Allergy Update

As promised, I'm following up on Harry's allergy diagnostic testing (I sound SO smart).  Over the past three weeks we've tested Harry on cheese and chicken with varying results.  Testing involves including the variable ingredient in Harry's "constant" of hypo-allergenic food.  After getting over a neck rash associated with testing him on his Blue Buffalo dog food, we were ready to introduce a new ingredient to Harry's repertoire.

Blue Buffalo Dog Food Test...

Blue Buffalo Dog Food Results...

The Cheese Test could be done with any cheese, but we chose to use Cottage Cheese since he loved it so much on his birthday last year.  Breakfast and dinner were met with such excitement you would think we had just told Harry he was going to Disneyworld.  Just 1/4 cup was added to his current meal and then we waited.  We observed Harry for a week while he consistently ate cottage cheese for dinner.  At first everything seemed fine, and then his right eye got crusty.  As the week went on it got oozier and crustier and his hair appeared more dried out than it has been.  Then the itching began.  While he never has stopped licking his paws, he started itching with his back legs more frequently than normal.  The results were in, Harry is allergic to cheese.

It took another couple of weeks to clear Harry's system and wait for his symptoms to go away.  He spent that time eating his hypoallergenic food and hypo treats.  The next ingredient we tested was chicken.  

Because we only are testing one ingredient at a time, it's important to make sure the cooking methodology isn't introducing anything new.  In order to prevent oils from getting into the chicken, we boiled it in water.  

Cooking was simple.  Place boneless skinless breasts in water, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cover for 20 minutes.  Drain chicken, and then shred.  

We added 1/4 cup of chicken to Harry's breakfast and dinner for a week, and then observed.  Chicken dinners were almost as exciting as cottage cheese dinners...I guess Harry loves what he can't have.

Dinner was gone in approximately 30 seconds, and Harry didn't seem too bothered by anything for the entire week.  He performed the same mouth wiping rituals as he does after any dinner and licked his paws just the same.  Only this week (he's been back on hypo food for a week and a half now) are we noticing a small rash right next to his hoinky.  I don't think he's allergic to chicken, but the rash is suspicious.  

Since Harry's birthday is coming up, I'm saving a special ingredient to test him on his birthday week.  Lamb!  Hopefully it doesn't result in a horrible allergic reaction which would be terrible for a second birthday party!