A food-allergy diet trial feeds a pet one prescription food and nothing else for weeks, to see whether itching or stomach trouble clears up. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord is a vet in Concord, North Carolina, with an on-site pharmacy for the pets it treats, and its vets set up a diet trial only after an exam rules out other causes.
Pet itchy or dealing with chronic soft stool? Call (980) 360-2922, book online, or walk in.
What is a food-allergy diet trial?
A diet trial, also called an elimination diet, is the standard way to find out whether food is behind a pet's symptoms. At Petfolk Concord, the vet picks a prescription food with a protein your pet has not eaten before, or one with proteins broken into very small pieces, and your pet eats only that. If symptoms ease, the old food is sometimes added back to confirm the cause. Blood and saliva tests are not a substitute. Our allergy testing and treatment page covers the wider picture.
Why does a trial start with an exam?
Itchy skin, ear infections and loose stool have many causes, and fleas, skin infections and seasonal allergies are more common than food allergy. The Petfolk Concord vet examines your pet first, treats any infection, and checks for parasites. If food still looks likely, the vet starts the trial. Starting without that work can waste weeks.
How long does a trial last?
Plan on at least 8 to 12 weeks. A veterinary dermatologist writing in dvm360 says a trial should run at least that long, and that the new diet should be phased in over about a week. Petfolk Concord sets your pet's exact timeline, and some pets need less or more, so keep the schedule the vet writes down.
No treats, no table scraps, no chews
This is where most trials fail, because even one extra bite can spoil the result. During the trial, the same dvm360 article says only the prescribed diet, its matching treats and water are allowed. That means no table food, no rawhides or bully sticks, no flavored chews and no peanut butter or cheese to hide a pill. Ask the Petfolk Concord team about flavored medicines and heartworm or flea preventives, since some are flavored, and the team can pick an option that fits the trial.
What if my pet won't eat the new food?
Tell the Petfolk Concord team the first day. Pets in a diet trial can be picky, and there is often another formula, texture or a canned version that fits the same plan. Do not give in with a little of the old food, since that restarts the clock.
Follow the vet's switching plan, which usually mixes in more of the new food each day. Ask about refills and online-order approvals, and see our pet pharmacy page.
Checking in along the way
A trial works best with a recheck partway through, so your vet can see whether itching, ears or stool are improving. Gentle, Fear Free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, so visits stay calm for itchy, tired pets. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.
When should a food problem go to a 24-hour emergency hospital?
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet has facial swelling, hives with trouble breathing, or vomiting that will not stop. A male cat straining in the litter box with little or no urine needs one right away. One option is Carolina Veterinary Specialists Charlotte, 2225 Township Rd, Charlotte, NC 28273, whose site lists emergency care as open 24 hours. Petfolk Concord is a primary and urgent care clinic, not an emergency hospital.
Find us on Herrons Nest Place
Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord is at 2425 Herrons Nest Pl NW, Suite 100, Concord, NC 28027, and welcomes families from Cox Mill and Highland Creek. We are open weekends and offer same-day appointments. Call (980) 360-2922 or book online.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord, or see all veterinary services in Concord.
Food-allergy diet trial FAQs
Diet trials near Herrons Nest Pl NW