What Can Allergy Testing Tell You?
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What Can Allergy Testing Tell You?

So your pet is itchy….REALLY itchy. The keep-you-up-all-night-with-constant-scratching kind of itchy that just doesn’t seem to get any better. Maybe they are also licking their paws, having recurring hot spots or frequent ear infections. It can be extremely frustrating to see your pet suffer from symptoms like this and not know what’s causing it!

In some situations, these symptoms are isolated to a problem that resolves with a visit to the vet and a simple treatment plan. However in many cases, it is the result of systemic allergies to either your pet’s environment or food.

Finding out exactly what allergens are triggering your pet’s symptoms can be incredibly difficult on your own. Using elimination or trial periods take a very, very long time and are often inaccurate because there are so many variables that we can’t control that affect the results. Allergy medications might eliminate the itching for a few weeks, but what happens when the symptoms come back after the meds have run out?

For many pets, allergy testing is an easy, effective and comprehensive way to get the answers you need.At GOVC we use ACTT Allergy Testing, which offers three different panels:

  • Environmental – Which tests for things such as weeds, grasses, trees, mold, and even cat and human epithelia….yes, your pet can be allergic to you!
  • Food – This tests a list of over 30 ingredients ranging from proteins to starches and even fruits and vegetables.
  • Comprehensive – This test is the most inclusive and tests all of the above (best value!)

The test itself is pain-free, using only a simple blood draw to analyze your pet’s allergies. The results take about 2-3 weeks to come back, and the report details everything you need to know, including:

  • The specific allergens your pet is sensitive to.
  • The degree of sensitivity that they have.
  • [For food allergens] A complete list of recommended diets that are compatible with your pet’s results, plus approved treats and oral preventative medications.

The answers that we receive from the results can help us make specific diet recommendations, or in the case of environmental allergies, immunotherapy is available to build your pet’s immunity to specific allergens.

During the month of May, we are offering 20% off ALL allergy testing and immunotherapy treatment. If you’ve been searching for answers to your pet’s allergy symptoms or even if you’re just curious, give us a call at (713) 999-6095 to set up a testing appointment. You can also schedule online here!

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Established May of 2015, our mission at Garden Oaks Veterinary Center is to provide relationship-centered, compassionate care to our clients and high-quality medicine and diagnostics for all patients. Through open communication and education, we strive to be a trusted partner in your pet’s health care and are dedicated to redefining the experience of “going to the vet.”

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