam is very important. Your vet can look at all the different parts of the eye, the retina, the anterior chamber, the lens, and have a good idea why the eye is cloudy.

A common reason for a dog's eyes being cloudy is nuclear or lenticular sclerosis, which is a hardening of the lens. Other reasons could include cataracts or inflammation in the eye, so it is best to get an eye exam from your vet to determine the cause and if further treatment is needed.

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There are several reasons why your dog's eyes may appear cloudy. One common cause in aging dogs is nuclear or lenticular sclerosis, which is a hardening of the lens. This can give the eyes a bluish haze, especially noticeable at night, and may affect their vision in darker conditions.

Another possible cause is cataracts, where the lens becomes clouded by the cataract itself, resulting in a cloudy appearance. Inflammation in the eye can also lead to cloudiness.

If you're unsure about the cause, it's best to consult your vet for a proper eye examination. They can assess the different parts of the eye, such as the retina, anterior chamber, and lens, to determine the underlying reason for the cloudiness. Eye exams are important as they can sometimes reveal issues in other parts of the body that require further investigation.

Is it enough to only clean a dog's teeth with dental chews and sprays or are professional cleaning appointments necessary?

Professional cleanings necessary for dog's dental health

Is it enough to only clean a dog's teeth with dental chews and sprays or are professional cleaning appointments necessary? The answer is no, it is generally not enough to be point blank. Dental chews and sprays can help minimizing or decreasing tartar and plaque buildup, just like brushing your teeth can. But if you think about us, dogs are very similar, dogs and cats are very similar to people. We brush our teeth twice a day, every day, and we still need to go for annual or biannual professional cleanings. And so if we really want to clean properly, it involves general anesthesia with x-rays because a lot of the disease is below the gum line and a full cleaning and extractions if needed. Anesthesia-free dental cleanings are not enough. Now when these need to be done really depends on the age of the dog, the size of the dog. My little dog here, my Brussels Griffin, Freddy, you can see he has a squished face. He needed to have his first dental at three years old and he already needed multiple extractions. So it's really important that you discuss this with your veterinarian and follow their recommendations regarding when a dental cleaning is first needed. But those other things can help and they can prolong the time between cleanings, but they're not enough on their own.

Dental chews and sprays can help decrease tartar and plaque, but they are not enough to replace professional cleanings. Talk to your vet about when a dental cleaning is needed for your dog, as it will depend on size, age, and breed.

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Is it sufficient to only clean a dog's teeth with dental chews and sprays, or are professional cleaning appointments necessary? Generally, the answer is no. While dental chews and sprays can help reduce tartar and plaque buildup, they are not a complete solution. Dogs and cats are similar to people in this regard. Even though we brush our teeth twice a day, we still require annual or biannual professional cleanings. Proper dental cleaning involves general anesthesia, x-rays to assess below the gum line, and a thorough cleaning with possible extractions if needed. Anesthesia-free dental cleanings are not enough. The timing for these cleanings depends on factors such as the dog's age and size. For example, my Brussels Griffin dog, Freddy, with his squished face, needed his first dental cleaning at three years old and multiple extractions were necessary. It's essential to discuss this with a veterinarian and follow their recommendations on when a dental cleaning is required. While dental chews and sprays can assist in prolonging the time between cleanings, they should not be relied upon as the sole method of oral care for your pet.

My dog peed more times than normal on our walk today. Is this something to be worried about?

Is it normal if my dog pees more frequently on walks?

My dog peed more times than normal on our walk today. Is this something to be worried about? So the first question is, are we talking that they peed bigger amounts when they went or are they peeing small frequent amounts and are they showing any other signs like straining to urinate, painful urination, difficulty urinating, blood in the urine? So it kind of depends. If it's just, you know, that they just peed a few more times than normal and it's a one-off, it may not be a big issue. But if this is something that persists, it's definitely something you want to seek veterinary care for. If they're peeing small amounts more frequently, that could indicate a lower urinary tract issue like a urinary tract infection. If they're peeing either in larger volumes or larger volumes more frequently, that could indicate almost more of an endocrine issue where they may be drinking and peeing more for a variety of reasons, whether that's kidney disease or heart disease or hormonal issues. So if this is a one-off and it doesn't happen again, you could probably just kind of monitor it. But if this is something that is happening more frequently, you definitely want to see your vet. They'll probably want to do some blood work and a urinalysis and think about the questions I asked, you know, the characterization of the urination, is there any pain, discomfort, discoloration, accidents at home, things like that.

Depending on the amount, frequency, and other signs, it may not be an issue if it is a one-off occurrence but if it is persisting, you should take your dog to the vet for blood work and a urinalysis.

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My dog peed more times than usual on our walk today. Should I be concerned? It depends on some factors. First, determine if they are peeing larger amounts or if they are peeing small frequent amounts. Are there any other signs like straining, pain, difficulty, or blood in the urine? If it's just a few extra times and it's a one-time occurrence, it may not be a significant issue. However, if this persists, it's advisable to seek veterinary care. If they are urinating small amounts frequently, it could indicate a lower urinary tract issue such as a urinary tract infection. On the other hand, if they are urinating larger volumes or more frequently in larger volumes, it could suggest an endocrine issue related to kidney disease, heart disease, or hormonal imbalances. If this is an isolated incident, monitoring the situation may be sufficient. But if it occurs more frequently, a visit to the vet is recommended. They will likely perform blood work and a urinalysis and consider factors like pain, discomfort, discoloration of urine, or accidents at home.

Do I have to see fleas for them to be a problem?

Hidden Flea Problem: Seeing isn't Believing

No, you do not have to see fleas for them to be a problem. Actually, in fact, most of the time, cats and dogs, particularly cats, can have reactions to just the flea dirt. So it's very common that you don't see the fleas themselves. They develop what we call a flea allergy dermatitis. And so this is the mere presence of the fleas can result in a very intense inflammatory reaction. And so that's really common. A lot of people come in and they're saying, oh, there's these scabs and scratches over the back and behind the ears, but they're not actually seeing fleas. But that absolutely does not rule out a flea infestation. And so the same thing happened to my cat, didn't have any fleas. And yes, indoor only animals can also get fleas.

No, you do not have to see fleas for them to be a problem. It is very common for cats and dogs to have reactions to just the flea dirt without actually seeing the fleas themselves. Even indoor only animals can get fleas.

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No, it is not necessary to see fleas for them to be a problem. In fact, most of the time, cats and dogs, especially cats, can have reactions to just the flea dirt. This can lead to a condition called flea allergy dermatitis, where the mere presence of fleas triggers an intense inflammatory reaction. It is quite common for pet owners to notice scabs and scratches on their pets' backs and behind their ears without actually seeing the fleas themselves. However, this does not rule out a flea infestation. Even indoor-only animals can still get fleas. So, it's important to be aware that the presence of fleas can be problematic even if you don't see them directly.

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Lauren Adelman answers your Pets questions. See all the advice Lauren Adelman has and get answers to your own Pets questions.

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Dr. Lauren Adelman earned her veterinary degree from the University of Calgary in 2012 where she was part of the inaugural class. Following graduation, she completed a small animal rotating internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital followed by a one-year specialty internship in emergency and critical care at North Carolina State University. Dr. Adelman then moved to Knoxville where she completed a three-year small animal internal medicine residency at the University of Tennessee. She achieved diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine in 2017. Dr. Adelman is currently practicing at Canada West Veterinary Specialists in Vancouver, BC., where her particular areas of interest include gastroenterology, nephrology and urology, and infectious disease. She is trained to perform a variety of state-of-the-art minimally-invasive procedures.