# Sticky  Benadryl for Dogs



## Wingman

I'm posting this here so that the information is available. Always consult your vet if you are uncertain or unsure about adminstiring things yourself at home. Hope this helps.

The uses of benadryl are as follows: 
- Skin irritation and itching.
- Car sickness and vomiting.
- Insomnia and anxiety in dogs.
- Insect/bug/flea bites.
- Bee/wasp/hornet stings (including inside the mouth).
- Vaccination reactions (e.g., a Lyme disease shot).
- Hay fever, coughing/sneezing, and runny/stuffy nose.
- Asthma and inhalant allergies (e.g., to pollen/dust).
- Knots/lumps with fluid on the body.
- Irritation at the tail's base.
- Muscle tremors.
- Ear/eye infections.
- Bites of some snakes.

Benadryl absorbs into the system fast and often takes a quick effect, sometimes in 30 minutes. However, in some cases, it may take 7-10 days to achieve notable results.

The Safety of Benadryl for Pets

In general, Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is extremely safe for dogs, but there are a number of critical precautions:

- This medication is counter-indicated with some conditions in dogs, including: prostatic disease, glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, and cardiovascular disease.
- It may not be suitable for puppies. If you have a puppy, consult with your vet. 
- For canines, only the pure medication is safe, where the only active ingredient is Diphenhydramine; the Decongestant and Colds/Sinus versions are unacceptable.
- Liquid Benadryl has high alcohol content, which is unsafe for animals.
- Children's Benadryl is alcohol/sugar free, but it contains sodium - this is a concern for dogs with some health concerns. - It should not be used together with painkillers and decongestants. It may interact with other medications, and may even be fatal. If your dog or cat is taking anything else - do ask your veterinarian. In general, it is considered safe with heartworm and flea tablets, and steroids.
- It is very important not to exceed the dosage prescribed.

Some people recommend using a tiny amount of the medication and checking the reaction first.

Dosage of Benadryl for Pets

There are 2 ways to determine the dose of Benadryl for a pet, and I'll state both of them below:

1. Diphenhydramine is administered in the dosage of 1mg per 1 lb of the pet's weight 3 times a day (every 8 hrs). Example: a 30lb dog is given 30mg of the medication 3 times a day.

2. Pets are divided into 3 weight categories; the medication is given 3 times a day, every 8 hrs:
- 30 lbs and smaller pets: 10 mg
- 30-50 pound dogs: 25 mg
- 50 lbs and larger dogs: 50 mg

As you see, the dosage depends on the pet's weight, and the above are general recommendations. To find out how much Benadryl to give to your pet, you need to obtain professional advice from a veterinarian. Too small of a dose may not help, while exceeding the dose can be very dangerous. Also, the vet will help you determine the frequency of administration, such as every 4, 8, or 12 hrs. In addition, they will ask you questions to determine if it's an allergic reaction or something else. If your financial situation doesn't allow for a paid visit, you should be able to obtain free help by phone.

Side Effects of Benadryl in Pets

The most common side-effects are: mild disorientation and drowsiness. Others are: dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, problems breathing, agitation, fast heart beat, and urinary retention. Some side-effects can be prevented. For example, to prevent vomiting, give the med with food. To prevent the disturbance of appetite, feed your pet prior to giving the med. In case of side-effects, call a vet.

How to Give Benadryl to Pets

Here are some ideas on how to give this medication to a pet: the pill or capsule placed into chunks of meat; a liquid gel capsule dipped in a tasty treat; anal administration; shots. Most commonly, this medication is given orally, in capsules or tablets. Please contact your vet to find out more on the use of Benadryl for dogs.

Source: Benadryl for Dogs ? The FACTS


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## MISSAPBT

Wish i could get this in NZ


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## LadyRampage

As I myself am allergic to everything, I alway have benadryl on hand. I've had to use it several times over the years with great results.


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## mcmlxxxvii

thanks for posting this.


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## Chump

MISSAPBT said:


> Wish i could get this in NZ


I am pretty sure you can get it in NZ.... It's generic name is diphenhydramine.


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## American_Pit13

One thing we make sure to keep in the doggy med drawer lol


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## MISSAPBT

Chump said:


> I am pretty sure you can get it in NZ.... It's generic name is diphenhydramine.


When i asked they offered me sleeping pills as a subsitute for Ben..


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## Wingman

MISSAPBT said:


> When i asked they offered me sleeping pills as a subsitute for Ben..


Really? You can't get benadryl over the counter down there? That's weird!


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## pitbullmamanatl

Kangol gets two Benadryl everyday. It was the same as what my vet prescribed but much cheaper. It helps a lot during the summer.


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## MISSAPBT

Wingman said:


> Really? You can't get benadryl over the counter down there? That's weird!


We have cough syrup here called Benadryl i was thinking WTF you guys giving your dogs cough med for rashes LOL


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## YAHHOO

Charles Barkley gets his 2x a day usually for his allergies, now that I weened him off prednisone. Bad reaction to grass and his old dog food, he still has mild reactions to grass I think but nothing like what he had at first.


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## 9361

Great post. Going to ask my vet about this tomorrow when I go in to get Helena some frontline. She's really scratched herself up badly from flea's.  She was whining earlier. It was so sad.


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## performanceknls

I am going to add this as a sticky!


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## Aireal

MISSAPBT said:


> Wish i could get this in NZ


that still just blows me away, i dunno what i would do without beadryl, man i'd ship you some if i could it works wonders on allergies YOURS and the pups


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## Wingman

performanceknls said:


> I am going to add this as a sticky!


Thanks!


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## Aireal

yes wingman good post :clap:


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## Jerretb

Benadryl works great, My dog had something funky going on with her coat and I gave her some and it cleared right up.


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## Brianchris

For those who may or may not know, According to my vet, Benadryl, as stated by wingman and others is great for allergies, etc for adult dogs, AS WELL AS puppies (as young as 4 months). So those of you who have puppies who suffer from allergies, rest assured, this is a great asset and definitely helps for those awful allergic reactions. As stated in the main article, 1mg per pound every 8 hours.... don't go overboard, and DEFINITELY consult your vet with any questions PRIOR to treating at home. Good Luck guys!


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## Rocko-is-his-name

Have a question about my 8 week old pit, he has runny nose, and seems very dry and irritating in there, can i use benadryl or is he too young? is there an alternative ?


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## pitbullmamanatl

Rocko-is-his-name said:


> Have a question about my 8 week old pit, he has runny nose, and seems very dry and irritating in there, can i use benadryl or is he too young? is there an alternative ?


Runny nose doesn't mean anything. What is dry and irritated? Please be more specific. Also, I think 8 weeks is too young; additionally, I don't recommend it until I know what exactly you are giving it to the pup for.


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## Joleigh

Not have benadryl?!?! I would die with out it and so would my Chachi


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## AmStaffyAmy

You should consult your vet first before giving any medications. The dog might not be compatible with these medications and they might have adverse effect to it.


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## Wingman

AmStaffyAmy said:


> You should consult your vet first before giving any medications. The dog might not be compatible with these medications and they might have adverse effect to it.


Or you could just follow those dosing instructions, and use it sensibly. There is no reason to call your vet for every little thing. With a bit of research and investigation you can solve a lot of your problems yourself. Consult your vet if it makes you feel more comfortable, but there are tons and tons of people who use benedryl on there dogs on a regular basis without any adverse reactions.


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## drno

it's virtually impossible to be allergic to benadryl or any antihistamine. side effects should not be confused with allergic reactions. it would be like saying " i'm allergic to sleeping pills because they make me drowsy". the only thing you can be allergic to in a benadryl is the makeup of the capsule or the red dye in the tablet but very , very unlikely.


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## Pits4Lyfe

In my experience, it depends on the dog. One of my dogs has never needed benedryl so I don't know how much it would take. Two of them - one weighing in at a giant 45 pounds while the other is a tiny 92 - require only two benedryl capsules. However, my girl is 80 pounds and needed 4 benedryl the last time she had an allergic reaction.


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## Koleana

I always keep benadryl in the house for myself and for my Big Boy...it does wonders!! Thanks for posting all the info.


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## KellyC

I give Lola 50mg of Benadryl twice a day - just started about 5 days ago. It's working an absolute charm. I'm going to try cutting her down to 1 capsule 3x a day after we're sure that she's stabilized.


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## iluvmypup

I have to add that a pit I previously had, was playing in my mom's garden and got his nose stung by some thing. I freaked. Mistakenly took him to the pet Dr and they charged me over $200 to shove one normal size pill of benadryl down his throat he was knocked out by the time we made home and nose returned to normal. I never knew until then that this was kosher for dogs.

http://benadrylfordogs.info/can-i-g...s-to-the-question-can-i-give-my-dog-benadryl/


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## Christy27

Thanks for the post. Is it an over the counter drug? I noticed my dog has an eye infection kind of like cherry eye.


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## iluvmypup

Christy27 said:


> Thanks for the post. Is it an over the counter drug? I noticed my dog has an eye infection kind of like cherry eye.


yes, or u can use cheap contact solution (vet told will work) to rinse eye or use a warm wash cloth. I took my dog into the vet for her eye have green goo and eye was red, paid money for nothing because it went away with keeping it clean. but if it gets worse definitely take your dog to the vet. but with the Benadryl you just get your dog to take it down. and in about an hour she will be drowsy and on her way to sleep. vet also so said its 1mg/1lb so for a dog 25lbs and over they only get one 25mg pill.


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## johnmclaren

Thanks for providing information to help make decisions about how to use the drug with our pet! I do believe that it’s a perfectly safe medication to give a dog when used properly. But it’s always a good idea to consult with the Vet before giving the dog anything out of the ordinary.


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## jesspal

Under a Vets supervision my dogs have gotten Imodium and Pepcid over the years.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Schill

*Allergies??*

I was reading all the posts....When do you stop giving the Benadryl if it works so well? My 10 mo old female is chewing her paws till they bleed...and her eyes and chin seem very red and irritated. took her to the vet, they gave her a shot, then "prescribed" $258 worth of other items (bathing soaps and creams and pills etc). I said yes to the shot and the take home pills....NOTHING has worked.


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## Pitbull Palace

Schill said:


> I was reading all the posts....When do you stop giving the Benadryl if it works so well? My 10 mo old female is chewing her paws till they bleed...and her eyes and chin seem very red and irritated. took her to the vet, they gave her a shot, then "prescribed" $258 worth of other items (bathing soaps and creams and pills etc). I said yes to the shot and the take home pills....NOTHING has worked.


BUMP^^^^^^
My white pit Bella has a paw reaction to Grass. Cant stop her from going Outside so I'm trying this. Any advice on length of time to give without a break or liver probs after to long of use??? If this works well i figure i'll ween her down to a Minimum does and read up on the half life of It.


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## Sarah~

I give Xena benadryl 2x a day EVERY day and don't see any end to it right now. Whenever I have tried to stop she has a major hives breakout that lasts for days and makes her miserable. A vet recently told me it's a very good long term medicine but it's only an anti-histamine, not an anti-inflammatory, so it really doesn't do anything except help soothe itching if your dog has already had a reaction to something. I guess that's when prednisone and the other prescription meds come in.


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## johnmclaren

Interesting post. Your have posted all details about Benadryl for Dogs. All information is very helpful for us. You are explain each and everything e.g uses , safety for pet, side effects and doses.Thanks for the information.


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## PitbullObsessed

johnmclaren said:


> Thanks for providing information to help make decisions about how to use the drug with our pet! I do believe that it's a perfectly safe medication to give a dog when used properly. But it's always a good idea to consult with the Vet before giving the dog anything out of the ordinary.


I completely agree with you. After talking to my Vet and my sister that uses Benadryl quite a lot for her dogs, I decided to look into it. I bought a bottle of Benadryl and went onto the internet to look for the amount to give my dogs. I found a chart, which I can share is: Benadryl For Dogs | Any Dog Rescue What I did was print the page, then cut out the chart and put it onto my refrigerator. Since I have two pitbulls, both vary in weight, I have this chart to look at when I need to give them some benadryl for their anxiety, which they get often.


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## MollyBluepit6590

hey guys so I have a question, I give my 18 month old pit 50 mg 2x a day, in the morning and at night, ive been doing it for a few months now bc she gets really bad rashes and bumps on her back. the Benadryl completely took care of the bumps but when she goes outside she still gets rashes. idk if I should increase the dose or not bc I don't want her to get drowsy or accustomed to such a high dosage. also, for the last 3 days shes been a pain to take the pills, before id wrap them in a slice of cheese, turkey, or ham and shed gobble it up right away. I think she figured me out and I cant getr her to fall for my tricks, ive tried putting them in gunmmy bears, no luck, I tried hiding it in her hard food hoping she would just eat it unknowingly, no luck, ive been crushing up the pills and mixing it w peanut butter but shes catching on, how could I get her to like these tings? thanks guys!!


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## Gobels

I was told the same is true for dogs, but we never found that to be an issue. We used benadryl for Chester's skin allergies and it helped him a lot. It's not like it knocked him out, or even made him sleep more that I noticed, but it did really help with the itching and the redness and https://labrescuenc.org/blog/ can help you.


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