Pet Raw Food Intolerance Test

Collecting your pet’s hair sample is simple, quick, and designed with ease in mind—just like your commitment to their raw food diet. Follow these steps to ensure accurate results for your furry companion.

Step 1: Gather the Hair Sample
You can collect hair from any part of your pet’s body. Choose an area that’s comfortable for your pet and use one of the following methods: brush, cut, or gently pull loose fur.

If your pet’s fur is longer than 1 inch, collect 10–15 strands.
If their fur is shorter than 1 inch, collect 20–25 strands.
Does Your Pet Need a Bath First?
No bath is required before testing! However, ensure the hair is clean and free of visible dirt, debris, or other materials to avoid interference with the testing process.

Step 2: Package the Sample Securely
Once collected, place the hair in the anti-static bag included in your 5Strands kit. This bag protects the hair sample during transit. Seal it securely and place it in the provided return envelope.

Step 3: Register Your Kit
Before mailing the sample, it’s essential to register your kit using the unique ID code found inside. This step links your pet’s hair sample to your account, ensuring accurate processing and delivery of results. You can register the kit via the 5Strands portal or mobile app, and you’ll receive a confirmation email once the registration is complete.

Step 4: Send Your Sample
Your kit includes a prepaid return label, making it easy to mail the sample. Here are a few tips:

Save the Tracking Number: This allows you to monitor the progress of your sample and ensures peace of mind in case of postal delays.
Average Transit Time: Samples typically arrive at our processing center within 3–10 business days for U.S. customers. International shipping may take longer.
Step 5: Confirmation of Receipt
Once your sample is received at the processing center, you’ll get a confirmation email. Additionally, you can log into your 5Strands portal or mobile app to check your order status. The status will update from "Awaiting Sample" to "Sample Received" once it has been logged into our system.

Your pet’s food intolerance results are the key to optimizing their raw diet. For Level 3 items, which indicate high intolerance, we recommend removing these foods from their diet for 6–8 weeks. This period allows their system to rebalance and recover. Once the elimination phase is complete, reintroduce the items one at a time in rotation and moderation to determine safe levels of consumption. This process helps address sensitivities and reduces discomfort caused by food-related triggers, ensuring a balanced raw food plan for long-term health.

Considering Environmental Factors: While this test focuses exclusively on food intolerances, it’s important to keep in mind that environmental factors—such as cleaning agents, dust mites, or pollen—may also contribute to your pet’s symptoms. If you’ve followed the dietary elimination plan and still notice persistent issues, exploring additional testing for environmental triggers may provide a more comprehensive view of their sensitivities and overall well-being.

Refining Your Raw Food Diet: For raw-fed pets, understanding their sensitivities allows you to fine-tune their diet. If certain proteins or ingredients from the results are triggers, adjust their raw meals accordingly. For example, switch out intolerant proteins with alternative meat sources or eliminate specific oils, vegetables, or grains that may be causing issues. This ensures their raw diet aligns with their specific needs and keeps their system balanced.

Why Retesting is Essential: Your pet’s food intolerance results reflect their current sensitivities, which can shift over time due to changes in diet, exposure, or overall health. Retesting every 6–12 months provides valuable insights into their evolving needs.

Retesting helps you:

Track Progress: Confirm improvements achieved through dietary changes.
Identify New Triggers: Detect sensitivities that may develop from overexposure to certain raw ingredients.
Refine Their Diet: Continuously tailor their raw food plan to align with their health needs.
Retesting also serves as a reset point if symptoms return or if the elimination plan has been disrupted.

Understanding Your Pet’s Results
To help you navigate the results, 5Strands categorizes sensitivities into three levels:

Level 3: High intolerance—likely to cause noticeable symptoms and should be eliminated immediately.
Level 2: Moderate intolerance—may cause mild symptoms, but should still be limited.
Level 1: Low intolerance—unlikely to cause symptoms and can often remain in the diet with moderation.

With your 5Strands results, you have the tools to create a raw diet that supports your pet’s unique health needs. By eliminating problematic ingredients and refining their nutrition plan, you’ll help them thrive on the ancestral diet they’re biologically designed for. Stay proactive, retest as needed, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from supporting your pet’s health journey with care and precision.