Why Is My Dog Still Itchy?

We’ve Launched Dog Intolerance Testing That Actually Gives You a Plan

If you’ve spent months changing your dog’s food, visiting the vet, and trawling through online forums only to still watch them scratch, lick, or chew themselves raw you’re not alone. Please don’t feel you’ve failed them.

Something is being missed. And there’s a good chance that a standard intolerance test, on its own, won’t find it.

This is exactly why we created Optima’s intolerance testing service: It’s not just a test, but a complete, supported process that ends with a clear plan for you and your dog.

What a typical dog intolerance test looks like and where it falls short.

Most intolerance tests, whether postal or online, work in broadly the same way.

You send in a sample, the laboratory analyses it, and you receive a list of substances your dog has shown a reaction to.

That list might show sensitivities to chicken, wheat, dust mites, or a dozen other things. And then what?

For many owners, this is where the process stops.

You’re left with a result but no clear direction. Which foods do you swap out first?

What do you replace them with?

How do you know if it’s working? What if the results only tell part of the story?

These are exactly the questions that a dog intolerance test, without professional interpretation, cannot answer.

How an Optima Canine  Products dog intolerance test is different!

At Optima Canine, we believe the test result is a starting point — not the finish line. Here’s what happens when you choose our service:

Step 1: Your comprehensive Pet Assessment

Before we even look at results, you’ll complete a detailed Pet Assessment.

This covers your dog’s full history. It includes what they eat, their environment, their lifestyle, any medications they’ve been on, and the symptoms you’re seeing.

Owners consistently tell us this is the first time they’ve felt truly heard in their dog’s health journey.

Every case is different, and context matters enormously.

Dog Intolerance Testing Step 2 — Laboratory testing across 500+ triggers

Our dog intolerance test will mean sending dog’s sample to our partner laboratory.

It will screens for reactions across more than 500 potential triggers.

It includes environmental factors such as pollens, grasses, and household materials, as well as lifestyle-related triggers.

The reason this matters: a dog with a sensitivity to a particular grass or textile may show identical symptoms to one with a food intolerance.

Without looking at the full picture, you could eliminate half their diet and still see no improvement.

Step 3 — Expert interpretation by a Canine Nutritionist

This is where Optima’s service genuinely differs.

Once your results are returned from the laboratory, they are reviewed and interpreted by a Canine Nutritionist, not simply passed on to you as a raw data set.

We look beyond individual triggers to identify nutritional deficiencies, patterns that point to compromised gut health, and factors that may be prolonging your dog’s symptoms.

The result isn’t a list. It’s an understanding.

Step 4: Your personalised Nutrition & Lifestyle Plan

You receive a comprehensive, personalised plan covering what to feed, what to avoid, how to structure a digestive rest period to allow your dog’s body to repair, and targeted support using Optima’s range of holistic products to restore gut health and microbiome balance.

This isn’t a generic template. Optima dog intolerance testing plans are built around your dog’s specific results, history, and circumstances.

Why gut health is at the centre of everything we find from your dog intolerance testing.

If your dog has been on Apoquel, Cytopoint, or steroids for an extended period, it’s important to understand what this means for their recovery.

These medications manage immune response and suppress symptoms.

What they don’t address, are the underlying cause, and they can make the gut’s work harder over time.

This is why some dogs take longer to turn the corner: four weeks is possible for dogs who haven’t had long-term immune suppression.

Others, particularly those who’ve been on medication for years, or who have established skin conditions, may take considerably longer.

This could take up to twelve months. The plan we build accounts for this.

We set realistic expectations, support the recovery process at every stage, and remain available to clients throughout.

Most find it helpful to email back and forth as they implement the plan and see how their dog responds.

Common symptoms that often point to intolerance

If your dog is experiencing any of the following, Optima Canine Products dog intolerance testing may be a helpful next step:

• Persistent itching, scratching, or skin irritation that doesn’t respond to treatment
• Constant paw licking, red paws, or recurring interdigital cysts
• Gunky, smelly, or regularly infected ears
• A “yeasty” odour, particularly around the ears, paws, or skin folds
• Loose stools, excessive wind, or a generally sensitive stomach
• Dull coat, flaky skin, or slow healing

These symptoms often overlap, and they don’t always have a single, straightforward cause.

That’s precisely why looking at the full picture including food, environment, lifestyle, and nutrition, gives a clearer route forward than changing one thing at a time and hoping for the best.

How to get started with your dog intolerance testing?

The process begins entirely online.

You purchase the test through our website and receive everything you need by email, including your Pet Assessment forms and laboratory submission details.

There’s nothing to receive in the post from us. Our dog intolerance testing is designed to be as straightforward as possible.

Once your results are returned, we work with our experienced Optima Canine Products Dog Nutritionist, we analyse and handle the interpretation and build your plan.

You’ll come away knowing exactly what you’re dealing with and exactly what to do next — no guesswork, no vague advice, and no dead ends.

Ready to find some answers?

To purchase your dog intolerance testing kit and begin the assessment process, simply click Here.

If you have questions before you start, get in touch. We’re happy to help.

Blog content created : Blanc Creative