Benadryl for Dogs

Benadryl for Dogs

Giving your dog medication that is meant for you is something that can be a dangerous decision. Your dog may react completely differently than you to a medicine that you choose to give them. With that being said, some human medications are vet-approved to use with dogs, provided that dosage instructions are followed. Benadryl or diphenhydramine is one of these. According to the American Kennel Club, many veterinarians recommend giving Benadryl to dogs in order to remedy allergies, help alleviate travel anxiety and even relieve motion sickness. Though the FDA does not yet approve it for veterinary use, it is considered safe by most veterinarians.

How Can Benadryl Help Your Dog?

If your dog has mild to moderate allergies, Benadryl can be a real helper. Whether the allergy is seasonal, food-related, environmentally-caused, or is a reaction to a snake or insect bite, Benadryl can help to calm down the situation. Giving your dog Benadryl can help alleviate symptoms such as:

• Inflammation and swelling
• Runny nose and watery eyes
• Coughing and sneezing
• Redness
• Hives
• Anaphylactic reaction

You may be concerned because Benadryl is known to make you sleepy. It may have the same effect on your canine, which is helpful in calming down an anxious dog. Though Benadryl is known at times to ease anxiety, it is not meant to be used on a regular basis to do so. However, it is helpful in relieving motion sickness in your pet when you are traveling.

How Much Benadryl Should I Give My Dog?

The best thing you can do is consult your veterinarian. You will find that in general, Benadryl is found in 25 mg tablets. In order to calculate how much Benadryl to give to your dog, Preventative Vet has given us this handy calculator. Just enter your dog’s weight and it will tell you how much to give your dog. Young puppies, and pregnant or nursing dogs should not take Benadryl. Don’t give your dog Benadryl if they show signs of diarrhea, weakness, or collapse.

Final Thought

Before giving Benadryl to your canine, speak with your vet about what type of symptoms your dog is having. This is because your dog needs to be diagnosed first. For example, if your dog has red, sticky eyes, it could be glaucoma, (not allergies) which will not go away by taking Benadryl. It would be best if you also made sure that the Benadryl will not interact with any other medications that your dog may be currently taking.