Allergy testing is a way to get a positive diagnosis for atopy (inhalant dermatitis) and to a lesser extent for contact allergies.
Scratching, licking the feet, chewing, and red irritated skin are all symptoms of atopy in the dog. Atopy is the name given to allergies that result from breathing in pollen, dust, or mold. Other than flea bite allergies, atopy is by far, the most common cause of allergies in dogs. When an allergy to a specific substance can be identified, the dog can receive immunotherapy (hyposensitization injections).
Read more at Pet Education: Allergy Testing & Immunotherapy in Dogs
Filed under: Allergies, Atopy, Skin diseases