Question:
my 5 year old cat has been having allergy problems for about 8 months
now and the vet and I can't seem to figure out what it is. I don't want to
keep getting her cortisone shots so we are going to go to a dermatologist
for allergy testing. My question: has anyone had this done lately? We are
going to do the injections (not a blood test). Any advice? I'm at the end
of my string and desperate to find out what her allergy is even if it means
doing this testing! Is there any discomfort for the cat or do the sedate
them? I would be asking this to the doctor but we have to wait until her
current shot wears off before we can go the dermatologist.
Answer:
What kind of allergic reaction is your cat having? With our cat, it is inhalant
allergies and our vet said that since the treatment would be the same no matter
what she was allergic to, there was no point in spending money on the allergy
tests. Of course, if the vet had suspected it was a food allergy or maybe a flea
allergy, there would be a way to eliminate the cause and in that case, I would
have been willing to do the test. I hope in your case it turns out to be
something simple to eliminate.
Wise choice. Sadly, too many people settle on indefinite symptomatic
treatment when allergy testing may lead to identifcation of the allergen and
simple avoidance of the allergen which may be the best and only therapeutic
option that's necessary. If I were you, I'd opt for one of the serologic allergy tests (RAST or
ELISA) -first- rather than the intradermal (a/k/a "patch test", "skin
test"). The RAST or ELISA test are much easier and less stressful for the
cat. Both tests involve simply obtaining a simple blood sample, then
separating
off the serum, and then testing the serum against possible allergens in
a -test tube- rather than on the cat. Some vets feel that the serologc tests may not be as accurate as the patch
test, however, they have some very significant advantages over the patch
test. In addition to avoiding all the stress and discomfort that the patch
test subjects the cat to, allergen -groups- instead of individual antigens
can be used for testing. This means you can test and rule out several
possible allergens in a -single- test. After you narrow down the
possiblities to a few allergens, then you can opt for the patch test if the
RAST or ELISA doesn't identify the specific allergen. This plan is much
easier on
the cat and will probably cost less in the long run because you can test
more allergens with fewer tests and office visits.
Also, another thing you have to remember with the patch test is that a
positive reaction only indicates -skin- sensitivity and not necessarily
systemic sensistivity.
Her symptoms are itching, chewing at her feet, scratching her cheeks and top
of her head. When this first started she scratched herself bald around her
neck and behind her ears. The hair has since grown back but the itching and
agitation is still there. It must be an inhalant allergy because she's had
the problem even while on a hypoallergenic diet. I've since switched her
back to normal food. Also While on the hypoallergenic diet (or maybe the
shots I don't know) she has really dry flaky skin. Hopefully the
dermatologist can help solve the puzzle. I don't think so. A contact allergy would be something the cat would come in
physical contact with, while an inhalant allergy would be something they
breathe. It could be pollen, for example, or something else outside the house
they never come in direct contact with.
