How much liquid benadryl can you give a dog

Benadryl is an antihistamine. Its active ingredient is diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine can be given to dogs for a variety of reasons. It can be used for allergic respiratory disease, cough, pruritis (itchy skin) due to allergy, motion sickness, and mild sedation. It should not be used if your dog has urinary retention, glaucoma or hypertyroidism. Side effects include drowsiness and CNS depression (Impaired thinking and perception, decreased heart rate, slow breathing)

The general dose of Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is 2 to 4 mg/kg up to three times day. If your dog weighs 25 lbs (11.3 kg) the dose of Benadryl would be 22.6mg to 45.2mg up to three times a day.

Benadryl tablets are available in 25mg and 50mg strength. If you were using the Benadryl 25mg tablet you could give 1 to 2 tablets up to three times day.

It is worth noting a vet should be consulted to reassure you that your dogs symptoms are not indicative of something more serious.

This is why we’ve created a Benadryl dosage chart for dogs, covering all the uses, safety measures, and side effects you can expect. 

So, be sure to read more.

How Much Benadryl To Give a Dog?

A normal Benadryl dosage for dogs is between 0.9 to 1.8 milligrams of Benadryl for each pound of weight. For liquid Benadryl, you should use 0.4 ml per pound of weight. 

You shouldn’t give them more than two to three doses a day.

(WebMD, 2021, Omni Calculator, 2021)

Benadryl for Dogs Dosage by Weight — Comprehensive Chart

(Omni Calculator, 2021)

The right dose for your dog depends on its weight. For example, a 5 lb dog will need 5 mg of Benadryl, while a 15 lb dog will need 15 mg. Also, Benadryl tablets differ from liquid Benadryl, so dosages will be different.

To find the right Benadryl dose for dogs, check out our chart:

Also, be aware that measuring the best Benadryl dose for a dog is much easier with liquid Benadryl. Benadryl tablets contain 25 mg per tablet and might be a bit more difficult to dose.

If you have a small dog, using children’s Benadryl can help you get the right dosage more easily. 

Benadryl for Dogs — Everything You Should Know 

Read on to find out what Benadryl can be used for, what side effects it can have, and what you should pay attention to when buying Benadryl for your dog.

Benadryl is mainly used as an antihistamine for dogs.

(VCA Animal Hospitals, 2021, MedicalNewsToday, 2021)

It’s likely to work well on your dog, but a recent study has found that cetirizine might work better for calming dogs’ allergies. This is why you should always consult your vet if your dog has allergies.

Benadryl can be used for other dog-related illnesses:

• Itching — Benadryl has calming properties and is the first treatment used in itchiness caused by hives.
• Nausea — it stops vomiting and helps with motion sickness.
• Vestibular disease —  You can use Benadryl for vestibular disease to help with vomiting, but some new medications were proven to work better.

Adult liquid Benadryl can be harmful to dogs.

(Veterinary Partner, 2021)

Liquid Benadryl for adults contains alcohol, and alcohol is extremely harmful to dogs. If you prefer using liquid Benadryl, children’s Benadryl is a lot safer for dogs because it’s alcohol-free.

In general, when buying Benadryl, focus on the options containing only diphenhydramine with no extra ingredients.

Drowsiness is one of the most common side effects of Benadryl in dogs.

(PetMD, 2020)

However, this can be useful if your dog has trouble sleeping. So, you can use Benadryl to calm your dog.

Also, you can use Benadryl for dogs’ anxiety in emergencies. It’s also useful for stressful situations, such as grooming.

Just keep in mind that the effects are not long-lasting, and there are better ways of relieving anxiety, such as prescription medicine, natural CBD-induced oil, noise machines, and similar.

There are a few common side effects of Benadryl.

(American Kennel Club, )

Besides getting drowsy, your dog can also experience these symptoms when using Benadryl:

• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Difficulty with urination
• Fast breathing

Your dog might also experience diarrhea, vomiting, and have changes in appetite as a side effect of Benadryl. However, these are much rarer. 

Some dogs might even get more anxious or aggressive, but this usually happens when they overdose. So, make sure to consult your vet about changing their medication and not give them more Benadryl than necessary.

Conclusion

Using Benadryl for dogs is safe — but only when done right. So, if you have an allergic dog, our Benadryl dosage chart should help you get a grasp of how much Benadryl your dog should take. However, if you have any questions, always consult your vet.

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