Ask a Vet: Getting False Results with Online Allergy Test ‘ImmuneIQ’

The only thing more frustrating than watching your beloved pet suffer from an unknown allergy is to be at the mercy of a subpar allergy test you bought online in an effort to save a few bucks. Having a pet means being responsible for its well-being. With so much breeding, and inbreeding at various puppy and kitten mills, it’s not unusual for pets to exhibit signs and symptoms of allergies.

The best way to find out what your pet is allergic to and how to treat that allergy to make your pets as comfortable as possible, is to rely on a veterinarian to perform an easy blood and skin test. Of course, this means that you will have to foot the bill of the exam and the tests, but if the alternative is watching your pet suffer, do you really have a choice?

The good news is that unless your pets allergies are a pre-existing condition, your pet insurance provider will cover the cost of all the expenses. Don’t have pet insurance? Compare pet insurance providers for pet insurance for dogs and pet insurance for cats on epetsure today.

Beware of online pet “allergy testing” quackery

 

Q: My dog has itchy skin, and my veterinarian recommends blood or skin testing for allergies. Online I found ImmuneIQ, a slightly less expensive test I can do myself by submitting my dog’s hair and saliva to the company. Are the results equivalent?

 

A: No. Board-certified veterinary dermatologists evaluated the ImmuneIQ test by submitting 10 hair and saliva samples from dogs known to have allergies and from those proven allergy-free. They also submitted fake fur from a stuffed animal.

 

The ImmuneIQ test couldn’t differentiate between the allergic and non-allergic dogs – or even recognize that the stuffed animal fur was fake. Moreover, test results on multiple samples from the same dog, which should have been identical, were very different.

 

These veterinary dermatologists also evaluated Nutriscan, a saliva test for food sensitivity/intolerance that is available online. They submitted saliva from 45 allergic and non-allergic dogs and from two non-allergic humans, along with tap water, distilled water and even the dry, unused cotton intended to collect the pet’s saliva. All samples, including the water and unused cotton, tested positive for food sensitivity.

 

Another veterinarian evaluated Glacier Peak Holistics’ Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan allergy testing, also available online to the general public. Instead of submitting saliva and hair samples, she sent sterile i.v. fluid and the shredded cotton swab she was supposed to use to collect saliva. She received a detailed report of everything that allegedly triggered her “dog’s” allergies and caused stress, plus a list of recommended supplements offered for sale on the website.

 

For valid allergy test results, follow your veterinarian’s advice on allergy testing or see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist.

Lee Pickett, V.M.D. practices companion animal medicine in Pennsylvania. Contact her at askavet@epetsure.co.