I have an Anatolian Shepherd with the most horrendous allergies. It started when he was close to just over a year old and the veterinarian said to give him a single Zyrtec or Benadryl (based on his weight). She mentioned it would be easier to give him a single Zyrtec rather than the 4 Benadryl. He was developing one ear infection per year. Then it increased to two ear infections at the age of two and when he was three, the skin infections started on his tummy, in addition, to the ear infections. During this time we had to switch to a different veterinarian because the other moved away. The new veterinarian put him on another allergy medication, which scared me after reading more about it. It is an immune suppressant and I really believe those can be dangerous. He was still experiencing skin infections, but the veterinarian tried to reassure me that it was probably a grain allergy. So I also started Finn on grain-free food. My Anatolian is such a picky eater than he would refuse to eat and not care if the cats ate his food. In response to make sure he was actually eating, I began making his food and stopped giving him commercial dog food. His allergic reactions still persisted with this past year being the worst. It seemed like 2020 was a terrible year for Finn as well as the rest of the world. He went to the veterinarian 4 times this year for skin infections as well as ear infections. The veterinarian suggested an allergy test, but suggested that they needed to be the ones to do it and it would be costly. Then she mentioned that the price would go up at the start of the year.
Then I found 5Strands. It was much easier than making another trip to the veterinarian’s office. I ordered it, they shipped the test, I brushed Finn and was able to get enough pieces of fur to place in the bag, which is not difficult for dogs with medium or long fur. It took a total of 10 days and I did not have to sit at the veterinarian’s office or waste time making and paying for 2 appointments plus the test. I’m not saying Finn is not worth doing all of that, but this pandemic makes life more difficult that it needs to be.
What did I find out? Finn is allergic to nearly everything I was feeding him. Pumpkin, blueberries, peas, green beans, lamb, beef, pork, and the list goes on and on. No wonder my sweet fur baby couldn’t catch a break from all the skin and ear infections. When he was eating commercial dog food it had lamb and sweet potatoes as the main ingredients. I felt like the worst pet parent on the planet. Becoming aware of his allergies was such an eye opening moment. 5Strands sent the notification from their app that the results were ready at 3am. I could not wait to open them so when I saw the notification, I opened the app immediately. Knowing what Finn is allergic to has been a difficult, I can’t stress that enough. However, if it means keeping him from developing itchy, inflamed skin and ear infections, I will do anything. This also meant that everything he consumed needed to be checked before it was given to him. Treats, heartworm prevention and everything in between.
Finn was taking the Trifexis chewable heartworm prevention. There is beef in the Trifexis heartworm prevention chews. So the veterinarian researched it while we were in office with the last skin infection. The choices are limited because many of the heartworm prevention medications contain beef, pork or chicken. As I’ve mentioned before, we live in Florida and heartworms are prevalent along with fleas. So heartworm and flea prevention is necessary. My goal is to try to avoid giving my pets any extra chemicals if I can help it.
Treats are difficult. Most commercial treats are out of the question and it seems I will be spending time making those specifically to meet his needs. I have two other dogs so treats are needed. I cannot give the other two treats and not Finn. It just would not be fair. I’ve made many dog treats in my life so this is nothing new. I will just be baking dog treats more often.
How is his new food lifestyle? He seems to be enjoying it. I do not argue with him about eating. I know, arguing with a dog is a waste of time, but I was worried about his refusal to eat commercial dog food. He eats strictly what is on his list of approved foods. I had to make a menu for him based on that list. If you are purchasing foods for an allergic dog, I would suggest making a list before you go and not attempt to look at the list while shopping. Of course, with the pandemic going on, you may be doing what I do and utilizing the pick up option at a grocery store.
Things to note when doing 5Strands. Make sure you register the test before you send it. They stress how it must be registered before they receive it. I registered it before I mailed it because I was afraid I would forget. Also, it’s not difficult and familiarize yourself with how the results will be displayed before you get the actual results. I read the FAQ section on the app. I noticed people complained they did not understand how to read the results. I found it more difficult to keep track of each allergy. As in, was it Gelatin that he is allergic to or was it Glycerin? Gelatin. He is actually allergic to Gelatin, which is found in many treats. I will not tell you it will always be easy or fun. Trying to make sure that your dog maintains calories and eats the correct foods it a challenge. But absolutely worth it.
Thanks for reading!
The 5Strands allergy test is not sponsored nor was it gifted.
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