Pet Food Intolerance Test for Dogs & Cats, 825 Items Tested | Identify Food Triggers for Pets of All Breeds & Ages. At-Home Hair Analysis to Pinpoint Gut Health Stressors, 4 Day Results

My golden retriever is stage two kidney disease, and I really wanted to feed him the best food that he was not having any sensitivities to. 5 Strands was able to analyze his hair and give me a very comprehensive list of so many different food categories as well as supplements. I highly recommend this for anyone that wants the best health for their furry kid.

I just recently got a corgi who is now 5 months old. I bough this after reading about many dogs having allergies to certain food. Although this is not an allergy test, I wanted to get some insight to why my puppy stool isn't as solid I would like it to be despite giving him pumpkin supplement. I was also trying to figure out what food to keep him on, and wanted to know what I should eliminate from his diet. The test was easy to do. I brush my pup daily, so I just sent in the hair I gathered from his brush. It took nearly a week to get results. You can also add on additional test to the sample you sent in, which is nice. I added an environment sensitivity test to mine and got results within 3 days. Overall, I am glad I got this test. It turns out my puppy is sensitive to pumpkin and a lot of vitamins that are added in puppy food. I was also giving him fish oil for his coat and it turns out he's sensitive to pollock oil. I basically have to discontinue majority of the things I was giving him, but I am glad I found out now before it was too late. I will definitely retest in a couple of months and compare the results.

We ordered the 5Strands Pet Food Intolerance Test for our dog and couldn’t be happier with the experience and results. The test is designed for pets of all ages and breeds, and it helps identify food intolerances that may be affecting their gut health. All it takes is 10–15 strands of your pet’s hair so it was super easy! We placed our order on October 24th and received the kit the very next day. The instructions were clear and simple, and everything needed (including the prepaid shipping label) was included. They recommend downloading their app, which I did, but you can also receive results via email. Results are promised within 4 days of the lab receiving the sample, so be sure to factor in shipping time. They tested for a wide range of items — not just regular food but also freeze-dried options. The results are categorized into insignificant, Level 1, 2, and 3 intolerances, which made it easy to understand what might be bothering our pup. Our dog is part pit bull, and while they’re known for being tough, he has a surprisingly sensitive stomach. We’ve always fed him kibble and avoided people food, but now we understand why certain brands or ingredients didn’t sit well with him. This test gave us clarity and peace of mind. We highly recommend this test to any pet owner, especially if your dog has digestive issues or unexplained reactions to food. We were so impressed that we’re planning to order the human version for ourselves!

I have owned a number of pets and my when my Bugsy developed Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency I had to incubate his food with pancreatic enzyme at $100 a kilo, give him antibiotics daily, probiotics, prebiotics and only protein such as lamb. I was told to stay away from chicken and grains. Well the disease go the better of him and now 2 dogs later I adopted a Rescue that is some sort of mix, she was so skinny when.I adopted her I wanted to give her high quality food without breaking the bank. I used Blue, Nutro, NaturaL Balance using turkey or lamb. One of my life goals, was to own a dog, that was friendly, sweet and enjoyed socializing. I wanted to be able to walk her and not have a problems picking up poop. Anyway Sophie, is gentle sweet, listens well but she kept having poops that were not like the companies all advertise, She always had an unsettled stomach. I was at wit's end and decided to order this kit, because testing her stoo; was almost as expensive as purchasing the testing kit. I was shocked at her results especially because the one red zoned item was lamb. I switched her over to chicken and after a few months is fine, not perfect by a long shot, but I can go anywhere with her. It was the best money I have spent on any of my pets. The best thing is that her food no longer is among the most expensive proteins.

The 5Strands pet food intolerance test was easy to use and gave us helpful insights. We were able to eliminate certain foods and noticed our dog’s itchiness start to clear up. It really helped take the guesswork out of finding what works. Overall, a simple and helpful tool for dogs with sensitivities.

Any traditional vet, internist or specialist will tell you that these tests are not accurate. These tests do not test ige food allergies, just so called intolerances. My dog has a lot of digestive issues with foods and I wanted to compare this test with another one I had done through another company to see just how close they are. I used the same hair from the same day. Both tests showed completely different results. This one made no sense to me because there are things like Quinoa showing as a level 3, but Quinoa Powder showing as a 1. There's no difference. The other was Salmon was a level 1, yet Salmon oil was a 3. Another was beef being a level 3, yet beef jerky a 1. There are things that should be on the test, but isn't. Chicken isn't even on the list, but chicken meal is. There are things like fish that I know 10000% my dog has issues, yet white fish shows as a level 1. People who say these tests work are most likely seeing placebo effect. The company even says in fine print, that the results are "temporary imbalances". If your dog is currently eating or has recently consumed the foods expect them to show as a level 3 like mine did. There's notes on the report I received about how it might not be the protein or food source causing issues and might be the additives so I should switch off of processed food onto home cooked or raw. I am already on a home cooked diet. I ended up getting an email from the company a week later stating that the results I received were wrong from a batch that tested incorrectly and I would be receiving the correct results within 24 hours. The next test was all different yet still made no sense. If they don't have standards to prevent mistakes to me its a huge red flag. Save your money and do a true elimination diet.

It is easy to use. I cut brushed through my cats fur and got some hair for testing. The accuracy of the test, the vet said is so so on these tests so be aware of that. I found it hard to read. Since you just brush their hair and get some strands there is not skin irritation. I could not track my package well after I mailed it off. Took longer than expected.

If you’re like us and have thrown good money after bad trying to help your dog get relief, stop the madness and start HERE. First of all, the speed of service is fantastic. I mailed Harriet’s hair sample on a Tuesday and the results were emailed to me the next Tuesday. The results are clear and easy to read (color coded by level of intolerance, grouped by “protein,” “veggies,” “additives,” etc.) Harriet is a chocolate lab-pit mix, known for allergies. She was perfect from age 5 wks til shortly after her first birthday, then she started having chronic ear infections. A short time later, the scratching and paw-licking started. My baby is now nearly 2 1/2 yrs old and has been miserable while we’ve spent money hand over fist at the vet trying to help her. We spent a lot on Apoquel alone ($160 the first month, $80 a month thereafter) only to find it didn’t help. Steroids helped at first, but no longer do. We tried probiotics. We tried CBD. We changed her diet to one recommended by her vet, to include kibble with lamb (and rice) or fish as the protein, w/some olive oil or an egg mixed in, and were told for treats to give her cottage cheese, banana, or plain yogurt. Nothing changed. According to these results, lo and behild, she has a level 3 (severe) intolerance to lamb, many types of fish, white rice, olive oil, chicken egg whites, bananas, AND cottage cheese! Plus a number of other moderate-to- severe intolerances to most additives and dyes. We are going to begin the elimination process recommended by 5Strands by preparing her food ourselves using what she CAN have, as well as making her treats, and go from there. Please note, you don’t HAVE to make your own dog food; there are other ways to approach this process; we just chose this method to hopefully bring her quicker relief, as she has severe intolerances to so many additives and dyes, and then we will start reintroducing offending foods as directed once her symptoms have resolved. I will update this review in 4-6 wks with the results. I would like to add, as far as the (relatively few) negative reviews, take them with a grain of salt, as it appears to me many of those unhappy folks gave a negative review because they either didn’t LIKE the results (“it says my dog is intolerant to everything!”etc), didn’t implement the steps to take outlined by 5Strands upon receiving the results, or simply read the results incorrectly. You’ll also read, “this isn’t legit science” or “my vet says it’s a waste of money.” That depends on the vet; just like human doctors, they have different opinions and I have heard from some vets who think that way, but also some who not only DO recommend this testing, they employ it in their practice. Our vet wanted $400-600 for a blood test for allergies. We’re not independently wealthy, so I’d rather start here and pay $88. Bottom line, if you’re like us and have spent boatloads of money trying to help your dog feel better with no results, start here. For the cost of a month of Apoquel, you can get to the root of the problem and take the necessary steps to bring relief!

I used this test for my dog who Had many allergies. It does say to retry after a certain amount of days based on how strong the intolerance is. Really helpful.

Wow! We were so thrilled to receive my dogs test results…7 pages (2 columns each) of allergens tested!! We’re beyond happy with the level of testing provided, quick response from customer service when needed, and only had to wait about 2-3 weeks in total from the day we placed the order to the day results arrived. Now we can relax and slowly change our dogs diet without having to wonder about this that or the other. Amazing! Thank you!

Brilliant

I ordered this test after being disappointed in one from another company. I was extremely pleased with the quick turnaround in getting my test results, I was concerned there would be a delay as I was sending from Canada to the States, but it was much quicker than I anticipated. Collecting the hair sample was easy and painless for my dog which I appreciated. We have been dealing with skin issues for a while now and assumed it was food intolerances. It was. Reading and understanding the results was simple and I love having a printed copy I can reference when I cook my dog's food. The only thing is that I wish it tested for more fruits. I made a quick call to 5 Strands and spoke to a lovely woman there named Lauren and found out that there is a fruit & veggie add on. It was quick and super simple to add this on as 5 Strands keeps the hair sample for 30 days, so I did not have to send another sample in which was nice! I highly recommend this product and love that if assistance is required it is only a phone call or email away. We have started my dog's elimination diet and couldn't be more pleased.

I sent off a hair-sample allergy test for my cat, hoping it would give me some guidance about his food intolerances. When the results came back, I forwarded them to my vet — and the response shocked me. My vet explained that this type of hair testing is not scientifically valid at all. The company uses something called “bioresonance”, which supposedly reads the “energy/vibrations” of the hair and matches it to foods. My vet said this has no scientific basis whatsoever, comparing it to trying to read someone’s aura. In their words, the results are “completely meaningless” and should be fully disregarded. The vet also said that companies like this can make any claims they want because they’re based in the U.S. and don’t need to prove their tests are medically accurate. That was really disappointing to hear, especially after paying for it and hoping it would help my cat. If your pet has suspected food allergies, the vet said the only reliable method is a proper food elimination trial using a hydrolysed diet for 2–3 months, or in some cases, real medical blood tests (which are still less reliable than an elimination diet). Hair tests like this cannot diagnose anything. Overall, I feel like I wasted my money and got my hopes up for nothing. I would not recommend this product to anyone — it’s misleading, unscientific, and gives results that even vets say are useless.