Before you give your cat anything to help itch or allergies , check that you ’re treating the material causal agent .
If you hurt from allergies , you ’re probably familiar with the solace effects of an antihistamine like Benadryl . But you may not have a go at it that it may serve your itchy , sneezing cat . Benadryl is more often than not regard secure for cat-o'-nine-tails and is sometimes used to treat allergies and allergic reactions in bozo . However , as with any medical problem and discussion , it ’s of import to talk to your veterinarian before giving your cat anything out of their ordinary routine .
What is Benadryl?
Benadryl is the brand name for diphenhydramine hydrochloride , a rough-cut over - the - replication antihistamine . Antihistamines like Benadryl are regularly used to treat allergy symptom . They solve by blocking histamine , which is a chemical secrete by the resistant organization that do an sensitised reaction ( like itchiness ) when the trunk comes into impinging with an allergen .
How Can Benadryl Help Cats?
Trent Eddy , DVM , ofIronhorse Veterinary Carein Leawood , Ks . , says there are two main reasons you might need to give your cat Benadryl : ecumenical allergic reaction issues or acute sensitised response . Learn more about both below .
General Allergy Issues
Just like humanity , cat-o'-nine-tails can germinate allergiesto various thing in the environment , such as pollen , strip products , and sealed gum elastic and plastic materials . They can also have food allergies . Signs your cat may be receive allergies can include sneeze , itchiness , vomiting , anddiarrhea . " However , " Eddy says , " I generally feel that antihistamines as a solo agent are fairly ineffective at assist allergic reaction issues . But we might try it as a potential dispirited - cost alternative . "
Acute Allergic Reactions
Acute supersensitive reactions could admit facial swelling and hives in reply to a bee sting , spider bite or vaccine . " I would by all odds reach for Benadryl in these situations , " Eddy notes .
Other Uses
As in humans , Benadryl can also have asedative effectin cats , but Eddy cautions that it can have the polar effect as well : " alternatively of sedate your quat , your cat could become even more fired up , " he says .
You could potentially utilise Benadryl toprevent gesture sicknessin your cat before tease in the elevator car . Dramamine , or dimenhydrinate , is an antihistamine that ’s usually used to forbid and process motion sickness . It ’s actually a combination of two drug , one of them being diphenhydramine ( a.k.a . Benadryl ) . Eddy notes that while Benadryl can be tried for motion nausea with blessing from your vet , there are much more effective alternative available to help keep kitty-cat from throwing up .
How Much Benadryl Should I Give My Cat?
According to Eddy , the recommend dose of Benadryl for cats is one to two mg per Egyptian pound ( or two to four milligrams per kilo ) every eight hour . If you ’re trying to influence what dosage of the antihistamine is safe for your cat , for example , and she weighs around 12 British pound and you have a 25 - milligram pad of paper , your cat-o'-nine-tails can have the full pad or you could cut it in half .
How to Use Benadryl Safely
While Benadryl is typically secure for cat , there are some steps you should take to protect your cat from likely problems :
Ask Your Vet
It ’s always just to talk to your veterinary before giving your CT any novel medications — even an over - the - counter product like Benadryl . As the superintendent of your big cat ’s overall wellness , they are in the best office to point out possible job . For illustration , Eddy say that if the true cat is already on another antihistamine , adding Benadryl could cause sedation issues .
Avoid Gel Capsules
Benadryl amount in tablet , gel capsule , and liquid signifier . Eddy cautions that colloidal gel capsule can sometimes contain a vehicle ( i.e. the solvent used to transport the active constituent ) that can be toxic or annoy to qat . For this reason , he prefers tablet or liquid class .
Read the Ingredient List
Some Benadryl products occur with extra benefits , which imply extra drug . Be certain that diphenhydramine hydrochloride is the only active ingredient in the product you buy for your cat . Buying the generic version of Benadryl is o.k. .
Double-Check the Dose
Because Benadryl is manufactured for creatures that count a lot more than cats , vex the dose right can be catchy and often involves cutting a tablet into two . It ’s important not to o.d. your cat , as this can result in raptus , breathing problems , and even death . For really modest cats , it might be gentle to get the correct dose using liquid Benadryl .
Monitor for Reactions
alas , it is potential for your cat to have an hypersensitised response to the medicine he ’s taking to treat an hypersensitised reaction , says Eddy . If you see signs like vomiting , looseness of the bowels , lethargy , facial intumescence , hives , or itching , call your veterinarian . And as mentioned above , it ’s also possible that your cat will become more hyper instead of more relaxed .
What If My Itchy Cat Needs More Than Benadryl?
Even if a dose of Benadryl settle down your khat ’s itchiness , it might not be treating the fundamental problem . For example , if yourcat has fleasor a fungous infection likeringworm , Benadryl will only offer temporary benefits . If your cat ’s itch does n’t go away , schedule a veterinary sojourn for your cat . Once your vet can pinpoint the genuine crusade of your guy ’s need to scratch , your pet will be on the road to long - survive relief .
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