Ah, allergy season; when open windows and blooming flowers mean sneezing ’til you wet yourself (typically women of a certain age), trash cans full of used tissue, and eyes redder than a passenger’s on the Pineapple Express. At least as humans, we can go to the pharmacy for an antidote to excessive phlegm and inflammation. Unfortunately, our pets can also get allergies, though their ways of showing it vary.
Sounds Like a Call for Doggie DayQuil
Some of our furry friends experience itchy skin, hair loss, bloating, constant scratching (could be pesky fleas as well), loose stools, upset stomach (those seem to go together), and biting on their paws. It’s sad to watch a dog or cat in allergy hell, and it’s hard to know just exactly what is causing it. If this sounds like you and your pet, rejoice because at-home lab tests are not just for people anymore!
Sorry Nemo, No Test for You
I should clarify. By pet, I mean a dog or a cat. If you have an allergy concern about an iguana, a hamster named Houdini (goodness, aren’t they great escape artists?), or a goldfish from the county fair, you’ll need a more specialized approach. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above in your loveable canine or slightly aloof feline, at-home pet allergy test kits are just a click away.
Stay Away from the Scotch, Fido
These tests determine if your pet has allergies to food, environmental factors, or has a metal or mineral imbalance. (“Metals?…Imbalanced?” you ask. You’ll have to google that one.) Some tests measure the trigger items in food and drink. I’m not sure what kind of pet parties you’re throwing, but I’m pretty sure your dog should only be drinking water.
Watch Out for the Cat’s Left Hook!
Some tests require a sample from your pet’s hair. That’s easy enough, except that at least one test asks you to pull hair from their skin with tweezers. Try that on a cat! Saliva is another testing sample. Probably just a swab in the mouth, right? Not for one test, at least. That one lists a syringe tube for saliva collection as part of its contents. Gross, but probably easy enough from a dog. Again, good luck with the cat!
Mr. Ed with the Sniffles
Allergies aren’t just for dogs and cats! Horses can get them (and get at-home lab tests) as well! Can you imagine a horse with hay fever? That can’t be a fun experience for anyone involved.
Allergies Aren’t Just For Dogs Anymore
Whether your pet woofs, meows, neighs or whinnies, or whatever sound it is that horses make, give them the gift of knowing what triggers their allergies. Then, once you determine the allergies and their pesky instigators, find a solution to easing their symptoms; otherwise, it’s not really helpful, is it?
More on Pet Allergy Test Kits, and the Finer Details
Learn more about At-Home Pet Allergy Test Kits by reading this article. Best At-home Pet Allergy Test Kits