Benadryl is a very popular antihistamine commonly used by humans to treat various ailments. This medication does not need to be prescribed, but is brought over-the-counter from the pharmacies. This medicine is very effective and has been used by many veterinarians to treat allergies in pets. So Can I give My dog Benadryl?
Benadryl contains Diphenhydramine hydrochloride as the active ingredient. This is a first generation antihistamine which has survived the test-of-time. Discovered decades ago, Benadryl is still the drug taken by many people against motion sickness and allergies in human.
Can I give My dog Benadryl for allergies and itching?
Benadryl is a medicine used to counteract the effect of histamine which is known to cause itching. This drug is very safe for dogs and treats allergic reactions in dogs but is not effective in cats. In dogs the medicine can be used to treat conditions like ear-infection, itching, ear infections, sneezing, coughing, asthma-like symptoms and stuffy or runny nose. It can also be used to treat conditions like hornet and bee sting, anus irritations, motion sickness, itching caused by non-allergenic causes.
Other than Benadryl being an antihistamine, it also acts as a sedative and is used to treat insomnia, calm agitation and travel anxiety. So it is a very good idea to have Benadryl in your drug cabinet always to use incase of emergency as Dogs get infected by a wide variety of allergens. Because ones a Dog is attacked by the allergen like bee sting, it only takes twenty minutes before the effects are visible. These symptoms include swelling of the face and the site bitten by the bee among others. After this, if an antihistamine is not administered the dog will have breathing difficulties.
After giving the dog some Benadryl, it usually takes a minimum of thirty minutes for it to relieve the allergic effect, although at times the evidence of healing is noted after a week of administration.
Is Benadryl safe for my Dog? Yes. This drug has been in the market since 1946 and many studies have been conducted to test the effect of the Benadryl to the allergies and for side effects for both adult and young dogs. Some drugs cannot be taken together with this antihistamine. This includes painkillers, sugar, sodium and decongestant. This drug is well tolerated when taken with some medications like the heart and flea medications.
Benadryl cannot be given to dogs with glaucoma, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, urinary obstruction, prostrate disease, nursing dog and a pregnant dog, Benadryl in liquid form is not safe for the Dog, as it contains high concentration of alcohol so always use pill or capsule form.
How Can I give My dog Benadryl?
The quantity of Benadryl administered to a dog depends on the weight of the dog, so make sure you measure the weight of your dog before administering the dose. One 25mg tablet for each 25 pounds of the dog’s weight is the right dose to administer and for more information you could visit the veterinarian.
To administer the tablet, place it on the back of the tongue of the dog and rub its throat to induce a swallowing reflex. Some dog will take the drug easily while others will spit it out, so you could hide it in the food like meat and let the dog eat it.
