Throughout the summer canine allergy problems are common. Where people suffer from pollen exposure with runny eyes and nose, animals tend to suffer with skin irritation and inflammation. The resulting itch can be very distressing for owner and pet alike. Any area of the body can be affected but the most common areas are muzzle, ears, axilla ( armpits), groin and feet.
One of the largest problems for the vet who is faced with a dog with itchy skin is that there are a number of potential diseases which cause the same signs, and physical examination of the pet can often be of limited use in differentiating allergy problems from other potential causes.
Traditionally, Vets have sent samples to the lab to look at a range of allergy parameters to try to establish a diagnosis but this is often costly, with the potential for a set of results which do not aid in the diagnosis.
Donaldson’s Vets have been selected to trial an innovative new in-house analyser, called the vetAX.1 which, within an hour can give a simple yes or no answer to the question “is my dog allergic to something in the environment?”
The analyser has been developed over the last 5 years by an innovative company in York with whom Donaldson’s have a longstanding relationship. If the analyser suggests that an environmental allergy is the cause of the problems, a sample can be sent to the lab to identify the specific allergen.
Donaldson’s Vets will be trialling the analyser for 3 months and during that time, we will be able to do both the in-house tests and the further allergen analysis for our clients.
If the trial is successful, the analyser will be made available to other Practices throughout the UK
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