Benadryl for Dog with Allerigies??

[TipsyDog]

My little mini-poodle is getting worse with his allergies. He is 8 years old, but recently it seems to be getting worse.

He is chewing at his feet and just itching himself non stop. I am going to go bathe him and shave off all the hair on his paws. He is also developing a rancid odor now.

On days when he is very uncomfortable, is it possible to give him a small amount of benadryl? Is it suitable for dogs? I'd only give it when he is having a really miserable day.

Poor little guy

 

[Judy]

It's fine, my vet recommended it, and I have used it with 2 or 3 dogs.

She would certainly be able to take 12.5 mg, probably 25.

 

[ranchhand]

I have a 93 pound Lab, he gets 2 a day, buried in peanut butter. The smell you describe sounds like a possible fungal condition. I have found that Selsun Blue Dandruff Shampoo works wonders in cases like that.

Even the house brand is good, as long as it's based on Selsun Blue. We used it on an Airedale at the vet clinic where I worked, and after 6 months he was a new dog.

Good luck, it's no fun to see your buddy be unhappy.

 

[Barnyard]

I have also used it with my Yorkie and he did really well with it. I had to use the 12.5 mg

 

[TipsyDog]

Thanks for all the helpful replies everyone.

Ranchhand: I have some Head & Shoulders, but I'll get the Selsun. I think Selsun has a different active ingredient than the H&S. I'm going to try that. I was just hesitant because he licks himself constantly and I wasn't sure the chemicals in those shampoos would be OK to ingest. He also will stand in one spot and allow my standard poodle to lick him forever! I didn't want her to ingest it either.

But if it'll help him, I'm going to try it! Thanks.

 

[Mudsow]

What brand of food are you feeding him? Alot of vets claim seasonal grass allergies for licking and scratching. However, if there is "wheat" in the dog food, you are just compounding the issue. Sometimes by eliminating wheat in the diet, their systems can more tolerate the outdoor grasses.

I'm a dog groomer and we see this issue all the time. I can't tell you how many people have thanked me for mentioning that. For some odd reason Vet's just don't try to figure out why problems arise in the first place.

It's just like gettiing migranes. Maybe one soda is tolerable, maybe even 2, but if you drink 3 you get a migrane. The same goes for grasses when it comes to dogs. They weren't meant to eat grains.

But yes, benadryl is fine for dogs.

It's just frustrating that there are so many dogs out there with this same issue and no one gives people the heads up about wheat in the diet. The same goes for treats too. 86 the milkbones and go with freeze dried liver or just look at packaging. There are so many choices now. There's no reason to not feed healthy.
I'm done ranting about dog food now.

Mudsow

 

[BlackBart]

A very successful dog breeder we know, who sells his dogs all over the world and is #1 in his breed, suggests using children's Benadryl he also said it works great for dog's who scoot for none of the usual reasons.

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
I removed the grains from his diet. I feed my dogs human grade meat with Sojos, which has Rolled Oats, Rye Flakes, Barley Flakes, Ground Pecans, Natural Calcium Carbonate, Kelp, Carob Powder, Parsley, Basil, Alfalfa.

I took this dog off that diet and continued with meat. He stopped "burping" up his food all day, but the itching is continuing. At this point, I just want to relieve some of this suffering and hope that winter brings him relief.

I do agree with you however, that many dogs are being feed too many filler grains and it is causing many of the problems we see in dogs today. I was thinking of raising quail as a fresh food source, but my dogs are old and set in their ways so maybe if I ever get a larger breed puppy I'll consider it.

 

[oberhaslikid]

I had this same problem with my Pom.Vet said go to $ store and buy the cheap stuff and give 2 a day after a week then wean him down to 1 a day.If he starts again go back to 2 a day.I did this for 3 weeks and when he stopped all signs gone. I weaned him completely off till I see signs of chewing again.Then I start him on it again.
He starts shedding in August and this is when he seems to bother him the most.

 

[Whispering Winds]

I am having the same problem with my Shistchu, (cannot spell it) and took him to the vet. He had sores and odor too, so he was on antibiotics for a month, half a claritin (I use the WM brand, 1/2 a day) and she gave me a leave on lotion which seems to relieve some of his itching, but its back with a vengeance now. I also put two capsules broke open and poured over his food of Vit. E oil. My husband takes prescription strength Omega-3 and I will use two of them also, but to be honest nothing really works. I am going to try a whole pill of the allergy medicine though, because if its ok for a Pom, it would be fine for him too. I thought for a long time its the food, he gets half a can of equate brand a day and free range on puppy chow if he wants it. He has sparse fur, scratches all the time it seems like; I use the monthly frontline plus flea treatment, as we live in a BAD flea band, and I thought that might irritate too, but probably not. I adopted him and he was FINE, had him a couple of weeks and that is when he started in scratching. My vet said that is probably why he was given to the shelter, too $$ and too aggravating to deal with. He is such a sweet little guy, I wish I could find the magic cure.