Pet Allergy Testing & Treatment
Fleas, mites, and skin infections can look exactly like allergies, so allergy care starts by ruling them out. If the itch keeps coming back after that, testing can help identify the triggers. Our Midlothian clinic is on Steam Avenue off Midlothian Turnpike, and we see itchy dogs and cats seven days a week.
Call (804) 603-9509 or book online.
When it's an emergency: Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet's face or muzzle swells quickly, hives spread along with vomiting or weakness, or your pet has any trouble breathing. Those are signs of a serious allergic reaction. Our Midlothian clinic is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, and we don't provide overnight care.
Signs That Point to Allergies
Licking or chewing the paws.
Red skin on the belly, armpits, or groin.
Ear infections that keep coming back.
Scratching that wakes you at night.
In cats: small scabs along the back or neck, or overgrooming that leaves bald patches.
The Three Common Types
Flea allergy: a few bites can trigger weeks of itching, often at the lower back and base of the tail.
Environmental allergy (atopic dermatitis): pollens, molds, and dust mites, often seasonal at first.
Food allergy: a reaction to a protein, usually year-round, and diagnosed with a strict diet trial.
A grain-free bag from the store isn't a test for food allergy. Most food-allergic pets react to a protein, and a real diet trial uses a prescription or novel-protein diet, and nothing else, for several weeks.
How Diagnosis Works
Exam and history: where the itch is, when it started, and what makes it better or worse.
In-house tests: skin scrapings and cytology to look for mites, yeast, and bacteria, and a fungal culture if ringworm is possible.
Flea control for every pet in the house, to rule out flea allergy.
A diet trial if food allergy is suspected.
Allergy testing for pets with recurring signs, to identify specific triggers. The doctor may also refer you to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist.
When It Isn't an Allergy
A brand-new itch, a single hot spot, or scratching that started after a boarding stay often has a simpler cause, like fleas, mites, or a skin infection. Those are treated directly, and allergy testing isn't needed. Testing makes sense when signs keep returning despite treatment.
Managing Allergies Long Term
Environmental allergies in dogs can't be cured, but they can usually be managed well enough for a comfortable life. A plan usually combines anti-itch medication during flares, quick treatment of secondary skin and ear infections, bathing, strict flea control, and adjustments before the predictable bad seasons.
"Amazing care of my labradoodle who has chronic health issues; every single person there is very attentive and has a great bedside manner with owner and dog!"
— Kelly A., Petfolk client.
Richmond's Pollen Calendar and Your Pet's Itch
Richmond regularly lands on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's list of the toughest U.S. cities for seasonal allergies: No. 7 in 2024, No. 8 in 2025, and No. 14 in 2026. The seasons arrive in a predictable order:
Early spring, as early as March: juniper, elm, and maple.
Spring: oak and pine, the yellow dust on every car in Midlothian.
Summer: grasses.
Late summer into fall: ragweed.
Keep a simple log of your pet's itchy days next to the daily pollen count; WRIC's StormTracker8 publishes a Richmond-area allergy forecast. If the bad weeks line up with oak and pine season, that helps the doctor time treatment before next spring. On high-pollen days, wipe paws and belly with a damp cloth after walks, before your pet licks the pollen off.
What Drives the Cost
Allergy care happens in steps, so the cost depends on how many your pet needs: the exam, in-house skin and ear tests, medication for the current flare, a diet-trial food if needed, allergy testing, and rechecks. PetfolkCare members save $99 on every exam and 10% on lab work. You get an estimate before each step.
Start by Ruling Things Out
Bring your itchy dog or cat to our clinic on Steam Avenue. We'll find out what's driving the itch before reaching for allergy tests, and build a plan for the seasons ahead. Call (804) 603-9509 or book online.