My dog took Xyzal for allergies. What should I do? Is it safe for her?

Most OTC antihistamines can be used in dogs, however you should **never** give any medications to your dog without the advice of your veterinarian. Legally though, we cannot direct you to medicate your pet in the absence of a physical exam and a VCPR (veterinarian-client-patient-relationship). [Allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies) can be frustrating to diagnose since they can have multiple causes ([environmental](https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-allergies-vs-environmental-allergies-whats-the-difference), [food](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies), [flea bites](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/flea-allergy), etc.). Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Discuss [food elimination trials](https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-trials-for-allergies-in-pets-what-to-expect) and [allergy testing](https://www.petcoach.co/article/allergy-testing-immunotherapy-in-dogs) and if antihistamine use is indicated, he or she can give you a proper dose, The medication may provide some relief but your task is to try to determine what your dog is allergic to and decrease or eliminate it.

Both drugs are used off-label - meaning that they are not approved for veterinary use, so it's important to only use them as recommended by your veterinarian. Xyzal has a similar drug to Zyrtec, but is different enough that a new dose would have to be calculated by your veterinarian. This drug also has a lack of safety information for use with dogs, so I would not recommend it. I hope that helps and all is well with Mo.

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!

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.

Your dog could definitely have environmental allergies! Most people do not have much luck with these drugs as they are antihistamines, and as such are not very effective for these kinds of allergies in dogs. However, they tend to be very safe and very inexpensive, so I sometimes start with antihistamines if the itching is very mild and the dog does not seem miserable. Also, I have had great success with the oral pill Apoquel for some allergies as well, and this is a medication that is much safer to use long-term than steroids like prednisone. There is also an an allergy injection called Cytopoint that is very safe and works well for some dogs with seasonal allergies. Ask your veterinarian for his/her recommendation for your particular situation. Hope that helps!

No, I wouldn't recommend doing this without speaking to your vet about it. That's because recommending to do this 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 Zoey. Give your vet a call, and they can let you know if Levocetirizine 5mg is safe to give her.

Yes, you can give cetirizine as needed. Be aware that if you use it constantly there is a chance he will become tolerant to it and will no longer work. It should also not be used in animals that have any underlying kidney or liver disease. Please review this article on the medication in regards to dosing, side effects, etc. ( https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/cetirizine/ )