My dog scratches constantly and falls down. Should I give him Benadryl?

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.

Have Linus rechecked by your veterinarian. Given his age, heart disease should be ruled out as a cause for the coughing. Chest xrays and an echocardiogram can assess cardiac size, architecture and function. If the heart checks out, consider advanced diagnostics such as a trans tracheal wash to collect a sample for pathology and culture. This may be able to diagnose infection or inflammatory process. The culture and sensitivity may identify the responsible organism as well as the best antibiotic to use in treatment. He may also have allergies which can be difficult to diagnose given the multiple causes. Consider adding an essential fatty acid supplement (usually a fish oil) to his diet to promote healthy skin. EFAs may also decrease inflammation and itching. Search www.petco.com for fish oil supplements such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps. If allergies are confirmed, your task is to try to determine what he is allergic to and decrease or eliminate it. Discuss food elimination trials, hydrolyzed diets and allergy testing with your vet. Confirm the dose of Benadryl you are giving is appropriate based on body weight. There are other antihistamines you can try, prescription and OTC, if Benadryl is ineffective. Again, discuss options with your veterinarian.

The next thing to do is go to the veterinarian. If the antihistamines are not working, he may need something stronger. These lesions could also now be infected. Make sure to protect the area from rubbing or scratching and he should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Have him examined soon.

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.

Tobi appears to have allergic skin disease, which sometimes involves secondary bacterial or yeast infection as well as the itchy skin. The raw patches and scab areas on Tobi make me think that he may need to be on antibiotics. Benadryl is usually not very effective for moderate-to-severe itching, and there are special allergy drugs designed just for dogs that work much better to help with allergies. I would ask your vet about Apoquel and Cytopoint medications for allergies. Also, Tobi probably needs to be on antibiotics but he would need a test like a skin culture to know for sure. Hope that helps!

It sounds like poor Cheyenne is very uncomfortable! I'd recommend getting her an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist. They are experts in allergies, and they can run tests to identify exactly what is causing her allergies and therefore prescribe the best treatment that will hopefully give her some relief. Speak to your vet about a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Benadryl is not going to work until you get the infection under control. I recommend bringing Buddy to a veterinarian to have them check his ears and skin. They can treat with antibiotics and topical medication for his ears. Then your veterinarian can discuss reasons for the infection to have started. It can be allergies or even water getting inside of his ears. If Buddy has a history of itching and allergies is a concern there are great new options to help Buddy. You can discuss this with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.