Food Allergy Testing

Using blood in allergy test is very easy. In food allergy testing the alternative is elimination diet done in 8-9 weeks. Quite a bit of work. Is worth it?.

Let's start with some basics

To make "Food allergy soup" we need some ingredients. Allergens, antibodies and mast cells.

Allergen provoke for some reason the body to produce antibodies. They are called IgM, let's keep it simple and forget the other one - IgG. IgM is sitting on the wall of the mast cells. Mast cells is placed in the gut lining or in the skin.

Mast cells are filled with "chemicals" responsible for itching, redness, heat. All reactions you expect in food allergy reaction.

When IgM antibodies on mast cells are connecting with the allergen - puff - mast cell's rupture and release their content. We have an allergic reaction.

That's the very very basic. Taking a blood sample and look after different IgM could in theory be used to make a snap test.

Allergy test measuring the amounts of IgM for the different types of food allergens. Simple - the ones which have the largest numbers would be the ones responsible for the allergy.

Sorry - not the case.

Measure antibodies and get a number. Tells nothing about the risk for allergy in the living body. Only what food has been eaten the most.

That's good. So blood testing and food allergy testing done by elimination diet can go hand in hand.

Use the blood test to exclude the most used ingredients.

Then, it might be easier to decide a suitable diet to your dog.

Food Allergy Relevant Pages

Dog food allergy symptoms
Food allergens
Homemade eleimination diet
Hypoallergenic Diet

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