Newsletter

Mars Petcare US, the maker of pet food brands Pedigree, Ol' Roy and others, has announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility because of potential Salmonella contamination.

While there have been no reports of pets becoming ill from the food, Mars Petcare US has voluntarily recalled the food produced between Feb. 18 and July 29 of 2008 at its Everson facility.

Owners can check the UPC code on pet food packages to see if the food is affected by the recall. For all Mars Petcare US products except Pedigree foods, recalled products will have "17" as the first two digits on the second line on the UPC information. Example:

Best By Feb 18 09
17 1445 1

Pedigree products have a slightly different UPC code and date format than other products. Consumers who purchased Pedigree should look for "PAE" on the bottom line - the sixth, seventh and eighth digits. Example:

PEDIGREE (R) Small Crunchy Bites
Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00

A complete list of recalled products and corresponding UPC information can be found at the Food and Drug Administration's website and at the Mars Petcare US website.

Symptoms of Salmonella in pets may include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. In some cases, animals can carry the Salmonella infection with no visible symptoms and potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product or has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

To prevent the spread of Salmonella, the FDA recommends pet owners follow the safe pet food handling guidelines outlined here. If you have questions about the recall, call Mars Petcare US at 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

A $24 million settlement has been reached in the 2007 Menu Foods pet food recall incident. Pet owners whose pets died or were sickened by the contaminated pet food are entitled to file a claim for a portion of the settlement following a federal court ruling on Oct. 15.

The settlement brings a partial close to the largest pet food in history. In March 2007, Menu Foods, a Canada-based pet food manufacturer, recalled more than 60 million units of pet food after the food was found to be tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical commonly found in plastics. Pets that ate the tainted food suffered kidney failure and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received more than 17,000 complaints regarding the food from pet owners. Though there are no official records regarding the number of pets killed by the tainted food, the Veterinary Information Network estimated the contamination caused between 2,000 and 7,000 deaths and cost pet owners between $2 million and $20 million in health care costs.

Pet owners have until Nov. 24 to file claims. Forms can be downloaded at www.petfoodsettlement.com. Following the recall, more than 100 class action lawsuits were filed in the U.S. and Canada against Menu Foods and approximately 30 other companies, including pet food distributors and retailers. Menu Foods claims it has spent more than $65 million so far as part of the recall. According to the Associated Press, more than 10,000 people have so far filed claims, with the average claim valued at $1,500. An independent arbiter will review all claims filed.

As part of the settlement, pet owners will be reimbursed for health care costs, including "veterinary screening or treatment bills, expenses related to our pet's illness and/or death, and other expenses such as lost wages and property damage," according to a statement on the settlement website. Documentation of these expenses is required. In addition, pet owners may also recover up to $900 for the "fair market value" of the deceased pet. According to a statement on the settlement website, any money left over in the settlement fund after all claims have been settled will be donated to pet-related charities. Not all pet owners involved in the suit were happy with the decision, though - according to the Associated Press, a few dozen owners formally objected to the settlement because it does not compensate pet owners for pain and suffering due to the loss of their pet.

Melamine-contaminated wheat gluten imported from China and used in the production of the pet food was found to be the source of the contamination. An investigation revealed that importers frequently add melamine to food products in order to increase the protein count of the food, which in turn would increase profits.

Though two of the Chinese companies responsible for the contamination were shut down and a U.S. grand jury issued 26 indictments related to the case, the pet food recall was just the first in a series of recalls involving products imported from China. Recalls of everything from childrens toys to toothpaste were announced in 2007, and in October 2008, the Chinese government ordered a massive recall of all liquid and powdered milk products made in September 2008 due to melamine contamination. While the FDA has instituted a pilot program to help alert pet owners should a future pet food recall occur, other reforms have been slow in coming.

Whether it's a trip to the dog park or a jaunt across the country, pets are joining their owners on vacation more and more often. Cities and towns across the country are realizing that providing pet-friendly facilities and activities—along with a steady supply of treats—will lure more people and their four-legged friends to their communities. In 2007, San Diego, Calif. and Colorado Springs, Colo. were voted the two most pet-friendly cities in the U.S. in separate surveys conducted by Dog Fancy magazine and Forbes magazine.

First, a note about the designations: in the surveys conducted by Forbes and Dog Fancy, the term "pet friendly" is equated with "dog friendly." Why? Because dogs are the pet most likely to travel with their owners. Additionally, dogs require more services (dog parks, daycare facilities and so on) than other pets. According to these surveys, a city that welcomes dogs is likely to welcome other pets as well.

Topping Dog Fancy's list is San Diego, Calif. With more than 1.3 million people and 305,000 dogs in the city, San Diego is a pooch paradise. According to the survey, San Diego boasts more than 60 dog-friendly hotels and 50 dog-friendly restaurants, along with a multitude of hiking trails, dog parks and off-leash areas on the city's beaches. Additionally, San Diego features a number of animal shelters and support organizations that help pets and their owners. The city is home to AniMeals, a program that provides free pet food for homebound elderly and disabled pet owners. City fire and rescue squads have dog-sized oxygen masks for pet rescue operations, and the city's animal shelters combined have a more than 80 percent adoption and rescue rate for all impounded dogs. For pet owners visiting San Diego, the website www.sandiegopet.com provides valuable information about pet-friendly restaurants and stores, pet resources and local pet information.

The runners-up in Dog Fancy's "DogTown USA" survey are:

• Austin, Texas
• Carmel, California
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Fort Collins, Colorado
• Long Beach, California
• Madison, Wisconsin
• Sanford, Florida
• Seattle, Washington

Meanwhile, Forbes magazine selected Colorado Springs, Colo. as its most pet-friendly city. While Dog Fancy's survey relied on reader input and nominations, Forbes used a different set of criteria, looking at the 50 largest cities in America and basing their selection on how much public park space was set aside for dogs, the number of pet supply and service business and the most veterinary facilities. The average cost of veterinary care in each of the cities was also used as part of the criteria. Colorado Springs came out on top thanks to its more than 100,000 acres of park space, seven dog parks and 113 veterinarians. About 400,000 people and an estimated 61,000 dogs and 54,000 cats live in Colorado Springs, according to the survey.

The other pet-friendly cities selected by Forbes include:

• Portland, Oregon
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Austin, Texas
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Kansas City, Missouri
• St. Louis, Missouri
• Seattle, Washington
• Denver, Colorado

Anesthesia always carries risks, even in healthy animals. In order to minimize the risks, your veterinarian thoroughly evaluates each animal before developing an anesthetic protocol. A complete and comprehensive medical history is also taken to determine what current problems exist and what past medical problems the pet has experienced.

Next, a thorough physical exam is performed and if recommended, blood should be drawn. Blood tests can determine how well the kidneys, liver, pancreas and intestines are functioning. The blood tests can also evaluate your pet's immune system, oxygen carrying capacities and coagulation process. At this point, if everything appears normal, your veterinarian chooses a safe anesthetic agent for the procedure.

A healthy animal should be fasted and water removed several hours before anesthesia. Removing the water prevents the possibility of aspiration pneumonia.

Prior to delivering the anesthesia, a premedication is generally administered. The function of the premedication is to decrease your pet's anxiety, reduce the pain involved with the surgical procedure, decrease the drug dose necessary for anesthesia and to promote a smooth post-anesthesia recovery.

For short procedures, injectable anesthetics can be used alone. For longer procedures, they are often combined with gas anesthesia. Similar to human anesthesia and surgery, the patient’s heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, temperature and heart rhythm are monitored.

In human medicine, as well as in veterinary medicine, anesthesia has risks. By performing the preanesthetic tests along with monitoring the anesthetized patient, these risks are minimized.

Reinforcement - the key to successful dog training

Understanding reinforcement is critical to understanding the behavior of your dog. Most of your dog's behavior is a direct result of reinforcement. In essence, when your dog presents a certain behavior, it is your acceptance or acknowledgment of that behavior that supports its continuation and repetition. Many people feel guilty upon learning of their miscues. Although it may be natural to feel this way about establishing a certain behavior in your dog, behavior is not stamped in stone! Keep in mind that, if your dog is adopted, it may have been a previous owner who imprinted the behavior; or, it could be a friend, relative, or neighbor who supported unwanted behavior in your dog. Anyone who interacts with your dog has the potential of reinforcing behaviors. Using the proper methods, you can always change a behavior you may have accidentally reinforced in the past that is causing problems in the present.

A simple way to begin reinforcement training is to think about what your dog likes. Food often works best, but praise, petting, tone of voice, certain words, facial expressions, or a particular toy might work best. Any one or combination of these "reinforcers" can help determine your dog's behavior. Simply stated, when your dog does something you like, immediately do something your dog likes. It is as easy as that!

To illustrate reinforcement, let's start with a puppy. When a puppy is born, he or she immediately starts showing certain behaviors. Some behaviors are reinforced and some are not. The vast majority of the behaviors your dog has when he or she is older than a year are the result of intentional corroboration, whether accidental or intentional. Research does indicate that genes, for the most part, give a dog a predisposition to have certain behaviors, but the vast majority of behaviors you might be concerned with (i.e., chewing, barking, sleeping in your bed) is learned. That is how powerful reinforcement training can be.

It has been estimated that one reinforcement can increase the probability of a recurring behavior from near zero to as much as 80 percent. A single reinforcement can almost guarantee that a behavior will happen again in the future. Another important consideration is the timing of the particular reinforcement. Four-tenths of a second after a dog does a behavior is the optimal time to fortify that particular behavior. Basically, the faster you react to your dog's behavior, the more the dog will understand that particular behavior is acceptable. For example, think of training your dog to sit. You tell your dog to sit, and he does. If you wait until he is standing again to praise him, he will think you are praising him for standing.

Often, the behavior that is least pleasing to you is one that you reinforce without realizing. For example, if your dog jumps on you, how do you react? If you touch your dog or pet him while he's on two legs, you are reinforcing the problem. If your dog growls at someone when they enter your home and you say, "It's okay" in a calming voice that your dog hears under normal circumstances, you are reinforcing the bad behavior. As you can see, it's very easy to either create or aggravate any behavior pattern without the proper knowledge.

So, once you have identified the problem, what next? At first it may appear to be impossible. To change a behavior takes time, patience, and a little extra skill. The solution lies in reinforcing the incompatible behavior. The easiest way to understand incompatible behavior is to acknowledge that a dog is unable to do two opposing behaviors at the same time. For example, a dog is unable to sit and jump up at the same time. A dog can't be friendly and aggressive at the same time. To achieve this would be against the laws of the physical universe!

Since each dog is unique, there are a number of different ways to tweak incompatible reinforcement. However, an illustration of a specific situation can help. If your dog jumps on you every time he approaches you, command him to sit and reinforce the sitting behavior. Because sitting is incompatible with jumping, it is necessary for your dog to one or the other. By reinforcing the preferred behavior, you are letting your dog know that sitting is good and jumping is not.

It may take a lot of trial and error for you to determine which incompatible behaviors works best and how to reinforce them to your dog. In the long run, both you and your dog will be happier. However, remember that how you react to a behavior your dog presents is lasting. Never punish your dog with abuse, physical or verbal, or you will be reinforcing certain behaviors that are generally found in aggressive, defensive or extremely submissive dogs. None of these overarching behaviors are acceptable at any time. It is important for you to establish an open line of communication with your dog. Find what makes him happy, and you will be able to make yourself happy at the same time.

The summer is made for lazing about in the sun and spending time outdoors, two activities cats love. But when the weather is warm, fleas are never far behind and as temperatures rise, it becomes increasingly important to protect your feline friend from hungry fleas.

Keeping fleas off your pet and out of your home is about more than just stopping your pet's constant scratching. Aside from itchy, irritating bites, fleas can cause the skin disease flea allergy dermatitis in both cats and dogs, as well as miliary dermatitis in cats. A single flea bite can trigger flea allergy dermatitis, which can lead to excessive scratching, hair loss and, potentially, a secondary bacterial infection. Miliary dermatitis consists of small bumps, called papules that eventually develop into crusts. Fleas can also transmit Dipylidium caninum, or double-pore tapeworm, a common tapeworm found in dogs and cats, as well as a number of other diseases.

Even if fleas aren't on your pet right now, they may be living in your home. There are four stages in a flea's life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. It is only during the adult stage that the flea actually lives on an animal; during the other three stages, the flea lives in the surround environment. Immature fleas usually account for about 90 to 95 percent of the total flea population in a home. A good rule of thumb is that for every flea you find on your pet, there are about 100 more immature fleas living in the surrounding environment.

The average flea can live for anywhere between 12 days and 180 days, though the typical lifespan of a flea lasts three to six weeks. But even in that short amount of time, an adult female can lay more than 1,000 eggs, which means that even only one tiny flea can result in big problems.

How can you tell if fleas have invaded your home and latched on to your dog? Scratching is the first sign. During feeding, fleas inject saliva into the skin of the animal; this saliva contains proteins that cause allergic skin reactions, which leads to bouts of rubbing and scratching. Fleas are most commonly found on cats around the base of the tail and on the head, neck and ears. If you suspect your cat has fleas but cannot see them, check for "flea dirt." This is the excrement of the flea and consists of a mix of feces and dried blood. To find flea dirt, have your pet lay on the ground and place a piece of white paper underneath him or her. Brush your pet and let the paper collect any dirt or debris. Next, add a few drops of water to the dirt on the paper; if dried blood is present, the water will take on a reddish color, indicating the presence of flea dirt.

During the last several years, significant improvements have been made to flea control products. Oral and topical medications containing insect growth regulators (IGR) and insect development inhibitors (IDI) disrupt the flea's maturation process and stop infestations before they begin. These treatments are less toxic for pets and the environment and more effective in controlling fleas.

Topical treatments are more effective than past products because they remain on the surface of the pet's skin, where they are toxic only to fleas, rather than absorbed into the pet's bloodstream. Below is a list of common flea control products available through your veterinarian. Flea control products designed for dogs should never be used on cats. Products containing pyrethrin- or pyrethroid-based chemicals can be dangerous and possibly fatal for your cat. Keep dogs and cats separate immediately after applying flea control products.

Advantage: Developed by Bayer, Advantage is a topical solution containing the active ingredient imidacloprid, which acts on the nervous system of the flea. Advantage stops biting fleas within three to five minutes of initial application and kills adult fleas within an hour. Advantage also kills flea larvae within 20 minutes of contact. Advantage should be applied monthly and is available only through your veterinarian.

Advantage Multi: This topical solution combines imidacloprid, the same flea-killing ingredient found in Advantage, with moxidectin, which prevents heartworm disease and treats and controls intestinal worms such as hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. Advantage Multi should be applied monthly in order to best control fleas and parasites and is available by prescription only.

Frontline Top Spot: A topical solution similar to the Frontline Spray developed by Merial in 1996, Frontline Top Spot provides protection from both fleas and ticks. The active ingredients are fipronil, which kills adult fleas on dogs. Frontline should be applied monthly and remains waterproof for 30 days.

Frontline Plus: This flea control product is similar to Frontline Top Spot but also contains methoprene, which disrupts the flea's maturation process by killing eggs and larvae. Like Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus provides protection from fleas and ticks for 30 days.

ProMeris: Developed by Fort Dodge Animal Health (Wyeth), ProMeris uses the active ingredient metaflumizone to kill and repel fleas. Metaflumizone causes neuron disruptions in fleas, resulting in loss of coordination, paralysis and death. ProMeris is available by prescription and should be used monthly for best results.

Revolution: Developed by Pfizer, Revolution prevents, kills and controls a number of parasites, including fleas and ear mites. Revolution is also effective in preventing heartworm disease and treating roundworm. Revolution contains selamectin. When applied, the drug enters the bloodstream through the skin; concentrations of Revolution in the blood and tissue prevent heartworm disease, while concentrations in the skin protects against fleas and flea eggs.

Vectra: This flea control product is available in two forms, one for cats and kittens over 8 weeks of age and under 9 pounds, and another for cats weighing 9 pounds or more. The active ingredients in both are dinotefuran and pyriproxyfen which are effective in killing adult fleas and flea larvae. Vectra is a topical solution and should be applied monthly. It is available by prescription from your vet.

Cancer in its early stages can often be treated. If your pet shows any of the symptoms listed below, we recommend that you call the animal hospital to make an appointment. Early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to treat any disorder in pets.

1. Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
2. Sores that do not heal
3. Weight loss
4. Loss of appetitie
5. Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
6. Offensive odor
7. Difficulty eating or swallowing
8. Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
9. Persistent lameness or stiffness
10. Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating

Americans and their dogs appear to have one thing in common: they are both overweight. The problem is that they eat too much and too often. Along with excessive eating, the amount of exercise needed to burn up the calories is not sufficient. Also, the foods we feed to our pets (as well as what we eat ourselves) are very high in calories.

There are several reasons why your dog may be overweight. The most common causes include over-eating, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism) and obsessive-compulsive eating disorder. Obesity is more commonly due to over-eating than disease!

Obese animals tend to live a shorter life than animals that are trim. Fat dogs have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, liver disease, diabetes, orthopedic problems, and even neurological problems. Dogs that are overweight often experience difficulty breathing and become less able to tolerate heat. They may also experience difficulty walking or be unable to tolerate regular exercise due to muscle weakness. As responsible pet owners, we need to make sure that our pets are eating properly and not excessively overweight.

Recent studies have shown that 40-50 percent of American dogs are overweight. In comparison, about 25 percent of cats are fat.

Planning a Diet

If your pet is overweight, work with your veterinarian to decide on and stick to a proper weight-reduction plan. Your veterinarian can help assess your pet's obesity and weight reduction plan and determine whether there are any complicating disease concerns. In some cases, a prescription type of diet may be recommended.

Weight should be lost gradually. Starvation or crash diets are inhumane and rarely work. Most dogs require 10 to 12 months on a weight loss plan before results are achieved. Dogs should eat twice a day and be fed reasonable amounts of high fiber low fat dog food. Also, treats should be suitably formulated—small and strictly rationed.

General Weight Loss Instructions

Weight loss should be a family effort. All members of the family must admit the animal is overweight and commit to a weight loss program.

• One person should take charge of feeding the dog.
• If the dog is extremely overweight, the diet must be changed to a therapeutic veterinary diet specifically designed for weight loss. Simply feeding less of your dog's regular food is rarely, if ever, successful.
• Owners must be willing to measure exactly the amount of food offered. Minimize treats. If treats are necessary, offer low calorie snacks such as air popped popcorn or a piece of vegetable (such as carrots or green beans).
• Most dogs do achieve ideal or near ideal body weight when the owner and family members are committed to improving the pet's health.
• In order to maintain the ideal weight, it is often necessary to continue feeding the weight loss die. The amount of food however, is generally increased.

Food Recommendations for Feeding Overweight Dogs

Lower your pet's daily caloric intake by 50 percent of that required at their ideal body weight.

Change the pet food product to one designed for weight loss and containing:

• less than 340 kcal per 100 g of food on a dry matter basis.
• between 5-10 percent fat.
• between 10-30 percent crude fiber.
• greater than 25 percent crude protein.

Feed your pet twice a day.

Feed the prescribed measured amount of food.

Give treats only as directed. Use specifically designed low calorie treats or give cooked or raw vegetables.

Exercise is an important factor in weight loss. As with humans, exercise provides an outlet for pent-up energy. Another benefit from exercise is that it leads to the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. Serotonin has two effects that might be relevant: first, it helps to prevent depression and has anti-obsessive properties. Second, it reduces appetite. Both are desirable for weight loss.

Recently, a new medication has been introduced for weight loss in dogs. This prescription medication is available only through your veterinarian.

Your dog's weight contributes significantly to his or her well-being. A fat dog is generally lethargic and does not live life to the fullest. A trim healthy dog is much more active and truly makes a more enjoyable companion.

If your dog is overweight, a visit to your veterinarian is the best first step.

Cat-scratch disease is an infection caused by bacteria (germs) carried in cat saliva. The bacteria can be passed from a cat to a human by either a scratch or a cat bite. Doctors and researchers think cats may get the bacteria from fleas, although this has not been proven.

Cat-scratch disease is not a severe illness in healthy people. It can, however, be a problem in people with weak immune systems. People with weak immune systems include those who are receiving chemotherapy for cancer, those who have diabetes or those who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

In humans, cat scratch disease causes only mild illness. After an incubation period ranging from 3-30 days, small red papules develop at the site of the scratch or bite wound. Within 1-4 weeks, the regional lymph nodes are affected and symptoms begin to appear. Some of these symptoms include painful inflammation of the lymph nodes, fever, malaise, fatigue, headaches, and generalized aching. Chronic inflammation of the regional lymph glands is the hallmark of cat scratch disease.

Most cases of cat scratch disease do not require any treatment beyond supportive care. Young cats generally transmit the disease. As cats mature, they are less likely to spread the disease.

Cat scratch disease typically begins after a scratch by a cat to the hand or forearm. The organism that causes the disease can also enter the skin through a pre-existing cut or sore. If the disease becomes severe, it can progress to a systemic or relapsing infection.

You should always wash any cuts, bites or scratches promptly with an antiseptic soap and water. Cat owners should discourage rough play with their cats, and children should be taught not to harass a cat to the point of scratching or biting.

How do I keep from getting this disease?

• Wash your hands after handling a cat.
• Discourage your cat from scratching or biting you.
• Rough play should be avoided.
• Keep your cat's nails trimmed short.
• If your cat tends to scratch frequently, talk to your veterinarian about behavior modification or nail caps for cats to help minimize scratches.
• Wash all bites or scratches immediately with an antiseptic soap and water.
• Cats should not be allowed to lick open wounds on your body.
• Use good flea control on your pet and in your home.

If you are scratched or bitten by a cat and symptoms of CSF appear, contact your physician immediately.

The goal of allergy testing is to identify the specific allergen(s) to which your pet has an allergy. Allergy testing is done either with a blood test (sometimes also called 'ELISA' or 'RAST testing') or with intradermal testing (sometimes also called 'skin testing'). Following the identification of the allergen(s), your pet usually begins a series of injections of a dilute solution of the allergens, with the idea of "desensitizing" his or her immune system to future allergen exposure. This is termed immunotherapy. The exact schedule of injections is tailored to each individual case, but often begins as a once a week injection. The injections are usually carried out over the course of several months to years, and most patients require the injections for life.

Intradermal Skin Testing on a Dog

Skin problems (particularly itching) and ear problems are two of the most common reasons why veterinarians see pets. Unlike humans who react to allergens with nasal symptoms, dogs react with skin conditions. These problems may range from poor coat texture or length, to itching and chewing, to hot spots and eventually self-mutilation. Allergies may also play a part in chronic ear infections. To make matters more difficult to diagnose and treat, thyroid disease may add to the problem as well.

Many times, severe skin itching and inflammation is caused by allergies to fleas, foods, or environmental substances. If we can determine exactly what your pet is allergic to, it will allow us to provide more effective treatment. For pollen and dust allergies, it allows for the possibility of treatment with "allergy shots" (also called immunotherapy or hypo sensitization), which help to decrease the immune system's exaggerated response to these substances. Knowing exactly what the allergies are may also allow you to avoid things to which your pet is very sensitive...for example, fleas.

There are basically two types of allergy tests performed by veterinarians. The goal of allergy testing is to identify specific substances that are causing the allergic reaction, so that avoidance (if possible) and / or desensitization through allergy shots may be attempted.

As mentioned previously, allergy testing is done either by blood testing or by intradermal skin testing. The intradermal test involves clipping the fur from the side of the animal's chest and injecting very small amounts of pollens (from trees, weeds, and grasses), molds, and insect extracts into the superficial layers of the skin. Often, the test is administered under a light sedative/analgesic so that the pet (dog, cat) feels no discomfort. If the animal is allergic, a 'hive' forms at the site of one or more injections. This type of testing is more traditional, more involved, and more expensive than blood testing, but has very few false positive reactions.

For the blood test, a small amount of blood is taken and sent to a special laboratory. Generally, the test results come back in about 3 weeks. This type of testing is newer and less expensive; however, interpretation is more difficult.

Although serum allergy testing can give meaningful results, intradermal skin testing is considered to be more accurate and is the preferred method of allergy testing.

If you have questions regarding your pet's skin problem(s), do not hesitate to call your veterinarian.