Intradermal allergy (skin) testing allows Dr. Jeffers to pinpoint the exact nature of your pet’s allergies and, more importantly, provides the information necessary to custom formulate an allergy vaccine to desensitize your pet.

It is ideal, but not required, that corticosteroids be withdrawn for 2-4 weeks prior to testing, while antihistamines and other nonsteroidal anti-itch medications be stopped for 7-10 days. Use of these medications could invalidate the results of the skin test.

Allergy vaccines are prepared on site and almost always available at the time of the skin test appointment.  When refills are needed, please call ahead to place a vaccine order.  Orders are usually filled within one week. You can pick up the vaccine at our office or have it shipped to your home or work via UPS with syringes, if needed.

Skin Testing Info Form (PDF)

1. A mild intravenous sedative is administered to relax your pet. The sedative used is very safe and is completely reversed using an "antidote-like" drug after the procedure is finished. The sedative is not an anesthetic; your pet will be awake and responsive throughout the entire procedure. The sedative simply relaxes the animal so it will lie quietly on its side for 30 minutes while the test is administered. The entire procedure can be as short as 35 minutes or as long as 1 ½ hours, depending on how quickly your pet becomes sedate. Since an overly excited or frightened pet will not have meaningful test results, Dr. Jeffers requires sedation for every patient undergoing intradermal allergy testing. Testing must be done in a quiet room without their owners to avoid sensory overstimulation that can be created by the sedative. Because a small percentage of dogs and most cats may become nauseated from the sedative, Dr. Jeffers recommends withholding food 8-12 hours prior to the test, if possible, but it is not required. Water should be given as usual.

2. An area of skin approximately 4" x 8" is clipped in the armpit region, and 62 injections are made into the skin.

3. Positive reactions, which look like small red bumps, will occur within minutes after the injections are made. Dr. Jeffers records the results and keeps one copy to generate the allergy vaccine, while a second copy is given to you for your records.

4. Once the information from the testing is recorded, effective symptomatic treatment is recommended to immediately control your pet's itching. Dr. Jeffers prefers animals be given oral medications that don’t contain corticosteroids (i.e. antihistamines and/or fatty acid supplements) since the side effects are minimal; however, those who do not respond to them may need to be given corticosteroids to prevent suffering from their allergies. If you must give your pet corticosteroids, make sure you use the lowest possible dosage no more frequently than every other day if given for more than 2 weeks. Your pet will probably need some form of medication for at least 3-9 months following the initiation of the allergy vaccine. Dr. Jeffers will work with you in determining the best type, dosage, and schedule of symptomatic therapy for your allergic pet.

5. Although usually unnecessary, you may apply a corticosteroid cream (given at the skin test appointment) for three days following the skin test. This will help reduce any irritation which may have been caused by the clipping and testing.

6. A vaccine will be custom formulated based on the results of the allergy test. The vaccine is almost always available at the time of the skin test. When refills are needed, please call ahead to place a vaccine order. Orders are usually filled within a week. You can pick up the vaccine at our office or have it shipped to your home or work via UPS with syringes, if needed. If shipped, the vaccine should be refrigerated as soon as it arrives to maintain maximum potency. The initial allergy vaccine includes three vaccine vials, while subsequent refills will include only one maintenance vial.

7. At the time of the appointment, you will be instructed on how to administer allergy shots to your pet. Most people choose to give the vaccine to their pet themselves at home, while a few choose to have their primary veterinarian give the injections for them. For the first 29 days the injections are administered every other day. Afterwards the injections are decreased to a frequency of once every 1-3 weeks. If beneficial, shots will be continued for the rest of you pet's life. Approximately 68%-85% of pets placed on desensitization injections will benefit from them. It typically takes 4-6 months of injections before you will see any improvement, but it may be as long as 9-12 months before improvement is noticeable. As mentioned above, medication must often be used during this period to keep the pet comfortable. If your pet has not appreciably improved after 1 year of allergy vaccine use, the shots will not likely ever help and should be discontinued.

Get door-to-door driving directions from Mapquest

South on 270:
If traveling South on 270; take Exit 8 - Shady Grove Road. Turn left onto Shady Grove Road east.  At the third traffic light, (not including the light at the ramp) turn left onto Gaither Road. The clinic is located in Shady Grove Center on the immediate right side of Gaither Road. Turn into the second entrance on the right side by the marquis. The clinic is 50 yards straight ahead. Reserved parking is available adjacent to the clinic.

North on 270:
If traveling North on 270; take Exit 8 - Shady Grove Road. Bear left on exit ramp (don't take Redland Road turn) and turn right onto Shady Grove Road east.  At the second traffic light, turn left onto Gaither Road. The clinic is located in Shady Grove Center on the immediate right side of Gaither Road. Turn into the second entrance on the right side by the marquis. The clinic is 50 yards straight ahead. Reserved parking is available adjacent to the clinic.