# Nutriscan results are confusing....



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I don't, I want to! I do have experience with Dr. Dodds, and she is so approachable! Just email her your questions and she will get back to you. A very very kind lady!


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

She really is a great person! I consulted with her some years ago about my last mpoo that had liver issues and she was always so informative and personable! 
I will send her an email, but anyone who has personal experience with this process, I would love to hear how you used the results to reshape your dogs diet!


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

Coincidently I went to her for liver issues too. I am fortunate enough to live 45 minutes away from her office. I will get to see her again soon for Misha's titers. Looking forward to it!


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Oh yes! I remember now that your girl was dealing some liver issues. Sure hope things are going great for her! Fingers crossed for good check up!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*rubymom*: I *think* *CharismaticMillie* may have some experience with the Nutriscan testing, maybe send her a PM? The local Poodle Club Annual Health Screening I take Chagall to offers it, but don't know the results others have gotten or any more about it. Good to know pretty Ruby is not a 'chicken' girl though. Chagall said you can send hers his way, he's fine with it. (Loves chasing the hens, too.) Good luck getting the info you want!


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

You know the funny part about this sensitivity stuff is that Ruby has shown that she will gobble down all edibles, including those foods that she is sensitive to! When I have tried chicken over the years, she has eaten it happily! (Just exits her system undesirably.). And even now, beef is our main staple for raw feeding, but this Nutriscan shows that beef is a "reaction" too! I am surprised because it does not exit her body like chicken! And, we see no signs of sensitivity like itching, licking, ear infections..........sure a puzzler to me!


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I would talk with Jean, but my interpretation would be that if any reaction shows at all, IgA or IgM, it would probably be a good idea to avoid the protein. What I have read from Dr. Dodds on other boards is that a dog can show IgA or IgM reactivity many months before symptoms would show up. That was Dr. Dodds rationale for suggesting all dogs be screened to check for developing sensitivities before any type of food intolerance or sensitivity symptoms would even show up. This way diet can be potentially be adjusted proactively instead of reactively.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I can't speak to nutriscan, but I can explain the difference between IgA and IgM. Sorry, this may end up being long....

The vertebrate immune system has two effector arms, humoral and cell-mediated. Immunoglobulins (IGs, also commonly referred to as antibodies) are the humoral effectors. T lymphocytes are the effectors of cell-mediated responses. Each effector system deals with different kinds of immunological challenges, although there is also some overlap. For example humoral immunity can neutralize viruses as they move from cell to cell, but T lymphocytes will direct killing of cells that already have a virus in them.

There are five types of immunoglobulins involved in humoral responses: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM. Just as there are differences between humoral and cell mediated responses, so too are there differences between the five classes of antibodies. In broad terms: *IgA* is called secretory antibody, high levels of it are commonly found in gastric and respiratory secretions and in colostrum and breast milk; *IgD* is a B lymphocyte cell surface marker that will be used by B cells as they learn how to make the specific antiboy to the specific antigen that they learn to respond to; *IgE* is the main antibody involved in allergic responses, once it is made it attached to cells called mast cells that contain granules of histamine, leukotriences and the like that make you sneeze and get hives and such; *IgG* is the main antibody of secondary immune responses and has a very long circulating half life (when you titer for immunity related to vaccines those tests are looking for IgG); and *IgM* is the main antibody of primary immune responses and does not remain in circulation nearly so long as IgG (B cells use their IgD to learn an antigen so they will be able to make antibody in response to that antigen's presence), in other words the first time a B cell makes a learned response it will be IgM, later when you get boosted for a vaccine your response will be an IgG response (most of the time).

Finding high levels of IgM would generally indicate a recent immune learning experience (e.g. first dose vaccine response). High levels of IgG would be typical if a person or dog or other animal has received a booster dose of a vaccine. IgE indicates development of allergic responsiveness to something the individual has been exposed to. IgA indicates that the response to an antigen is being made through the secretions of the digestive and/or respiratory tracts. IgD will not be found circulating, it only occurs on the surfaces of B cells and the plasma cells they develop into once they are activated to learn.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

This is what Dr. Dodds has to say on her website about IgA and IgM:

_"Differences between antibodies to IgA and IgM:
Antibodies to IgA measure the secretory immunity from body secretions (tears, saliva, feces, urogenital tract). They act as a mechanical barrier or the “first line of defense” to help protect the bowel from invasion by foreign substances, infectious agents, chemicals, and certain foods that it cannot or poorly tolerate.

Antibodies to IgM measure the body’s primary immune response to a recent exposure within the last 6
months or so (e.g. to a certain food ingredient)."_


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Just spoke with Karen from Hemopet. She explained a few specifics about Ruby's Nutriscan results. Seems that the big difference in the two numbers listed for each food tested usually means one thing. The IgA number reflects the sensitivity level, the IgM reflects the body exposure level. In Ruby's case, the venison showed IgA at 13.239 ( medium reaction) yet the IgM was 9.72 (negative reaction). No doubt that Ruby is sensitive to venison with the IgA score. But, her IgM score was so low (appearing to be negative) simply because she has never eaten venison! Such explanation also tells me why Ruby's numbers for beef are a reverse kind of situation. Beef - IgA is 11.250 (weak reaction) but IgM is 14.200 (medium reaction). These numbers show that Ruby is sensitive to beef and the IgM is higher because she eats beef often! Yup! Sensitive to beef yet I have seen no symptoms of licking, ear infections, UTI 's .......nothing that would clue me in to a beef sensitivity. EXCEPT, after talking to Karen, maybe Ruby's excess tearing could be a sign ! (With Ruby being red, tear staining is not visible. And she has been checked by our vet for any eye issue, nothing! )
Guess we will see how the tearing changes/stops after about 3 weeks of following these Nutriscan results! 
I am so glad that I did the Nutriscan testing! Now, I feel like I can build Ruby's diet around what is best for her! Best part, I did not have to put her through any discomfort and results are fast!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

So glad you got and shared the information. (There's no one like Dr. Dodds and Hemopet! Spoke to Karen once myself, to get help deciphering Chagall's labs.) What an advantage to be able to customize Ruby's diet with the info you now have. I have wondered about people's experience with Nutriscan, thanks for filling us in. I would be really interested in hearing if pretty red Ruby's tearing resolves/diminishes with the diet change. I have a friend with a white spoo who battles the tears (for her spoo, not herself!) and think maybe she should do the Nutriscan for her girl. Good luck!! :clover:


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Wow! Cool! I never even heard of this nutriscan. How interesting. I can't wait to hear what happens with the tear staining. I never thought food would have anything to do with it. Hmmm. How did this all come about? Where did you hear about it? It sounds like a great idea so that you can build a diet around it. Very glad you found this. Thanks for sharing your experience.


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

When we started raw feeding over 3 years ago, the experience was terrible! Starting out with the recommended chicken w/ bone caused Ruby such discomfort! Stools were soft w/ mucous . Raw group opinion was to allow a couple of days for "adjustment" to raw. By day 3, when I saw blood in her stool, I stopped all chicken period! Switched to boneless beef (w/ supplement to make up for no bone and organs) and things calmed down. Since that time, I have tried pork, salmon, goat and rabbit. Nothing was a bad as chicken, but everything (except rabbit!) seemed to soften the stool somewhat . I am guessing that if I had fed any of those proteins for a period of weeks, Ruby might have showed more of a reaction??? 
Ruby is now 4 and I want to offer more protein varieties. But, I did not want to put my girl through any discomfort! I went online and searched food sensitivity in dogs. Found tons of info! But, I really zeroed in on "Nutricsan " because I have confidence in Dr. Dood! Now, having these results in hand, I feel confident in food choices now. As soon as they add a 3 rd panel of foods to test, I will do that one too!


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