Can I give my 20 lb dog Claritin for allergy cough and sneezing?

Yes, Claritin is among several over-the-counter antihistamine options that may be given for allergies. Frankly, they all offer only mediocre relief but can be helpful for very mild symptoms. I would still recommend touching base with your vet to make sure Claritin would be appropriate for Bruno with his medical history and any other medications he might be taking. If Bruno's allergies do not improve on an over-the-counter option like Claritin, there are much more effective options available by prescription from your vet. Hope this helps!

That dose is safe. It is not labeled for use in dogs, so I would recommend that you discuss its use in your dog with your veterinarian. However, again there is no known problem with giving your dog that dose. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Many allergy medications are safe to give to dogs over the counter. It is always best to double check with your veterinarian regarding the dose and the drug you are about to give. What you have in the picture is generic system and is quite safe for dogs. The dose that I typically use is 0.5mg/kg of body weight every 24 hours. My own dog used to get this. He was 20lb and his dose was 4.5mg every 24 hours. I rounded this to 5mg every 24 hours to make it easier for dosing. So that would be 1/2 tablet every 24 hours. There are other options for allergies as well if antihistamines are not effective but your veterinarian will have to prescribe these. Please let me know if you have any other questions and I would be more than happy to help!

Loratidine (Claritin) can be given to dogs. Here is an information sheet that talks about dosing and side effects. ( https://www.petplace.com/article/drug-library/drug-library/library/loratadine-claritin-alavert-for-dogs-and-cats/ )

No, I would not recommend giving this to Sadie. Claritin is potentially dangerous to dogs, and giving it to her may accidentally cause harm. In addition, it's never recommended to self treat your animals, as you could do harm to her and it may be the wrong medication for her symptoms. I would take Sadie into your vet for an exam. The vet can determine if Claritin, or another drug, is appropriate and safe to give her, and then the vet can prescribe it for her.

Unfortunately, by law it is illegal for the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to give the dose information for any drug, including OTC drugs, without seeing the animal in person first. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for Rey. You will need to speak to her vet to see if it's safe to give her the Loratadine.

While a pill or two may not cause any harm other than increased drowsiness, if your dog got into a large or unknown amount it is best to seek veterinary care immediately or contact your local Animal Poison Control (if you are in the US you can call 888-426-4435 however there is a fee to use this service). They can provide treatment or let you know if the dose ingested is harmful. You may see signs like extreme drowsiness, or paradoxical reactions such as an increase in activity such as drooling, vomiting, etc. If you are seeing these signs, seek care immediately.