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  • anonymous
    Member

    http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2019/09/cellbio-another-dubious-lab-test-from-hemopet-and-dr-jean-dodds/
    excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments

    Bottom Line
    Dr. Dodds has a long history of promoting questionable and unproven tests and treatments. Real experts in veterinary endocrinology, nutrition, immunology, and other relevant fields rarely agree with Dr. Dodds beliefs or claims. Some of her recommendations are unproven (e.g. her beliefs about thyroid testing), others are demonstrably false (e.g. the Nutriscan food allergy test).
    The CellBIO saliva test for inflammation and oxidative stress is another unproven idea being sold well before it is properly tested. There is no specific published research showing the test is accurate, that its results are clincally useful, or that the treatments Dr. Dodds recommends based on using the test have any value. All of the claims for this test are based on theory, dramatic extrapolation from complex research evidence in humans and lab animals, or anecdote.
    Both the details of the claims made for this product, and Dr. Dodds track record, should inspire significant skepticism about the value of this test. Perhaps this will be the exception, a test Dr. Dodds promotes that is one day actually validated with strong research evidence, but based on the past I am not optimistic that this will happen, and I would not recommend using this test in the meantime.

    #131326
    anonymous
    Member

    /forums/search/nutriscan/

    yelena s
    Member

    Hello people. Losing my mind trying to help my 9 yo cocker spaniel. Hopefully, this won’t be too long and someone can advise . So he was on blue wild dog food for all his life, and started getting progressively worse with gas . after some research, i decided to switch foods. started with ollie . it was great at first , but then it gave him diarrhea. after a dose of antibiotics, nothing changed and we figured to change the food again. over the course of last year, went through trudge, open farm, back to blue, to farmers dog. nothing was really helping. then started to cook myself and ended up only giving rice and chicken or meat, or potatoes, pumpkin . no help. did blood test and basically it is showing that he isn’t absorbing proteins, his calcium, albumin and cholesterol is low. two vets want to do ultrasound an then biopsy, thinking it is protein losing enthoropathy . to my questions , what the point of doing this if the treatment is still steroid / anti inflammatory drugs, i get no answer . Went to two homeopathic docs as well. no certain answer there as well, as they treat with food and herbs and acupuncture. added enzymes and clay and herbs. few weeks , no change. one of the doc suggested food sensitivity test NutriScan by Cant type driving. Dodds. Has anyone used it and how accurate is it? any other things that may have worked for you in this kind of situation? I’m thinking may be trying raw food even, but i m afraid to make it worse. any suggestions, would greatly appreciated. he was tested for parasites and it s negative, altho i keep thinking about that since its the original food switch that started this.TIA!

    #118284
    anonymous
    Member

    Regarding Nutriscan http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=nutriscan

    Nutriscan is not an allergy test.

    Remember what I said about falling down the homeopathic rabbit hole 😉

    #118283
    Jaky S
    Member

    Here’s another resource for discovering your dog’s food allergies. Nutriscan is available through hemopet.org.

    http://www.hemopet.org/hemolife-diagnostics/nutriscan-food-sensitivity-intolerance.html

    #101214
    anonymous
    Member

    I thought I would bump up this thread. Nutriscan is being talked about in “comments”
    I no longer post in comments (by choice)
    So I am hoping the folks that are considering buying Nutriscan will see this.
    Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist is the most accurate way to identify environmental allergies. There is no cure for allergies but there is effective treatment, often the expertise of a specialist is needed.
    Food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate.
    Often a vet will recommend an elimination diet/prescription food to identify food sensitivities.
    Also: /forums/topic/suggestions-welcomed/
    And if you use the search button you will find more.

    #100287
    anonymous
    Member

    Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies, not food allergies (rare) or food sensitivities that tend to fluctuate.
    Hair and saliva mail in tests are a scam.
    I would suggest that you take your dog to a veterinary dermatologist for testing and an accurate diagnosis and treatment options.
    Environmental allergies are complicated, there is no cure but there is effective treatment.
    Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=Allergies
    and check the search engine here for allergies and see my posts,
    example. /forums/topic/environmental-allergy-relief/
    /forums/search/Dr+Dodds+nutriscan/

    #97026

    In reply to: Pea free food

    anonymous
    Member

    Mail-in hair and saliva tests are not diagnostic tools (just read the fine print).
    See the blog below:
    http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/11/glacier-peak-holistics-pet-wellness-life-scan-stress-test-or-how-much-bs-can-fit-on-one-web-page/
    Excerpt from the link above:
    Bottom Line
    “The Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan (formerly “Healthy Dog and Cat Alternative Sensitivity Assessment”) is a completely implausible test based on vague, mystical nonsense and pseudoscientific theories that contradict the legitimate scientific evidence regarding the cause and management of allergies. The general concept that hair and saliva testing can identify the causes of allergies is false. The marketing of this test is misleading and contains many of the hallmarks of quack advertising. Dog owners struggling with allergies would be far better spending their time and money consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a science-based approach to helping their canine”.
    Also, per the search engine here: /forums/topic/desperate-food-recomendations-for-lab/

    Review of Dr. Jean Dodds’ book Canine Nutrigenomics
    An excerpt from the above review by The Skeptvet:
    “A fair bit of effort in the book goes to promoting a test called Nutriscan, which uses saliva to identify dietary sensitivities in dogs. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Dodds’ company owns Nutriscan, and equally unsurprisingly the mainstream community of veterinary nutritionists and dermatologists do not accept the legitimacy of her test because she has not provided any controlled evidence to show it is an accurate and useful test. She does provide a lot of citations to support her claims for this method, but if one takes the trouble to investigate them, they do not actually turn out to be compelling evidence”.: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/06/canine-nutrigenomics-by-dr-jean-dodds-science-as-windowdressing/

    Mail-in saliva and hair tests are not helpful from what I have read. By the way, they are not cheap. I have read a lot of complaints that the test comes back positive for nearly everything. Then what? Plus, it is not an allergy test, it’s a food sensitivity test?
    I would consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing and the best treatment options.

    #93277

    In reply to: Dog Food Intolerant

    Susan
    Participant

    Hi also have you looked into Jean Dodds DVM, NutriScan Salvia testing? some people swear by this testing, it’s quick & easy, I don’t know, I haven’t had it done, when I went to have it all done I checked the postage from Australia to the US & it was very expensive, so I never had the Salvia testing done, I’d love to know what foods it say’s Patch is sensitive too cause I know a few foods he can’t eat, I wonder if they would come back positive to the same foods?? cause you live in the UK it’s closer & postage will be cheaper.
    http://www.nutriscan.org/

    #90274
    anonymous
    Member

    Regarding Hemopet and Nutriscan, mentioned frequently here in threads
    /forums/search/hemopet/

    Update- “Hemopet Sues Pet Food Companies to Claim Ownership of the Idea of Nutrigenomics”
    Posted on September 23, 2016 by skeptvet http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

    #84341
    Andreina G
    Member

    Hi!
    I don’t know if you found your answer but this happened to my dog and all the problem was a food sensitivity or allergy caused by CORN, corn is everywhere including enzymatic supplements – most of them – and in most of the calcium supplements as well. Is an ingredient in a lot of pills – medicines, and has many derivatives – http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php. If you want to know about this – and other – food sensitivity the only cientifically proved test for that is Hemopet – Nutriscan Test. It is expensive but well worth it! Good luck!

    #82564
    Susan
    Participant

    Hi again, a few people in a Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” their Dermatologist put their dogs on vet diet “Royal Canine” Rabbit & Potato & there’s Venison & Potato PV for their itchy allergy dog, then after 3 months when skin & coat was itch & sore free they started introducing 1 new ingredient for 2 months then if everything was good another new ingredient wait 2 months again no scratching redness etc then add another new ingredient….
    I feed the Vet Diet Royal Canine Hypoallergenic HP (Australian) Rice & Hydrolysed poultry liver cause Patch has intestinal & skin problems….

    Elimination diet is the only true way to find out what your dog is sensitive too…..
    also few people have done the Jean Dodds Nutri-Scan Food Sensitivity Salvia test, it test for 24 foods…..
    http://www.nutriscan.org/

    or change the kibble your feeding to another brand & see how your dog does, preferably different ingredients with higher omega 3…..

    #82121

    In reply to: PORK? YES or NO?

    Susan
    Participant

    This whole link came up & the NutriScan link didn’t come up, here is the salvia rope test & what foods it test for….. http://www.nutriscan.org/

    #82120

    In reply to: PORK? YES or NO?

    Susan
    Participant

    My boy does really well on pork, it depends on the cut of pork some cuts have less fat then other cuts, also was there any fat on the pork?
    I make pork rissoles baked in oven, when I made the turkey breast rissole Patch had diarrhea, I didn’t know if it was the turkey or the egg I added, so now I don’t add any egg when making the rissoles, I haven’t tried making the lean turkey breast mince rissoles again……

    Have you thought about having the Jean Dodds NutriScan Salvia testing done…. read link then click on the blue NutriScan next to Hemopet up top & read about the rope salvia test & what foods it test for…
    http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/25934674990/dog-food-sensitivity-versus-dog-food-allergy#.Vp7Q0XF9KM9

    #80859

    In reply to: Vaginitis

    Dori
    Member

    Kevin R. One of my girls, a Maltipoo, was riddled with food intolerances, sensitive and allergies and also environmental issues. Her dermatologist/allergist here in Atlanta, Ga. at Blue Pearl Georgia Veterinary Specialists suggested that I not do that particular testing nor the skin testing and shots. He told me it would be a very long process and the duration of the injections would probably be long term as she was such a mess. He advised me that the very best way to deal with her situation was to attempt to either do an illumination diet or try to figure out and eliminate ingredients in her diet and also to remove all, or as many, toxins in the home environment. I no longer burn candles, no air freshener sprays, no plug ins. I switched to natural type cleaners. Never ever any type of carpet freshening powders that are then vacuumed up. Hardwood floors are cleaned with a solution of vinegar and water. I also wipe her paws (all three dogs actually) when she comes in from out in the yard. I switched to a landscaping company that only uses organic products. I removed all the lawn in our patio/back area where they play and potty to stone, gravel and flower gardens….annuals and perennials. Just early on this year I had two types of testing done solely out of curiosity on my part because I had spent years “fixing” her issues to see what they would come up with. I did the Nutriscan Saliva test by Dr. Jean Dodds first and I believe the cost was around $250.00. If memory serves me that tests for 20 items. Though the test was informative as it did have things that I had already eliminated from her diet I did find that the test showed that she was sensitive to one of the few foods she actually does very well on. I then heard about a test called Glacier Peak Holistics on an allergy group I’m on. That tests for 200 including food and environment which cost $85.00. It is a food and saliva test. I that test was spot on for every single thing that through the years I had eliminated from her diet. The food that she does well on was not something that came up as a sensitivity on that test. It did come up with with food ingredient that I was not aware of and that was cucumbers. From time to time Katie would itch, not a lot but it was there. Turns out that they must have coincided with times that I shared cucumbers with the girls. I eliminated the cucumbers and she’s never scratched again. I feed all three of my dogs commercial raw frozen diets rotating brands and proteins with the exceptions of the ones that Katie cannot tolerate. For treats they get fresh fruits and veggies. I’ve been feeding them this way for a little over 4 1/2 years. Switching to the raw frozen was how I was able to eliminate her food issues as it was the quickest way to eliminate soy, grains, all fowl, corn, white potatoes, tomatoes, white rice, all night shade plant ingredients which are all pro inflammatory. I got Katie at the age of 9 weeks old and at that early age she was an allergy sensitive mess. It took me two years to go through the elimination process with her. She is now 6 1/2 years old and a happy camper. Quite comfortable and happy in her own skin. I continue to wipe all three toy dogs privates and paws with warm clean wash cloths. I should mention that I also have a “no shoes” policy in our home. No one, including repairmen, etc. enters our home with shoes on. It would defeat all I’m doing by dragging in environmental stuff that’s on the bottom of their shoes. Everyone is perfectly happy to go along with my wishes and as a matter of fact through the years more and more people that I know have gone with the “no shoes” in the house policy. I also purchased one of those iRobot Roombas that is programmed to go on daily and then I do a deep in the wall vacuuming once a week. It sounds like a lot but when it all comes together it’s all really easy and has changed her and our lives around.

    Edit: I will add that there are some people that do not believe in the allergy tests that I have had done on Katie nor their efficacy. All I can say is that they really were spot on with Katie’s issues. Both companies will send you the kits that you need to do the testing with detailed instructions, you send everything back to them and typically in a week or so you’ll get an email with the results. You can then call them and they will go over the results in detail with you.

    • This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Dori.
    #80746
    Dori
    Member

    Claire P. When he vomits, what’s coming up? Also what type of water are you giving him? Bottled, Spring, Filtered, Reverse Osmosis or tap water?

    It is possible that he is sensitive to something in his food. I’d try avoiding all poultry, all fowl, and go grain free, avoid soy, corn, any veggies in the night shade group as though all promote inflammation. Also no white rice or white potatoes for the same inflammatory reason. I’d also switch brands. Maybe try something like a dehydrated food. Grandma Lucy’s, The Honest Kitchen and Sojo’s I believe all make grain free formulas. You rehydrate them with warm water so that will get some liquid into him. You can also try adding digestive enzymes to his meals and probiotics. The brand I use is by Enzymedica as they are vegan and also vegetarian containing no grains, soy, etc. etc. so there very likely isn’t anything in them that could bother him. I have a allergy girl and it’s the only ones she’s perfectly fine with taking in her meals.

    Another thought is, are you or anyone in the home giving him store bought treats or bully sticks or anything like that? Rawhide chews? If so, you shouldn’t.

    One last thought: Have you given thought to allergy testing. Dr. Jean Dodds has a NutriScan test that is a saliva test. Another one that I have used and is way cheaper ($85.00) is by glacierpeakholistics.com. There’s is a saliva and hair sample test. You order there’s on line, same for the Nutriscan (I think that one was around $250 or $275) they’ll send you what you need with directions. You return the kit back to them and then you’ll have the results usually in about a week by email. If you then have any questions, you can call them and they’ll go over the results with you in detail. I found the tests very useful and only wish I’d done them early on instead of going through years of eliminations.

    • This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Dori.
    #80569
    Kristine V
    Member

    Hi all,

    Thank you all for your support and suggestions. Koji’s symptoms started early September. We noticed he was looking a little skinny and suddenly he started throwing up before eating, after eating, eating grass etc. On evening of day 3 and throwing up, we took him to his vet. They gave him a shot to help with the nausea. The last time he had seen his vet was in June for his last puppy shots. From June to September he had not gained any weight. His symptoms were slowly creeping on. That night at the vets office, they did x-rays and said there was no visible foreign object but there was lots of gas and thickening of his small intestines associated with inflammation. Our vet then referred us to a specialist, Internal Medicine doctor. Ultrasound was done, which pretty much revealed the same as the x-ray. From this point on, he just got worse. He was put on so many medications, had every blood test done, and everything pointed toward Inflammartory Bowel Disease.

    THE BIG PROBLEM: Koji is eating, however, due to whatever is going on in his small intstines, is NOT ALLOWING ANY NUTRIENTS to be absorbed in his body. Hence the continued weight loss. Last week alone he lost 3 pounds within 4 days. He went from 81lbs and is now down to 74lbs. So I’m sure as your reading this, you can see our desperation and dilemma. NOTHING is working. His new vet, who did the NutriScan food sensitivity test and is currently treating Koji, is as baffled as we are. No matter what we feed him, no matter waht supplements we have given him or how often he eats, his body is just not absorbing any nutrients. We tried the Holistic approach along with Western Medicine and NO SUCCESS. Trust me when I say this, we have exhausted every non surgical option to help our boy. I am his voice and his advocate and no matter the cost, we are not giving up on him. I have called so many specialist BEGGING to have a new set of eyes review his medical records and NOT ONE specialist was willing to review them without paying $180.00 and having to bring Koji in for an appointment. I work in the medical field and peer case reviews are done all the time. Why in the hell can’t a group of specialist do the same.

    So this is where we are….our baby is in pain, has no life in him, no excitement, no mommy kisses or cuddles. He doesn’t want to be bothered. My husband and I knew the steriods would make him feel like this and we told ourselves we have to suck it up seeing him like this and pray for a damn miracle that the steriods kick in internally and we see progress. Sadly, nothing has changed except him getting skinnier. On the positive, we had his protein levels checkedthis past Tuesday and they are perfect. Meaning he is not in immediate life threathening danger. Meaning we have a little more time to give the steriods a good 2 weeks of waiting and see what happens. There is no worse heart ripping pain than seeing him suffer like this. So as you can imagine, as much as we truly DO NOT want him going through open abdominal surgery, we have no other choice. It’s a major surgery and not one to be taken lightly. The risks associated with this surgery are very high and we could very well loose him. But in our hearts, we feel we are slowly loosing him now. So what’s a parent to do? Risk the surgery and know we will get an exact diagnosis, or do nothing and we end up having to cross him over the rainbow bridge? It’s tuff ya’ll. A very crappy situation to be in. For all we know, and the IM doctor said herself, he could have a piece of plastic or some small object in his intestine that she wasn’t able to see on ultrasound. I can go on and on but in the end, nothing we are doing is working and he isn’t getting any better and I just want a miracle and want my baby back! 🙁

    I would like to post his picture so you all can see my beautiful boy but I don’t know how to upload a picture on here as my profile picture.

    #80551
    anonymously
    Member

    It sounds like she is getting the best of care. I think anyone reading about Koji will be sending positive thoughts her way. Maybe the surgery will identify the problem….it’s not like you have a lot of options left.

    How long has she been ill? Wondering if this is acute, or due to a congenital anomaly.

    PS: Did a veterinarian that examined the dog recommend Nutriscan? If so, I would make sure to report the results to him, so that maybe he will rethink suggesting it to other clients in the future.

    Keep us posted, we are all pulling for her.

    #80548
    Jennifer Y
    Member

    Hi Kristine,
    Sorry to hear about Koji. I unfortunately don’t have much advice for your situation. Since posting about Nimbus’ Nutriscan results, we’ve done a bit of trial and error on raw meat proteins with her diet, but my situation wasn’t as dire as your’s. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.

    I personally take the Nutriscan results with a grain of salt. She does fine with most of the food she’s apparently reactive to according to Nutriscan. I’ve been giving her Kefir and plant-based digestive enzymes to help break down her food as well, because I do believe she has a sensitive stomach. Maybe try adding those to Koji’s meals?

    Regardless, I hope you find answers soon and some extra cuddles for Koji!

    #80528
    anonymously
    Member

    I would consult a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist, if you haven’t done so already.
    Have x-rays and ultrasounds revealed anything?
    Regarding the saliva and hair tests for canines: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=nutriscan
    Best of luck

    #80525
    Kristine V
    Member

    Hi all,

    I’m new to this group and we too have recently had the NutriScan test done on our 1 year old Akita. I was shocked when we got the results. My baby has been quit sick and loosing weight. I’m not quit sure how confident I am in the results though because he pretty much had a reaction to everything. We also suspect he has IBD. He’s currently on steriods to help with the inflammation but his diet is a nightmare. I think process of elimination is the best. ALthough when you have a sick pet, trial and error is very scary. We have had to go against the scan results and give our boy some of the foods it says he can’t have only because of him being ill. If not progres is made by our December 2, 2015 vet appointment, my baby has to have open abdominal surgery – 🙁

    #78314

    In reply to: Golden with Poo Issues

    Anonymous
    Member

    Did you check the search engine to see a variety of opinions on the product you mentioned?
    Example: /forums/search/nutriscan/

    #78311

    In reply to: Golden with Poo Issues

    Amelia Z
    Member

    Thanks for all your suggestions!
    I switched over to Acana pork (grain free) which is a one ingredient food with less protein and fat. It’s been a couple of days that he is getting only that, since I’ve mixed it with his old food for about a week. So far, no change!!
    No, I have not tried Zignature or Fromm’s or Holistic Ocean Fusion but will look into it. I would think that the Holistic Ocean Fusion would be similar to the Pacifica that he has been getting except it is not grain free and would prefer that it was.
    This can be a LONG process to keep changing foods and of course when you do that the stools are softer. I am considering doing NutriSan from Dr. Dodds to figure out what the culprit it. Expensive but in the end may save time and money. http://www.nutriscan.org/

    #77265
    Laura S
    Member

    Thank you so much. I just watched the video and it was very interesting. I am familiar with Dr. Dodds and have done the NutriScan test for Stella but there were no foods she should avoid. Thanks again for sharing the video.

    #75507

    In reply to: Nutriscan

    DogFoodie
    Member

    Hi Kate,

    I know you just spent about $275 on the NutriScan, but I recently had a food sensitivity test by Glacier Peak Holistic. The test results are the result of biofeedback energy collected from DNA on hair and saliva samples you send them. My test results are extensive. It tests 34 animal proteins plus numerous other fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, spices as well as environmental sensitivities. Plus, it makes recommendations for beneficial supplements. It also identifies possible concerns to address with your vet. The test was $85. My test result yielded some surprises. I talked to two friends who received their test results at the same time and they feel the results are highly accurate based on past elimination diet results.

    Here’s a link: http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com/More-Than-an-Allergy-Test_p_80.html

    One problem with lamb, is that it’s frequently high in fat. So I understand, are you looking for a food that is lamb based and pea free? One that comes to mind is California Natural Lamb and Rice if you’re not opposed to grain.

    #75501
    Kate L
    Member

    My french bulldog is reactive to everything on 2 pages of lists except lamb and tofu. Has anyone had experience with the Nutriscan? He shows signs of IBD and reflux. . .regurgitates a LOT. Loose stools (not diarrhea, but pudding and loose). He’s on Instinct LID lamb/peas but according to the Nutriscan he’s reactive to lentils which would knock out peas. I simply cannot find a dog food he can eat! Suggestions? This one increased his regurgitations and loose stools, not helped it.

    #75302
    DogFoodie
    Member

    Wysong Epigen is good product, Pitlove. It’s worth a try, but it also quite possibly not food related.

    That said, I have a Golden whose seasonal allergies became very apparent to me this spring. He was eating a particular food that he’s always done great on when seemingly out of nowhere, he had yeast infections in both ears. He does have food intolerance issues also, and in the past, when he’s reacted to foods, he’s had the same type of reaction which resulted in yeast infections in his ears – usually his right ear. But, this year, I was able to relate the timing of the onset of his symptoms to seasonal environmental changes. Looking back, it happened the same time last year. I was starting him on Springtime’s Bug Off Garlic and I attributed his ear infections to him reacting to that. I’m still not certain whether or not he’s intolerant of garlic.

    One thing I did that seemed to help was to add Quercetin with Bromelain, Papain and an Omega 3 supplement to help the scratching. I could tell a difference. My dogs allergies have improved as the particular pollen season that seemed to affect him the most has decreased a bit. We’re still not in the clear, but I’m formulating my strategy for next spring.

    Another thing you might consider doing is preparing a rinse of diluted white vinegar. Use it to clean his feet and wipe off his legs and belt with it every time he comes in from outside. Vacuum frequently. Keep indoor cleaning products simple and natural. The sensitivity could also be to products in your home; ie: cleaning products, new carpet, bedding, etc.

    A raw diet would be great, but it’s OK if you’re able to do it currently. Since you’re interested, talk to your boyfriend and find out why he feels uneasy about it. Would he be feeding your pup at times? Maybe you could assume sole responsibility of feeding him if your boyfriend is uneasy about it. Also, half raw is better than none. Maybe you could try a commercial raw – that’s sometimes easier to stomach for queasy feeders. It’s also agreat way to be sure you’re getting balanced meals. A dehydrated food like The Honest Kitchen would also be less processed than kibble. I’d probably choose a grain free one like Zeal. Raw isn’t for everyone. My Golden isn’t a fan of raw, unless it’s tripe, which he eats eagerly. Another option would be canned food.

    Allergy testing is notoriously inaccurate. I actually had a hair and saliva test recently that tests samples using biofeedback energy. The test was affordable for me, but I’m struggling to make sense of the results. My integrative vet and I were discussing another test, Dr. Jean Dodds, NutriScan test as likely being the most reliable, but still limited in scope and possibly accuracy. So, you’re better off with an elimination diet for food intolerance issues and developing a strategy for dealing with your pup’s environmental sensitivities.

    There was someone here who was feeling with an issue with a food the same breed as yours and she ended up figuring out that it was a specific new detergent she was using. She stooped using the detergent and the symptoms disappeared. She had started using Gain lavender. She and her pup went through h*ll until she figured it out.

    I know how frustrating it can be. There’s an awful lot of us here dealing with similar issues. You’re not alone! Good luck!

    #75130
    Anonymous
    Member

    An excerpt from the above review by The Skeptvet:
    “A fair bit of effort in the book goes to promoting a test called Nutriscan, which uses saliva to identify dietary sensitivities in dogs. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Dodds’ company owns Nutriscan, and equally unsurprisingly the mainstream community of veterinary nutritionists and dermatologists do not accept the legitimacy of her test because she has not provided any controlled evidence to show it is an accurate and useful test. She does provide a lot of citations to support her claims for this method, but if one takes the trouble to investigate them, they do not actually turn out to be compelling evidence”.

    #73993

    In reply to: Nutriscan Results

    Tammy J B
    Member

    Freeholdhound, there are foods available now that don’t have ANY of the allergy triggers your dog has… Zignature Duck, Lamb, or the new Kangaroo! GF food with no chicken, salmon, potatoes, eggs, or soy! I was researching the Nutriscan test and ran across your review so thought I would share about Zignature dog food!

    #73101
    Anonymous
    Member

    If the dog is really uncomfortable (suffering) I would make an appointment with a dermatologist/specialist. Has he been tested for environmental allergies (skin testing done by a dermatologist). That is where I would start…his symptoms may not have anything to do with food.

    Here is one thread: /forums/topic/help-7/ and another one: /forums/topic/possible-food-allergies/
    and another: /forums/topic/im-at-wits-end/
    and another: /forums/topic/nutriscan-results-suggestions/
    Best of luck.

    #72891
    Jennifer Y
    Member

    Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I have spoken to my vet about the results, and have considered contacting the holistic vet at my vet clinic. My dog’s insensitivity reactions has been mild enough that my vet and I decided to try an elimination diet.

    Over the past 2 years, if I try to recall her vet appointments along with the kibble I feed her, she seems to be reactive to something in Orijen Regional Red. I believe it’s pork (since it’s the highest reactive ingredient that came back on the Nutriscan test as well). To play it safe, I began her on an elimination diet. So far, so good. No hot spots and no eye infections. When I get around to testing out pork, I will find out whether it’s been the culprit.

    Susan, thanks for your input about the rice, duck and lamb. But the test indicated not to feed her anything that she showed a reaction to (mild or otherwise) in either IgA and IgM results. She unfortunately showed a medium reaction in lamb (IgA), strong reaction in duck (IgA) and a strong reaction in rice (IgA). Against the suggestion of the results, however, I have tried lamb in her elimination diet, and she seems to be doing alright. I do believe there is merit to Dr. Dodd’s test, and I trust her research. But in the case of my dog, I don’t think her intolerances are as severe as the test makes it seem. I’ve been giving her probiotics and coconut oil, which may have played a part in her doing better on her current food as well. I am also considering starting her on raw, but I’m still in the process on researching about raw before I fully dive into it.

    Once again, thank you everyone for your suggestions. I really appreciate it 🙂

    #72796
    Anonymous
    Member

    Most allergies are environmental and get worse with age not better. My dog started treatment at age 4. Two years later she is stable and only needs the immunotherapy about once a month. Her specialist/dermatologist who we just saw, she only sees him once a year and he always returns phone calls, says her hair and skin look beautiful!

    I went through it with my dog, spent all kinds of money on different dog foods, shampoos, dehumidifier, air purifier etc. Went back and forth to the regular vet and got incorrect information.
    Nothing worked till I took her to see a specialist/dermatologist and had the skin testing done and she responded to immunotherapy, gradually showed improvement.
    Initially, the testing can be expensive, but the maintenance is not bad.

    I hope you will click on my screen name, replies created and read the posts related to allergies, I have made many recommendations and have included some good articles.

    Example: I would suggest that you make an appointment with a specialist/dermatologist.

    Or consider consulting a homeopath http://www.vitalanimal.com http://theavh.org/

    I would be leery of any saliva kits or any mail-in test that doesn’t require a physical examination by a veterinarian /forums/topic/nutriscan-results-suggestions/

    /forums/topic/please-help-2/
    /forums/topic/4-year-pld-hound-mix-hot-spots-itching-shedingvet-presribed-pills-worked-some/

    Anonymous
    Member

    I would suggest that you make an appointment with a specialist/dermatologist.

    Or consider consulting a homeopath http://www.vitalanimal.com http://theavh.org/

    I would be leary of any saliva kits or any mail-in test that doesn’t require a physical examination by a veterinarian /forums/topic/nutriscan-results-suggestions/

    /forums/topic/please-help-2/
    /forums/topic/4-year-pld-hound-mix-hot-spots-itching-shedingvet-presribed-pills-worked-some/

    #72136
    Anonymous
    Member

    Have you tried Wysong senior? http://www.chewy.com/dog/wysong-senior-dry-dog-food-5-lb-bag/dp/50242?utm_source=bing-pla&utm_medium=cse&utm_content=Wysong&utm_campaign=f

    or Nutrisca lamb and chickpea http://www.chewy.com/dog/dogswell-nutrisca-grain-free-lamb/dp/35037

    Regarding environmental allergies: /forums/topic/nutriscan-results-suggestions/
    Frequent bathing with Malaseb might help…a lot of allergens are airborne.

    #71596
    Anonymous
    Member

    “Regular expression of the anal glands”.
    Very important if you have a dog that is prone to anal gland impaction. It only takes a second, Youtube has excellent “how to” videos, just type in “how to express dog anal glands” in their search engine. Ask your vet how often? I have had dogs that needed to be checked at least once a week, sometimes more often.

    This problem is common in some small breeds, has something to do with their anatomy, also obesity and sedentary lifestyle can be factors.

    “Managing environmental allergies. (shots or meds.)”
    It doesn’t have to be shots or meds, however, a dermatologist can come up with specific treatments, different from the regular vet…. that may help your dog immensely.
    I would be leary of any saliva kits or any mail-in test that doesn’t require a physical examination by a veterinarian /forums/topic/nutriscan-results-suggestions/

    “Try a prescription diet”.
    As far as diet goes. you want to avoid foods that will cause the dog to have loose or too soft stools, increase the chance of getting clogged up in a vulnerable dog.

    “The vet mentioned surgery to remove the anal glands as the absolute last resort”.
    This has been effective and has helped many dogs….when all else has failed. The dog no longer has to deal with discomfort and chronic infection.

    #71397
    Jennifer Y
    Member

    I have a 2 year old golden retriever. Since she was 8 weeks old, she’s been eating Orijen or Acana dog food (mainly Orijen). For the past year she was on a rotation between Six Fish and Regional Red.

    For as long as I can remember, she’s always been a very itchy pup (mainly her neck and her bum/tail, but she itches all over). She’s never itched to the point where hair loss or rashes have been a problem. She also used to have eye infections every couple weeks, until I correlated her eye infections with her Regional Red rotations. Her only real “symptoms” have been eye infections, hot spots every so often, soft stool (firm to begin with, but ends as soft) and itchiness. She’s been on Orijen Six Fish for the past 6 months. I suspected she had a food intolerance to beef and chicken, which was why I decided to order a Nutriscan kit to see if there were any other ingredients she was intolerant to.

    These were her results: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5_-KpxSZJvmdXhzQUxGSFVFNkk&authuser=0

    I received the results today, which really took me by surprise. She has a reaction to every single ingredient they tested for. All 24. I’ve read many positive reviews online about how the Nutriscan test has helped many different dogs, and it seems to be relatively accurate.

    I’m currently at a loss for words and not really sure where to go from here. If the test is in fact accurate, I’m not quite sure what I can feed her as I’m unable to find ANY food that does not contain any of the ingredients tested. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking your time to read my post!

    • This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Jennifer Y.
    • This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Jennifer Y.
    #69782
    GSDMom
    Member

    Hello All,
    I have a male GSD that will be 7 in June. Since he was 1, I’ve been trying to find out why he scratches so much. I’d read that allergies tend to start at a year old, but when it started I was really unprepared. Since then, I’ve done the Spectrum Blood allergy testing through the vet, twice (2009 and April 2014) I’ve done the Nutriscan test (saliva – 2014) with Jean Dodds. (She told me she disagrees with blood testing for food allergies) I’ve recently done the Glacier Peak Holistics test as well (hair and saliva). In addition to all of that, he’s been blood tested for environmental allergies and he has those as well.
    Every season he seems to have a secondary bacterial infection or a yeast infection… and I truly have no idea if it’s environment, food or both causing them. Currently his hair is growing back on his sides where he had been tearing it out from chewing, and his inner thighs and underarms are bright pick. The vet has given me a 21 day (2 per day)prescription of 200mg Simplicef. I hate to use it, as I always do, but after being given Chinese herbs from a holistic vet time and time again, I’ve never seen results.
    Can anyone give me their opinions (and not about me being crazy, I already know I am, haha) …good, bad or indifferent about these tests and their reliability? Thanks!

    #57235
    Peter S
    Member

    Hi, I’m trying to figure out which way to test my 3-yr old lab for food sensitivity(s). I’m referring to an actual blood/saliva type of test and not a food-rotation/elimination type of test. I recently read about Dr Dodds’ Nutriscan saliva test and the limited (biased ?) online reviews I saw were pretty much all positive, but then I asked my local vet about it and she said that the test wasn’t reliable enough. I have also heard about some sort of “muscle-testing” but haven’t yet followed up with any research about that. I’m hoping that the very knowledgeable posters here at DFA can help me out with some advice on this topic !

    #38460

    Well this is a first… Noticed topic on a Greyhound Forum :

    “Feeding Raw Foods to your Pets can Cause Hyperthyroidism”

    WHAT? I’m sorry. Can you say that again?

    Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction when one of the world’s leading veterinarian immunologists, Dr. Jean Dodds of Dr. Jean Dodds’ Hemopet, Petlifeline, Hemolife & Nutriscan, announced that statement.

    While attending one of Dr. Dodds’ seminars, we were going over the topic of thyroid dysfunction in pets and the current “epidemic” of hypothyroidism in dogs and hyperthyroidism in older cats going on today. As she went deeper into the subject, she brought up a study involving both raw foods and dogs. The study by Dr. Mark E. Peterson showed that feeding certain raw foods caused a previously unexpected dietary hyperthyroidism effect. While hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder in dogs, canine hyperthyroidism is rare.

    How could this be? Quicker than the Roadrunner escaping Wile E. Coyote my hand flew up into the air! “How was this possible?” I asked.

    Some raw food manufacturers are grinding up the neck of the beef cattle into their mixtures/pet food. Inside that neck is where you find the thyroid glands of the cow. The thyroid tissues are being ground up and mixed into the pet food. This terrible mixture causes dietary hyperthyroidism in dogs.

    Moral of the story: It is suggested to make sure that if you’re feeding fresh, raw foods to your pets, be sure to find out if the neck (gullets that still have the esophagus and thyroid attached) of the cattle is included. How do you find out? Contact your local farmer or manufacturer! (Side note: There is no concern in feeding chicken, turkey or duck necks.)

    Feeding fresh foods to our pets is always the way to go, but educating ourselves beforehand makes it even better. Knowledge is power.

    #29845
    theBCnut
    Member
    #27372
    FrogDogz
    Participant

    Thanks – it looks like one of the NV foods might work. She did try the Zeal, but it has sweet potatoes, and the nutriscan results show that’s a no go.

    It’s amazing how hard it is to find foods with very short, simple ingredient lists.

    #22890

    I recently did the Nutriscan test. I think it was pretty accurate. Harry didn’t have a extraordinarily high reaction to any one ingredient but quite a few common ones were high enough to get pegged “avoid”. Some of those I knew thru attempting to find a kibble he could handle- turkey, chicken, venison, salmon, & sweet potato (which at least confirmed I wasn’t crazy). Others I didn’t know- milk, oatmeal, soy. I use the results as a guide. I will avoid the turkey, salmon & sweet potato as he has real problems w/ them, but I’m going to try the chicken in raw form, he appears to be able to handle it. It’s recommended to retest annually I don’t know about that yet.

    #20592

    In reply to: Nutriscan Results

    The enzymes I’m giving him incl Pre & probiotics. I think he will do better on the raw proteins (as he does now w/the chicken feet) the fish/salmon I doubt as he can’t stand them. Sardines are the exception so I’ll try some canned salmon and Jack Mackeral also. Will be starting off slowly with add ins to the kibble. I literally stumbled across a raw food supplier within 5min of my house which will make thing a lot easier 🙂

    #20591

    In reply to: Nutriscan Results

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    That’s wonderful that you’re considering starting half raw – you may very well find he isn’t as sensitive to certain ingredients when they’re served raw. The enzymes are great, in addition to enzymes (if you aren’t already) you may want to consider supplementing with a high quality, multi-strain probiotic supplement. Probiotics help to strengthen the gut and, ultimately, the immune system and there’s some evidence suggesting that they can help with food intolerances.

    #20588

    In reply to: Nutriscan Results

    I’ve found through my own trial and error with dog food that is chicken based isn’t pretty. Turkey and fish of any kind is truly awful. But chicken feet, sardines are fine. Sweet potatoes seem to trigger ear infections if I overdo it. I appreciated the test results confirming that I wasn’t nuts lol. Finding a food that he likes that like him back has been quite a challenge. Digestive Enzymes have helped also. I’m hoping to start a half raw half kibble diet soon also. 🙂

    #20580

    In reply to: Nutriscan Results

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    If he’s eating and doing well on a food that contains some of the ingredients he supposedly has an allergy to I wouldn’t worry about it. I have heard that the NutriScan is more accurate than blood allergy tests but I still don’t believe either are 100% accurate. Also, some dogs can be intolerant of cooked chicken but do fine on raw chicken or be intolerant of chicken meat but do fine with chicken organs (like liver), others can eat a food that they’re “intolerant of” intermittently, etc. etc. Just monitor your dog’s reaction. I think monitoring a dog’s reaction to particular foods is much more accurate than going by what an allergy tests tells you.

    #20573

    I recently received the results from testing my Greyhound and the ingredients listed to “avoid” are chicken, turkey, venison, white fish, salmon, sweet potato, oatmeal, soy & milk.
    He is currently eating Victor High Pro Plus kibble and doing as well as he’s ever done on any dog food (I have tried many in the year I’ve had him). It does contain some of the ingredients listed above ie: chicken meal, whitefish meal, oatmeal.
    I know from experience turkey, chicken, salmon & sweet potato produce ugly results. He does enjoy sardines, and frozen chicken feet as treats with no adverse reactions. Is it best to avoid when possible & moderation is the key? I don’t think it’s possible to avoid all the listed items in a kibble.
    Suggestions appreciated 🙂

    #20100
    brithannah
    Participant

    Hi there,

    My dog Oliver is approaching his third birthday, and has had chronic vomiting and intermittent intestinal upset since he was 6 months old. I’ve spent thousands in vet bills for this illness, and has been on Hill’s Prescription z/d and i/d since Valentine’s Day this year. In fact, the vet says he just needs to be on prescription food for the rest of his life. I can’t afford that, and I don’t like the ingredients in the food.

    I just sat down and sorted through every ingredient from every brand of food my dog has ever been on that has caused a reaction (which has been every one except the prescription foods). I highlighted common ingredients, added up the number of occurrences in each to try to determine likely food intolerances.

    The biggest ingredient themes are Chicken, Rice, and Potato.

    I’ve been researching potential foods for weeks, but the only chicken, rice, and potato-free food I’ve seen is “GO! Sensitivity + Shine Grain Free, Potato Free Turkey Recipe.” Anyone have experience with this food, or have any other suggestions?

    Anyone have advice for narrowing down food intolerances without a $300 “Nutriscan” test?

    Thanks!

    #14356
    BeagleLover
    Participant

    Hello,
    We adopted our beagle when he was six-months old. At the time, he had ear issues-itching, excess wax, bad smell, etc. After the traditional vet treated him several times for the same symptoms, I figured it was related to his food. Back then I didn’t know about grain-free dog foods and simply searched online for allergy free dog foods.

    I found the Holistic Select Brand-Duck & Oatmeal and he was on that diet for about three years. In November, my dog started developing stomach symptoms similar to colitis/IBD. Just last week I had him tested for food allergies using the saliva test-Nutriscan but won’t have the results back for a couple of weeks.

    In December, I had switched his dog food again, just to get him off of the grains. The holistic vet I took him to said to feed him a limited dry dog food until his stomach issues are resolved. He recommended Acana Grasslands and my dog has been on that diet close to eight weeks. While his symptoms have not disappeared, they are much better than before. My only concern is that the Grasslands formula has duck in it too. Doesn’t this seem like an unlikely choice?

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