Cat allergies: Is Benadryl, cyproheptadine, or hydroxyzine best?

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can be used for cats. Other over the counter antihistamines for use in cats include Chlor-Trimeton® (chlorpheneramine), Claritin® (loratadine) and Zyrtec® (cetirizine). You can get doses for any of the above from your veterinarian. Legally, we are prohibited from supplying doses for medications, even OTC meds, in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (Veterinarian-Patient-Client Relationship).

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can be used to alleviate allergy symptoms, but you will need to contact your veterinarian for confirmation and a safe dose. Legally, we are prohibited from telling you to medicate Kalisi in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). Your vet can confirm allergies or diagnosis a different underlying cause for the symptoms.

You can try liquid Benadryl. Look for the dye free, unflavored version. Another option would be to have it compounded into a palatable tablet or chewable. Your veterinarian may have a preferred compounding pharmacy that he or she works with for these cases.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! When using products like Benadryl to reduce anxiety and to help sedate the patient a bit, I prefer using them 15-30 minutes before. We unfortunately cannot prescribe a specific dose of a medication as this requires a patient doctor relationship which requires an in-person evaluation. However, this is something your veterinarian could prescribe as they have evaluated her. Keep in mind that Benadryl is not commonly used in cats for this purpose. I would recommend another product such as Feliway which you can find online or over the counter at your local pet store and this is likely going to be effective for this purpose. Best of luck!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Musha. Benadryl is used for allergic reactions, and not for polyps. In addition, without seeing her in person, I can't say if it's safe to give to her or not. The steroid should help with the inflammation, so I would not give her any additional medication. Best of luck.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Molly. Poor girl, I'm sorry she's so miserable. I wish we could legally say it's safe to give her Benadryl, but we can't because we are unable to see her in person. It's also against the user terms of the site. Give her vet a call now, and they can let you know if it's safe and can give you a dose for her. Best of luck.

Hydroxyzine is not FDA approved for use in veterinary medicine, but it is frequently used "off label" to treat allergies and itching in cats and dogs. Legally, we are prohibited from recommending prescription medications in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). What you can do, is contact your vet for a dose based on Boba's body weight. Just as in people, antihistamines will affect pets in different ways. You may find it works well, just ok or not at all. Check Boba over for fleas, which are the most common cause of itching and scratching. If found, treat him topically or orally for at least 3 consecutive months but preferably year round. You will also need to treat the environment for fleas. This means vacuuming everywhere and washing all bedding. This should be followed up with a cat safe area treatment to prevent re-infestation. If there are no fleas, you will need to have Boba examined by your veterinarian to diagnose infection (bacterial or fungal), other parasites (mites) or other allergens (food, environmental, inhaled, contact). It can be very frustrating given all the potential causes for allergic reactions. Discuss allergy testing, food elimination trials and hydrolyzed diets with your vet.