Plus : Should You Choose Children ’s Liquid Benadryl or Adult Benadryl ?

Diphenhydramine , widely have sex by the brand name Benadryl , is an antihistamine that obstruct H1 receptors and helps allergic reactions . While drug chemistry may not be your favorite pursuit , sound old Benadryl may come to the deliverance for your dog in a couple of situations . Can you give a dog Benadryl ? Yes , it is perfectly dependable when given at the correct dose .

Can You Give a Dog Benadryl for Itching?

Yes , you could ! Bug bite reactions and environmental allergies are two of the most common grounds to give Benadryl to dogs . Benadryl can also be helpful for anxiety about effect such as thunderstorms or fireworks , for motion sickness , or as part of discourse for mast cell tumors . If yourdog contracts heartworms(don’t forget that monthly preventative ! ) , Benadryl may be pay to help lessen the risk of reactions to handling .

For allergy , Benadryl is most effective if give before your firedog is exposed to the thing that activate his allergy . It ’s manifestly difficult to plan for filthy hemipterous insect bites , but if your dog has seasonal allergies , you may start giving Benadryl at the time of year when she commonly has issues . If it ’s being used for thunderstorm anxiety or motion sickness , give the Benadryl about a one-half hour to an hour forward of the consequence so it can start process before your dog becomes stressed or noisome .

How Much Benadryl Can You Give a Dog?

gratefully , Benadryl has a fairly extensive safety margin in dog . A safe and well-situated dose to remember is 1 milligram per pound of body weight unit . For representative , a 50 - pound dog would get 50 milligrams of Benadryl . Brand name and generic forms generally come in 25 - milligram tablets , so that 50 - pound sign hound would get two tablets at a metre . If your dog ’s weight is in between a multiple of 25 , you’re able to break tablets in half to get the correct dosage .

Children ’s liquid Benadryl can be used for small dogs using the same dosage . deflect the adult formula of liquid Benadryl , as this often contains alcoholic beverage , which is toxic to dogs . As with any flavored human medicine , always curb the inactive ingredient for xylitol , a sweetener that is extremely toxic to pawl . Do not give your pet any medication ( or any other substance ) contain xylitol .

How Often Can You Give a Dog Benadryl?

Benadryl is most commonly give two or three times a twenty-four hours .

Can You Give Benadryl Without Talking to Your Vet First?

It ’s always better to consult with your veterinarian before give your favorite any medicinal drug or supplement . You need to check that it ’s appropriate for your frank ’s symptom , that you are giving the right dose , and that it will not intervene with other medications your dog is taking . But as long as you know your blackguard ’s current weight and twofold - check your math on that 1 - milligram - per - Irish pound dosage , when you see your dog ’s aspect swelling up from a bug bite you may go in advance and give the Benadryl .

Do not give Benadryl if your frank has a core stipulation ( particularly high parentage force per unit area ) , glaucoma , capture , vesica issues ( particularly an obstructor ) , or lung disease .

If symptom persist even after giving Benadryl , meet your veterinarian . Swelling of the throat is an exigency and requires contiguous intervention with injectable medications that will work faster than a lozenge fall in by mouth .

golden retriever scratching

Photo: More Than Words Photography by Alisa Brouwer / Getty

If you feel yourself giving Benadryl to your dog on a regular basis , discourse the symptoms you see and the frequence with your veterinarian . While Benadryl may be working well to address the symptoms , there may be other medication that can more effectively turn to the underlying cause of those symptoms .

What Is the Best Way to Give Benadryl?

Benadryl can be give with or without food . If your pawl drivel excessively or puking after being given Benadryl without food , try give it with some food for thought the next time .

What Are the Side Effects of Benadryl in Dogs?

possible side core admit :

It ’s potential to overdose a dog with Benadryl . If you catch your dog with an open feeding bottle of Benadryl , contact your vet or a pet poisonous substance ascendency center to determine the good course of instruction of action . induce vomit is often effective if the pills have been consumed recently .

Signs of a Benadryl overdose let in :

What Are Some Alternatives to Benadryl?

Other over - the - retort medications that can be given to frump for allergic reaction include cetirizine ( Zyrtec ) and loratadine ( Claritin ) . The addendum quercetin can also be effective , although there has been little research to determine optimum dosing .

Benadryl is a very safe option for sudden - attack and intermittent allergies , and it may be useful for other conditions as well . However , if your dog has chronic issues that require Benadryl , it ’s deserving have a conversation with your vet to find out if there is a unlike medication or treatment that can deal the drive of your dog ’s symptoms .