Why Pet Allergy Tests Can Be Misleading—And What to Do Instead

At Identity Pet Nutrition, we believe every pet deserves to thrive. But when symptoms like itching, licking, ear infections, or upset stomachs arise, it’s natural for pet parents to want answers—fast.

That’s why allergy tests can seem like the perfect solution.

But here’s the truth: most over-the-counter pet allergy tests simply don’t work the way we’re led to believe.

The Problem with At-Home Pet Allergy Tests

From hair and saliva kits to even some blood panels, many of today’s popular tests claim to identify food allergies in pets. But in reality, these tests often measure antibody responses to proteins or ingredients - and while that may sound scientific, the results are typically inconsistent, unvalidated, and misleading.

Here’s why:

• False positives and negatives are common. Your dog may test “positive” for turkey despite eating it with no issues - or test “negative” for beef despite clear symptoms.
• They don’t differentiate between allergies and intolerances. A true allergy involves the immune system, while many reactions are actually digestive intolerances - not immune responses. In some cases, these intolerances may simply be the result of overfeeding.
• They often reflect exposure, not sensitivity. A protein may appear simply because it was recently eaten - not because it’s causing a problem.
• You can’t be allergic to something you’ve never eaten. Yet many tests claim your pet is allergic to foods they’ve never consumed.
• They don’t account for ingredient quality. There are major differences between protein sources. Mechanically deboned meats (MDM), mechanically separated meats (MSM), and rendered by-products often contain chemical residues from processing - unlike fresh, whole-muscle, human-quality meats. Allergy tests don’t account for these differences.

What You Can Do Instead

If you suspect food sensitivities, many veterinarians recommend a more reliable method: a true elimination diet.

1. Start with a simplified, limited-ingredient diet. Choose a recipe with a single source of animal protein and avoid common fillers like grains, soy, wheat, legumes peas, or artificial additives.
2. Commit to a strict 8–12 week trial. Feed only that food- no treats, table scraps, or toppers. This helps establish a clear baseline.
3. Reintroduce ingredients one at a time and observe for any symptoms.

Why identity Can Help

Our gently cooked and canned recipes are formulated with 95% meat, poultry, or fish - with no fillers, and all single ingredient diets (with a couple exceptions). That makes them an ideal starting point for elimination diets and pets with sensitive systems.

Even if your pet tolerates certain ingredients, the quality and source of those ingredients matter. We never use MDM, MSM, or rendered by-products. Instead, we use whole-muscle human-grade meats and nutrient-rich organ meats from animals raised with care.

We feed with integrity—because your pet deserves better.

The information herein is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended to be used in consultation with a veterinary professional.