Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Reliability of allergy blood tests for dogs with skin allergies
By Zhou, Zijin et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2019·From the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Intralaboratory Reliability and Variability for Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin Type E Serology Testing.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 35 dogs with atopic dermatitis (a common skin condition) underwent allergy testing to identify specific allergens causing their symptoms. Blood samples were taken and tested at different times, revealing significant differences in results, which could affect treatment decisions for immunotherapy (allergy shots). In fact, nearly all dogs had at least one allergen that was interpreted differently when comparing tests done on the same day versus a month later. This highlights the need for more reliable allergy testing methods to ensure dogs receive the correct treatment for their skin issues.
People also search for: dog skin allergies treatment · atopic dermatitis in dogs · allergy testing for dogs · immunotherapy for dog allergies
Abstract
Atopic dermatitis is a very common condition affecting dogs and often managed with allergen-specific immunotherapy, which requires accurate identification of causative allergens. Serology testing is used commonly. Serum was collected from 35 atopic dogs and separated into three samples each (1, 2, and 3). Samples 1 and 2 were sent to IDEXX Laboratories the same day; sample 3 was stored at -80°C and submitted ∼30 days later. Specific immunoglobulin type E reactivity to various allergens were determined using monoclonal anti-canine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and expressed as ELISA absorbance units. Percent difference ranged from 14.30 to 127.34% for samples 1 and 2. These values increased when comparing samples a month apart (21.78 to 129.65%). Between samples 1 and 2, for each allergen there were differences in interpretation 15.18% of the time; 32 of 35 dogs (91.4%) had at least one allergen with a different interpretation. Comparing sample 3 and the average of samples 1 and 2, differences in interpretation increased to 22.32%; all dogs had at least one allergen that was interpreted differently. These differences in interpretation can alter immunotherapy. Overall, results show the need for better reliability for allergen-specific immunoglobulin type E serology testing using monoclonal anti-canine ELISA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30870613/