Just like in humans, allergies in pets are a reaction to foreign substances in the body’s immune system. There are different types of allergies that pets can experience, from contact allergic dermatitis, to systemic reactions to food, to acute allergic reactions.¹ Sometimes the cause of the allergy can be clear, like when a pet has a noticeable flea infestation, but in the instances of contact allergens or food allergies, it can be a longer process to find the cause and create a treatment plan.

That’s why it’s so important to establish a partnership with the client from the beginning, all the way through diagnosis and treatment. Simplifying the experience by leading them through each of the allergy condition stages is vital.

SPOT When clients ask about allergies, hear them out and make sure that they know that you are understanding their concerns. Then start to review all of the things that can cause itching or gastrointestinal problems, like fleas, parasites, infections, or a food intolerance. It’s also important to address common misconceptions about pet allergies. Make sure that your clients know that cutaneous adverse food reactions (cAFR) are possible, but itching in their pets is more likely to be atopic dermatitis. Antihistamines won’t necessarily help pet allergies in the same way they help humans, so your clients shouldn’t automatically reach for OTC solutions like diphenhydramine HCl.^1,2

DIAGNOSE Most importantly, your clients need to know that diagnosing allergies in pets is not an easy, straightforward process. It will include many steps that may or may not lead to a definitive diagnosis, and it’s important to rule out other conditions that could be causing clinical signs.³ If you think the pet may have allergies, let your clients know their testing options. Intradermal skin testing (IDST) is not standardized and the pet must be sedated. Serological testing is simpler but considered less reliable and only requires a single blood sample.⁴ Help your clients understand that no matter which test is conducted, false positives are a possibility, and a negative result doesn’t rule out hypersensitivity disorder.

TREAT Once you have established that a pet has environmental allergies, and what those specific allergens are, you can start allergy-specific immunotherapy (ASIT). Whether this is oral drops, or subcutaneous injections will be dependent on your client’s ability to follow for long-term compliance.⁵ Help your clients understand that the best treatment for pet allergies is allergen avoidance, and that treatment is most likely going to be a lifelong process.

Pet allergies can be frustrating and overwhelming for both clients and their uncomfortable pets. By having open and empathetic conversations, recommending appropriate testing, and guiding clients through elimination diets, you can provide the support and knowledge necessary to help them find relief as you guide your clients through the spot, diagnose, and treat stages. Work with your clients to create customized treatment plans and improve the quality of life for pets and ensure their long-term well-being.

Recommending an Elimination Diet
If the IDST or serological tests don’t reveal anything abnormal, or if you suspect that there may be a food allergy, the best method for diagnosis is a dietary elimination trial.⁶ For this to be effective, it’s imperative to discuss the process with clients to ensure full compliance.

Home-cooked diets are considered the ideal option for elimination diets, but they are also labor intensive and less likely to be nutritionally balanced.⁷ Most clients will probably prefer to use commercially available prescription diets, available through your Covetrus^® Prescription Management storefront. These diets rely on exclusively feeding a novel protein for at least a month to see if the clinical signs go away. This can be confirmed by putting the pet back on the previous diet to see if there is a quick relapse.⁶ If the novel protein diet is helping, your clients can begin adding different proteins one at a time to try to determine what, specifically, their pet is allergic to. This will help guide what they feed their pet moving forward, and hopefully help ease any discomfort from allergic reactions.

To help get pet owners started with an elimination diet, send them home with hand-outs outlining the approved products and timelines, so they can easily order from home. Also make sure to set up recheck appointments throughout the process.

References
1. Glencross-Winslow, Juanita. “Getting to the root of nutritional allergies.” Veterinary Practice News, September 27, 2022. Accessed June 29, 2023. https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/nutrition-september-2022/

2. “The Truth Behind the Itch: Pet Allergy Myths Revealed.” Tidmore Veterinary Hospital, May 19, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2023. Available at: https://www.tidmorevet.com/the-truth-behind-the-itch-pet-allergy-myths-revealed/ 

3. Burke, A. (2021, March 7). “Dog Allergies: Symptoms and Treatment.” American Kennel Club. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-allergies-symptoms-treatment/ 

4. Newton, S. (2021, September 10). “What do I need to know about allergy testing?” Improve Veterinary Practice. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/what-do-i-need-to-knowabout-allergy-testing  

5. “Allergen Specific Immunotherapy (ASIT).” VETDERM. Accessed July 3, 2023. https://www.vetdermclinic.com/allergen-specific-immunotherapy-asit/.

6. “What every pet owner should know about food allergies.” Clinical Nutrition Service. January 27, 2017. Accessed July 2, 2023. https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/01/food-allergies/.