Puppy has night congestion, watery eyes, cough. Allergies? Benadryl?

Hi there! You can give him some benadryl (diphenhydramine) at 1 mg per pound. The tablets usually come in 25mg. You can go a tad higher too and it usually won't hurt anything. For example, if the dog is 10 pounds, I'll just have owners give 1/2 of the 25mg tablet which comes out to 12.5mg, or if the dog is 5 pounds, then 1/4 tablet which is 6.25 mg, etc. If your dog is really small, you can pick up the children's benadryl and use that to get a more accurate dose. The benadryl may or may not help, but it can't hurt. I think it's worth a try until you can get him in to see his veterinarian again. I would have him seen though since he has started medications and it still seems to be getting worse. Just be sure to check labels and make sure the only ingredient is diphenhydramine (or diphenhydramine hcl). Some of the benadryl products can have pseudoephedrine in them, and you don't want that. I hope this answer was helpful! Best of luck!

This is likely just from stress and allergies but could the beginning stages of an upper respiratory infection. I would start with some benadryl twice a day. See link below. If he isn't improving or gets worse, I would have your vet take a look at him to make sure he doesn't need any antibiotics. Keep a close eye on him since he is so young and small. Make sure he is eating and drinking and acting normal. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tater-Tot. While she could be experiencing seasonal allergies, an upper respiratory tract infection is more likely given the congestion and nasal discharge. I suspect she will need antibiotic therapy to start. I am glad that you have already determined that it is not related to her heart disease as that is always the concern. If her symptoms do not improve with antibiotics or her condition worsens, then x-rays of her chest will be needed. I do not think that Benadryl will significantly improve her symptoms. hope this information helps!

Hello. Benadryl will not help the runny nose in your puppy as she may have a mild upper respiratory infection. If she is eating & drinking well, playful & active, this will probably resolve on its own. The itchy skin might be from fleas, or mites. Make sure you are treating her with an age appropriate flea product & if she continues to itch, I would dip her once a week in a Lime Sulfur product that you can purchase on-line or at most Tractor Supply stores. This would be much better than Benadryl. If the nasal discharge turns thick or your puppy seems unwell, please see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This could be allergy related. You can give 1/2 tablet of adult 25mg Benadryl twice a day to see if this helps. If the coughing becomes more persistent or doesn't improve I would contact your vet for an exam to ensure her heart sounds okay. I hope this helps!

The calculation for Benadryl is quite simple, it just 1mg per lb , so for a 5 lb dog it would be around 5mg. Since Benadryl comes in 25mg usually this is close to 1/4 tablet and there is a wide safety margin for Benadryl so 1 or 2 mg above or below is well tolerated. Expect some drowsiness just like in humans.

I would try Benadryl twice a day to see if this helps in case it is allergy related. See link below. If it doesn’t or if she gets worse, then I would be worried about an infection. With her being so small and young, I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able determine what is wrong and start her on the proper meds to help her feel better. I hope this helps. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/