Animal Health Solutions

10 Covetrus | ph: 855.724.3461 | fx: 888.329.3861 | northamerica.covetrus.com S P OT When clients ask about allergies, hear When clients ask about allergies, hear them out and make sure that they them out and make sure that they know that you are understanding know that you are understanding their concerns. Then start to review their concerns. Then start to review all of the things that can cause itching all of the things that can cause itching or gastrointestinal problems, like or gastrointestinal problems, like fleas, parasites, infections, or a food fleas, parasites, infections, or a food intolerance. intolerance. It's also important to address common It's also important to address common misconceptions about pet allergies. misconceptions about pet allergies. Make sure that your clients know that Make sure that your clients know that cutaneous adverse food reactions cutaneous adverse food reactions (cAFR) are possible, but itching in (cAFR) are possible, but itching in their pets is more likely to be atopic their pets is more likely to be atopic dermatitis. Antihistamines won't dermatitis. Antihistamines won't necessarily help pet allergies in the necessarily help pet allergies in the same way they help humans, so same way they help humans, so your clients shouldn't automatically your clients shouldn't automatically reach for OTC solutions like reach for OTC solutions like diphenhydramine HCl. diphenhydramine HCl. 1,2 1,2 D I AG N O S E Most importantly, your clients need Most importantly, your clients need to know that diagnosing allergies in to know that diagnosing allergies in pets is not an easy, straightforward pets is not an easy, straightforward process. It will include many steps process. It will include many steps that may or may not lead to a that may or may not lead to a definitive diagnosis, and it's important definitive diagnosis, and it's important to rule out other conditions that could to rule out other conditions that could be causing clinical signs. be causing clinical signs. 3 3 If you think the pet may have allergies, If you think the pet may have allergies, let your clients know their testing let your clients know their testing options. Intradermal skin testing options. Intradermal skin testing (IDST) is not standardized and the (IDST) is not standardized and the pet must be sedated. Serological pet must be sedated. Serological testing is simpler but considered less testing is simpler but considered less reliable and only requires a single reliable and only requires a single blood sample. blood sample. 4 Help your clients Help your clients understand that no matter which understand that no matter which test is conducted, false positives are test is conducted, false positives are a possibility, and a negative result a possibility, and a negative result doesn't rule out hypersensitivity doesn't rule out hypersensitivity disorder. disorder. T R E AT Once you have established that a pet Once you have established that a pet has environmental allergies, and what has environmental allergies, and what those specific allergens are, you can those specific allergens are, you can start allergy-specific immunotherapy start allergy-specific immunotherapy (ASIT). Whether this is oral drops, (ASIT). Whether this is oral drops, or subcutaneous injections will be or subcutaneous injections will be dependent on your client's ability to dependent on your client's ability to follow for long-term compliance. follow for long-term compliance. 5 Help Help your clients understand that the best your clients understand that the best treatment for pet allergies is allergen treatment for pet allergies is allergen avoidance, and that treatment is most avoidance, and that treatment is most likely going to be a lifelong process. likely going to be a lifelong process. Pet allergies can be frustrating and Pet allergies can be frustrating and overwhelming for both clients and overwhelming for both clients and their uncomfortable pets. By having their uncomfortable pets. By having open and empathetic conversations, open and empathetic conversations, recommending appropriate recommending appropriate testing, and guiding clients through testing, and guiding clients through elimination diets, you can provide the elimination diets, you can provide the support and knowledge necessary to support and knowledge necessary to help them find relief as you guide your help them find relief as you guide your clients through the spot, diagnose, clients through the spot, diagnose, and treat stages. Work with your and treat stages. Work with your clients to create customized treatment clients to create customized treatment plans and improve the quality of life plans and improve the quality of life for pets and ensure their long-term for pets and ensure their long-term well-being. well-being.

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