Is it safe to give my dog or cat Benadryl for their allergy symptoms?

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can be used for cats. Other over the counter antihistamines for use in cats include Chlor-Trimeton® (chlorpheneramine), Claritin® (loratadine) and Zyrtec® (cetirizine). You can get doses for any of the above from your veterinarian. Legally, we are prohibited from supplying doses for medications, even OTC meds, in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (Veterinarian-Patient-Client Relationship).

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 your dog. You need to check with Chewy's vet to see if it's safe to give him, and the vet can give you the dose.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Molly. Poor girl, I'm sorry she's so miserable. I wish we could legally say it's safe to give her Benadryl, but we can't because we are unable to see her in person. It's also against the user terms of the site. Give her vet a call now, and they can let you know if it's safe and can give you a dose for her. Best of luck.

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 your dog. You need to speak to your vet about this.

Yes, Benadryl is quite safe for long term use, but often causes excitement in cats. Always talk to your vet before giving Zach any medications to assure that the medication is necessary, safe and dosed appropriately.

While cats can have Benadryl, it's against the law for me to say it's safe to give it to Buster. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. Keep in mind as well that the sneezing may also be due to a respiratory infection, and Benadryl will not help that. Benadryl is for allergic reactions, not respiratory infections, and you would be unnecessarily giving him a drug he doesn't need. I would have him seen by a vet for this sneezing. If he does have a respiratory infection, the vet can prescribe medication to treat it.

While Benadryl can be used in specific conditions in dogs, I can't say if it's safe or appropriate to use on Chloe. That's illegal for me to do so. You will have to give your vet a call back to see if they did recommend using Benadryl or not. Best of luck!