Owning a dog with allergies, or even just suspected allergies can feel like a constant wild goose chase. It can feel almost impossible to find the cause of your dog’s allergies without breaking the bank or your sanity in the process. With Heska’s ALLERCEPT allergy testing program, you can get the answers and treatment you need to keep your dog happy and healthy.
Keep reading to learn more about allergy testing with Heska’s ALLERCEPT to determine whether it is the right fit for your dog.
What does Heska allergy test for?
The Heska ALLERCEPT allergy test panel will test your dog for 83 different allergens to help you get a full picture of what he or she is allergic to so that you can manage it appropriately.
The 83 different allergens tested by Heska fall into a few different categories that cover all of the major things that your dog might be coming into contact with that are causing an allergic reaction. ALLERCEPT tests for grasses, weeds, trees, fungi, mites, other animals, and insects.
Heska also offers an add-on food sensitivity panel that will test your dog for 24 different common food allergens. This is a great initial testing option if you think the cause of your pet’s allergies.
It is worth noting that the American College of Veterinary Dermatology does not recommend blood testing for food allergy testing in animals. These types of allergies are usually best diagnosed through a veterinarian-monitored elimination diet.
For this reason, Heska puts the majority of its focus into testing for the other allergenic categories listed as blood testing is the best way to properly diagnose those issues.
Heska Allergy testing sample requirements
To get started with testing your dog for a range of allergies, make sure that your veterinarian offers Heska allergy testing. If they don’t, it’s easy to find a veterinarian in your area who offers this service.
During your dog’s routine veterinarian visit, they can draw a blood sample right in the comfort of their office. The goal is to make it quick and as pain-free as possible for your dog.
Your veterinarian only needs to draw 2 ml of blood from your dog to complete the 83 allergens main panel. If you want to add on the food allergy testing, the veterinarian will need to draw an additional 1 ml.
Just 3 ml of blood can give you important answers about your dog’s health so that you can start the process of treatment and lifestyle modifications if necessary.
Heska allergy testing results
Heska has worked hard on their patented ALLERCEPT testing protocol with the goal of helping pet owners get the answers they need quickly and accurately. They understand that time with your pet is valuable.
Heska knows that countless frustrating veterinarian appointments with lots of blood draw and minimal answers are not ideal for any pet owner. Their promise to consumers is to help you get to the bottom of your dog’s allergies with better results with less blood.
Here are some of the key things to know about Heska allergy testing results:
Highly-sensitive allergenic panel
ALLERCEPT can detect allergens in blood samples with as little as 10 picograms (trillionths of a gram) of allergen-specific IgE in the sample.
This means that the test is highly sensitive and is more likely to pick up the presence of IgE even in dogs showing allergenic symptoms for the first time. Many other tests require dogs to have consistent exposure to the allergen or long-lasting symptoms before being able to do accurate testing.
This is a relief for pet owners who have young dogs with little previous exposure or older dogs who are showing evidence of seasonal allergies after years without any issues. With ALLERCEPT, you can be certain that your results are accurate.
Fast allergy testing results
With Heska allergy testing, you don’t have to spend several days or even a week wondering what the results of your dog’s allergy test are. They are focused on getting test results processed and back to their veterinarians so that they can work with owners to determine an appropriate treatment plan.
Once you’ve completed the ALLERCEPT testing sample, your veterinarian will have your dog’s allergy test results within 2 days. They will receive a detailed report with results on each one of the 83 allergens so that they can counsel you on the next steps.
Unlikely to generate false-positive results
Heska’s allergy testing uses Immunoglobulin G (IgG) detection to determine the results of your dog’s testing panel. This is one of the preferred methods of testing for allergies.
The ALLERCEPT testing panel is specific and is dialled in to focus on each individual allergen to determine reactivity, which means that the risk of false-positive is almost nonexistent.
Expert guidance to navigate allergy test results with ease
If your pet is diagnosed with an allergy using Heska’s ALLERCEPT testing program, your veterinarian will be assigned a veterinary allergy expert from Heska to work with on your dog’s case. The expert will counsel your vet on your dog’s individual results as well as appropriate treatment with ALLERCEPT products, lifestyle modifications, and more.
That expert will be available to your vet as long as you continue to seek care for your dog’s allergy. If any circumstances change, like your dog’s allergies seem to change or worsen over time, you can rest assured that your vet can work closely with Heska to determine the next steps.
Heska Allergy testing price list
The price of Heska allergy testing will vary depending on the veterinary provider that you choose to use for your services. It’s important to ask your veterinarian for pricing and detailed information before you decide to move forward with ALLERCEPT testing for your dog.
Generally, testing with the ALLERCEPT testing program is as much as 40% cheaper than traditional allergy testing. Most veterinarians in the United States offer ALLERCEPT’s full panel for under $1,000. This is great for pet owners on a budget who want to prioritize great care, but don’t have a lot of money to spend.
ALLERCEPT testing can be paid for with Care Credit and may be covered under some pet insurance plans, so be sure to explore those options before getting your dog’s allergy testing done.
Heska Allergy reviews
Most veterinarians and pet owners like Heska’s ALLERCEPT allergy testing. It is a terrific option for pet owners who want a minimally invasive allergy testing option for their dog, cat, or horse.
ALLERCEPT is more affordable than most other allergy testing options and is easy for veterinarians to administer to their patients, which makes it highly desirable. It’s a way for veterinarians to take a comprehensive baseline allergy panel for their patients during a regular office visit.
The main complaint from both veterinarians and pet owners who were not completely satisfied was that the Heska allergy test is not as accurate as some of the skin tests and that it is not recommended for food allergies.
This can be frustrating if you are trying to find an affordable allergy test that yields great results and is also why Heska is chosen by so many pet owners and veterinarians.
Conclusion
Even if Heska allergy testing is not able to provide a definitive allergy diagnosis for your dog, it can point you in the right direction to pursue treatment with their other ALLERCEPT products or explore further testing.
The full line of ALLERCEPT drops and shots are wonderful first-line treatments for your dog’s allergy symptoms.
Although skin tests are known to be more accurate for most allergens and food allergies can really only be diagnosed by an elimination and reintroduction protocol, a blood test with ALLERCEPT is a place to start. You can learn so much about what your dog is reacting to with one simple test.
With that said, ALLERCEPT is a great, affordable test for environmental allergens in dogs. It can help pinpoint potential causes for concern that require treatment or provide a good reason for further allergy testing.