My dog ate chicken and is itching. Can I give him allergy meds?

Benadryl can be given to dogs to treat allergies but it is always best to check with your vet before giving medications. Since your vet knows your dogs complete medical history, he/she would know if there is a contraindication to giving any medications. Dogs with allergies can also develop secondary bacterial infection that may require an antibiotic, corticosteroid, and/or an anti-histamine to treat. If her signs persist or worsen then she should be seen by a vet to determine the best way to treat. There is also an allergy medication called Apoquel that works very well in controlling allergies in dogs. You could also switch to a completely hypoallergenic diet, like z/d, and see if that helps, too. Bathing her with a medicated dog shampoo, like Epi-Soothe, may also help.

It's very possible there is a food allergy, such as chicken, if you notice a reaction after he eats it. A food trial with your vet may be a good idea so that you can gradually reintroduce ingredients under direct supervision and note which cause a response. Checking treats and people food is also a good idea as the ingredients in those can cause reactions even if the daily diet does not. Food trials can take 6-8 weeks to see results, so you may need to have Buddy on a limited diet for a while to see if anything helps. Another option would be to seek out an allergy specialist that could test Buddy, or try out alternative allergy treatments to the steroid shot to see if anything has positive results for him.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! While apoquel is a great drug to stop scratching and to help atopic dermatitis it doesn't do anything in the face of a skin infection. Coco should be checked to see if she now has a yeast and or bacterial skin infection. There is also the option of doing an injection for scratching called cytopoint, which lasts 30-60 days (dog dependent). I would also consider adding Omega 3 fish oils and changing her diet to a non-chicken based novel protein diet (try venison, lamb, fish). Claritin, benadryl and zyrtec can be sued in dogs, see links below: https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/claritin/ https://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/ https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15235

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could certainly be allergies. In reality, Benadryl probably would not help much in this case. Medications to decrease the itch that could help him include prednisone or a medication called Apoquel. The possible secondary infection would have to be treated as well. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

I believe it might actually be part of the original allergic reaction but as there is suspicion he had a reaction to the Benadryl i wouldn't recommend giving it again. instead i would recommend to monitor him, give it 48 hours, if it is not resolved bring him back to the vet for a steroid shot.

If you haven't yet had him seen by a vet, ideally I would recommend that you have him evaluated. He may have a secondary bacterial infection that needs to be cleared up with antibiotics, and he may benefit from prescription medications such as Apoquel which can make a big difference for these guys! If you are unable to get him to the vet, you can try him on an antihistamine such as Benadryl. See here for dosing info: https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/benadryl/. Try switching him to a "sensitive skin" food, such as this: (this s actually what I feed my dog who has some skin allergies/dry skin/itchiness) https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/hills-science-diet-adult-sensitive-stomach-and-skin-chicken-recipe-dry-dog-food You can also give some Omega 3 supplements, as this may help as well. Bathe him once a week to cut down on topical allergens being absorbed in the skin, and follow with a dog cream rinse. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-shampoo-with-vitamin-d3 https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-rinse-with-vitamin-d3 If these "at home" measures don't give him relief, though, get him in to see your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Yes, there is an OTC in the form of antihistamines, but legally I cannot recommend it for you to use on her, nor can I give you the dose. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, I cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for your dog. I would give your vet a call to get the name of the OTC option as well as the dosage.