Yes, you can! Bug bite reactions and environmental allergies are two of the most common reasons to give Benadryl to dogs. Benadryl can also be helpful for anxiety about events such as thunderstorms or fireworks, for motion sickness, or as part of treatment for mast cell tumors.
For allergies, Benadryl is most effective if given before your dog is exposed to the thing that sparks his allergy. Thankfully, diphenhydramine has a fairly wide safety margin in dogs.
A safe and easy dosage to remember is 1 milligram per pound of body weight. For example, a pound dog would get 50 milligrams of Benadryl. Brand name and generic forms generally come in milligram tablets, so that pound dog would get two tablets at a time. Avoid the adult formula of liquid Benadryl, as this often contains alcohol, which is toxic to dogs.
As with any flavored human medication, always check the inactive ingredients for xylitol, a sweetener that is extremely toxic to dogs. Do not give your pet any medication or any other substance containing xylitol.
Benadryl has some efficacy in the prevention of motion sickness in dogs and as a mild sedative, but the effects are not the same as with people. Some dogs and cats can actually have the opposite reaction to Benadryl, causing hyperactivity instead of sedation. If your dog has anxiety, or they get nervous while traveling, talk with your veterinarian to determine a course of treatment. Benadryl is an antihistamine that blocks the H-1 receptors on smooth muscle and blood vessels.
Taken orally, Benadryl can be mild to moderately effective for dogs experiencing mild allergic symptoms. Vets commonly use it to treat environmental allergies and allergic reactions to insect bites or stings. It can also be used as a pre-treatment for possible vaccine reactions. But if your pet is having an acute allergic reaction with facial swelling or difficulty breathing, take them straight to the vet.
Many allergic diseases also require a combination of allergy medicine and treatment of underlying infections. By and large, Benadryl is very well-tolerated in dogs, with few side effects and a low risk of overdose. It remains one of the safest over-the-counter drugs that veterinarians frequently reach for and recommend for their canine patients.
But the reason why you still need to check with your veterinarian is to ensure that it is safe for your dog to take Benadryl, because there are safety risks if your dog has certain health conditions. Some instances in which it should not be used include:. Cardiac conditions cardiovascular disease.
The usual dosage is about 1 mg per pound, two to three times daily. Veterinarians often recommend that people start with a half dose to see how much it sedates the dog the first time. Also, pet parents should be aware the tablets and capsules commonly come in 25 mg size, but other sizes exist like 50 mg. Read the labels on the bottle. If your dog or cat has any chronic conditions like glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy or seizures, or is pregnant, consult your vet before dosing your pet as some of these conditions can worsen with the addition of the drug.
The most common side effects include:. It is possible for your dog to overdose on Benadryl, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Signs of an overdose include hyper-excitability of the central nervous system CNS and can be fatal. Signs usually show up within an hour of ingestion. Here are some warning signs to watch for:. If you suspect your dog has overdosed on Benadryl, contact your veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital immediately.
Some dogs develop an allergic reaction to Benadryl. If your dog starts having symptoms of an allergic reaction, seek veterinary care immediately. Allergies were the 8 th most frequent reason for dog parents visiting the vet last year, according to the Cost of Pet Health Care report.
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