Pet Health Quiz
Dog Allergy or Sensitivity?
Itching that won’t quit, recurring ear or yeast infections, hot spots, or chronic loose stool — the same symptoms can point to two very different things. Take the 60-second quiz to see which pattern your dog’s answers most align with.
12 quick questions · No signup required · About 60 seconds
Two patterns, often confused
Even vets sometimes use “allergy” and “sensitivity” interchangeably in conversation. They’re different mechanisms, and the day-to-day signs aren’t identical — but the symptoms overlap enough that knowing which is which matters for what you do next.
Could be Allergy
An immediate immune reaction. Usually within minutes of eating, or within an hour of an environmental exposure. Think hives, facial swelling, sudden vomiting, or persistent intense face rubbing and constantly red watery eyes during pollen season.
True food allergies in dogs are relatively rare. Environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis — pollen, grass, dust mites, mold) are much more common, and they tend to flare with the seasons.
Could be Sensitivity
A delayed reaction, often over hours or days. The trigger and the symptom feel disconnected, which is exactly why it’s hard to spot manually. Chronic itching, paw licking, recurring ear or yeast infections, hot spots, dandruff, and chronic loose stool are the textbook signs.
Food sensitivities are far more common than true food allergies in dogs — and up to half of itchy dogs have a food trigger contributing to the picture (Mueller et al., BMC Vet Res, 2016).
How the quiz works
1. Answer 12 short questions
Yes / Not sure / No on most of them. Each question is built on a clinical signal that points toward allergy, sensitivity, or both. About 60 seconds total.
2. Watch the columns fill
Two columns appear with their headers blurred. As you answer, checkmarks tally into each column based on the pattern. You won’t see what they mean until the very end.
3. The reveal
The headers unblur. You see your answers reflected back as “Could be Allergy” and “Could be Sensitivity” with your tally for each. You decide what it means — we don’t diagnose anything.
No credit card · No signup required to take the quiz
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a dog food allergy and a food sensitivity?
A true food allergy is an immediate immune reaction (IgE-mediated) — usually within minutes — and may cause hives, swelling, or sudden vomiting. It’s relatively rare in dogs.
A food sensitivity is a delayed reaction over hours or days, typically showing up as chronic itching, recurring ear or yeast infections, hot spots, or GI upset. Sensitivities are far more common, and the delay is what makes them so hard to spot — the symptom and the trigger feel disconnected.
Can a quiz diagnose my dog?
No. A quiz can’t diagnose anything — only your veterinarian can. What this quiz does is reflect your own answers back to you, organized into two columns labeled “Could be Allergy” and “Could be Sensitivity,” so you can see which pattern your dog’s symptoms most align with. It’s pattern recognition, not a medical opinion.
Is the chronic itching cluster a sensitivity or an allergy?
The chronic skin and ear cluster — itching, paw licking, recurring ear or yeast infections, hot spots, dandruff, loose stool — is the classic textbook food-sensitivity presentation in dogs.
Atopic dermatitis (environmental allergy) can mimic some of it, but the seasonal pattern usually distinguishes the two: year-round symptoms point more toward food, while spring/summer flares point more toward environmental allergens. Many dogs have both.
What if my pet shows signs of both?
Many do. A dog can have a year-round food sensitivity floor with seasonal environmental flares layered on top — sometimes called the “histamine bucket” — where the combined inflammation pushes them past their symptom threshold. The quiz reveals both columns at the end so you can see whether both patterns are present.
Does switching dog food brands count as an elimination diet?
Usually no. Most commercial kibble contains 20 to 40 ingredients plus processing chemicals that can themselves trigger reactions. Switching brands often doesn’t remove the actual trigger — especially since common proteins like chicken appear across most kibble brands. A real elimination diet uses one fresh protein, no kibble, for at least 8 weeks.
Does the quiz work for cats too?
Yes. The first question lets you choose whether you’re taking the quiz for a dog, a cat, or another pet. The clinical patterns of food sensitivity and allergy are similar across species, with some differences in how they present. Most of the symptom signals in the quiz apply to both.
How long does the quiz take?
About 60 to 90 seconds. Twelve questions, most of them a single tap. No signup or account required to take the quiz or to see your result.
Itchypet is a tracking tool, not a medical device. Always consult your veterinarian for medical decisions.