Hello, can you give me some info about allergy testing? I'm curious about cost and how they test for things they can be allergic to. Our new yorkie Bella was eating Wellness Puppy food and she was started on that food before we even got her home. After a week with us she seemed to itch very bad. And it got worse.
She ended up having a terrible reaction to Frontline Heartworm chewable. Several bout of vomiting all day long so we took her to the ER vet. Kept her over night and picked her up next morning, Still was fussy eating and because she was just 2 lbs. I worried. Then she had a bm and it had some blood and it was mostly mucous, Vet tested her stool and said she had no bacteria, send us home with canned Iams low residue food and Prostera probiotic.
Fast forward to 2 months, Bella was on the Iams LR food for a good 6 wks and I thought I would switch her to a different food (vet said I would have to slowly introduce her back to her original food anyway, so I thought what better time to switch) I looked here on the forum and found that Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream was a good food. So I went and got that and at first she loved it, then she seemed less interested AND the itching still continued. I acually at first blamed it on the Iams LR food but still now almost 6 wks on the new TOTW food and her itching was bad and paw biting. Saw the vet again and she put Bella on Clavamox for 2 wks, and some Duoxo Calming shampoo. (Bella is PETRIFIED of having a bath!) but I used the shampoo twice now and she is no better. With her fussy appetite I backtracked and started her back on the Wellness Puppy food. Her stomach seems more red today and it's been only 2 days of slowly introducing the Wellness back. Little stinker ALSO only wants to eat the Wellness food too! Her stools immediately changed back to a lighter color and a tad big larger but they are perfect. I am glad for that but I think little Bella is allergic to something outside. The grass? I don't know? But she is itching more than I am comfortable with. Chewing at her paws from time to time. Lots of redness in her stomach and chest area and along the length of her paws. She has been getting Benadryl for 2 wks now, twice a day. The childrens chewables. She hates them so I have to tuck them into some food. I don't want to keep switching foods on her and I'm thinking that maybe we should just jump ahead to allergy testing. Cost is a factor and hubby is not going to be happy about this so before I begin to persue, I'm curious as to HOW they do allergy testing. Is it skin scraping or blood testing? THanks so much- sorry so long!
Renee |