Many dogs suffer from allergies. Dogs can be allergic to certain foods, fleas, bacteria, pollen or substances that their skin has been in contact with. If you have not been able to find the source of the allergy, ask your veterinarian to perform an allergy test. An allergy test can be conducted as skin tests or as blood tests. Expect to pay upward of $200 for tests plus examination costs, possible sedation and subsequent treatments, which can give a total cost of $600 to $900, according to the Veterinary Dermatology Center.
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Skin Tests
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Intradermal allergy tests, or skin tests, are commonly used. The vet will shave a patch of fur from your dog and inject a series of about 50 allergens into him in a grid pattern. After 30 to 60 minutes the vet will see how the skin has reacted to determine what the dog is allergic to. The cost of testing is about $200, but most dogs will need to be sedated to stay calm while they are shaved and tested; This may cost an additional $50 to $60. Some vets also will charge an examination fee. A vaccine will be developed for your dog for a fee of $65 to $185.
Blood Tests
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Blood testing is more convenient than skin testing as you only need a quick visit to the vet to take a blood sample, which is then sent off to be analyzed. Skin tests are regarded as more reliable though. The test can cost $200 to $300 plus the initial visit to your vet as a regular consultation. There are two types of blood testing known as radioallergosorbent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests. PetEducation reports that many practitioners consider ELISA tests to be more accurate.
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