Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms, insect stings, motion sickness, travel anxiety, and other conditions.
For: Cats and Dogs
Benefits:
•
Effectively relieves allergy symptoms and itching caused by insect bites
•
Can be used as a sedative to treat motion sickness or travel anxiety
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Relieves coughing
How it works:
Diphenhydramine comes in 25mg minitabs or 50mg capsules, and is a generic version of Benadryl. As an antihistamine, it counteracts the effect of histamine, which causes symptoms like itching and sneezing.
Cautions:
This medication should not be used in pregnant or nursing animals. Do not use the diphenhydramine available in combination with sinus or cold medicines in your pet.
Brand Name Benadryl (Warner Lambert), Histacalm (Virbac)
Generic Name Diphenhydramine (dye-fen-hy’-dra-meen)
Manufacturer: Various
What is this medication used for: Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms, insect bites or stings and other causes of itching. It is also used for its sedative and antiemetic effects in the treatment of motion sickness and travel anxiety. It is also used for its antitussive effect.
Availability: Diphenhydramine is a non-prescription (OTC) product available as 25mg tablets and 50mg capsules.
How this medicine should be used: Oral diphenhydramine is not FDA-approved for use in veterinary medicine; however, it is a commonly accepted practice to use this medication in dogs and cats. The usual dose in dogs and cats is 0.5-2mg/pound every 8-12 hours. The slow release capsule should not be mixed or dissolved in food. Do not give sinus or cold medicines containing diphenhydramine to your pet.
What are the side effects: Side effects of diphenhydramine include drowsiness, dry mouth and urinary retention. Rarely, vomiting and diarrhea can occur.
What special precautions are there: Do not use this medication in animals that are allergic to it or other antihistamines. Do not use in animals with glaucoma, prostate disease, urinary obstruction, and high blood pressure. Do not use in pregnant or nursing animals. Use with caution when given with other CNS (central nervous system)-depressant drugs such as tranquilizers or barbiturates. Always tell your veterinarian and pharmacist what other medications your pet is taking.
In the event of an overdose: Contact your veterinarian or veterinary emergency room. Symptoms of overdose can include seizures, extreme drowsiness, coma, respiratory depression, and death.
How should I store this medication: Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed. Store this medication at room temperature, away from excess heat, light, and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Keep medication away from children and pets.
Directions:
•
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms, insect stings, motion sickness, travel anxiety and other conditions.
•
It is available over-the-counter (OTC) as 25mg tablets and 50mg capsules.
•
Diphenhydramine should not be used in dogs or cats that are pregnant or nursing.
Tip: The slow release capsule should NOT be mixed or dissolved in food. Do not use sinus or cold medications containing diphenydramine in your pet.
Dosage:
Pet
Weight
Dosage
Dogs/Cats:
All weights
Give 0.5 - 2mg per lb of pets body weight every 8 -12 hours
Horses:
Storage: Store this medication at room temperature, away from excess heat, light and moisture.
Other Ingredients (per capsule):
Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, Croscamellose Sodium, D&C Red #28, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #3, FD&C Red #40, Gelatin, Lactose, Magnesium Stearate. May also contain Polysorbate 80 and iron oxide.
Diphenhydramine (Generic Benadryl)
4.5
5
37
37
DIPHENHYDRAMINE product review:
One of the oldest antihistamines around(brand name benadryl), this economic generic version, has as much of a chance at providing symptomatic relief, as many of the newer and more expensive antihistamines that have emerged in recent years, in my experience and opinion. I usually will dose this medicine at anywhere between one half to 1 mg per pound once to twice daily for chronic cases. For those frustrating seasonal allergy cases that can often result in endless itching and secondary bacterial skin and ear infections, the mild sedative effect is also helpful in calming dogs down during difficult allergy seasons. It will help to some degree in 25% of cases in my experience, but when I combine its use with an essential omega 3 fatty acid supplement like Super pure Omega 3 or nordic naturals pet cod liver oil, the clinical response rate in terms of symptom relief certainly climbs in my practice. I also like to use at the same time the antioxidant supplement proanthozone as well, whose nonsedative antihistamine effect can also help when used with diphenhydramine. Keeping in mind that many of these allergy cases are due to contact allergens as well, regular shampooing once to twice weekly with the soothing 1800petmeds oatmeal and aloe shampoo can also be helpful in these pets, in addition to diphenhydramine, essential fatty acids and proanthozone. Another wonderful use of diphenhydramine in pets, which also makes it an indispensable part of an animal guardian's pet medicine cabinet, is in those pets prone to sudden allergic reactions such as spider bites or bee stings, especially during the warmer seasons. Animal guardians can often save lots of money on expensive vet visits when a pet comes in from the outside with a swollen muzzle by giving diphenhydramine at a dose of 1 mg per pound every 6-8 hours as needed for the first 24 hours after such an acute reaction. This would also apply for acute vaccination reactions as well. Of course if ever in doubt during these acute sudden reactions, veterinary exam and consultation is always recommended. For more long term skin allergy use, clients need to understand, however that sometimes one type of antihistamine will work in one dog or cat and not in another, so that if there is not adequate improvement with the protocol described here over 10-14 days, I will often try a different antihistamine like chlorphenirimine or clemastine, also available from the 1800petmeds website. My overall rating of this product is a 4. Its ease of use a 5, and efficacy a 3.5, particularly when combined with the other supportive measures described here.
01/13/2009
Noticeable Results
My dog's not scratching nearly as much as she was before and I'm seeing less red patches on her skin. It does make her a little tired, but I'd rather her be a little drowsy than be itchy and uncomfortable. I'm very happy with this product.
04/23/2013
My 12 year old Rag Doll Cat, Casey, suffers from spring allergies and scratches himself causing rashes and loss of fur around eyes and on neck. Have been giving 1/2 tablet each night for about a week. It seems to be helping. I see no new rashes and the old ones seem to be healing. The down side is that he hates the taste and tries to spit it out even when I coat it with his hair ball jell that he loves the taste of. It seems, however, to be worth the struggle.
04/17/2013
good product
we have used diphenhydramine for some time now it was reccommended by her vet
12/16/2012
Works great!!!
Having such a weak winter and strong summer, Shy, my 7lb Chihuahua/Cavalier mix was dying with allergies, her nose and eyes ran, she itched, she sneezed and coughed, and when she was outside for extended periods of time, she would vomit!
This worked perfectly, her eyes and nose stopped running, her cough has considerably lessened, and her sneezes have almost completely stopped and she's been on this for only a little over a week!
I give her just half a pill a day in a lump of peanut butter, and she's good to go within 30 minutes! If your dog has bad allergies I would most definitely try this!
05/26/2012
The dose of diphenhydramine in dogs is 0.5mg to 2 mg per pound of pet's body weight every 8 to 12 hours. The dose for an 18 pound dog is 9 to 36 mg. Diphenhydramine is available in a 25 mg tablet.
The correct dosage to give to Abbey is Give 0.5 - 2mg per lb of her body weight every 8 -12 hours. In other words, you may give Abbey 1 mini tab of the 25 mg tablets every 8 to 12 hours..
My Cat is a flat faced Persian with brachycephlic syndrome. She had surgery to help open her nose but she still has the runny eyes and makes noise breathing. I was hoping that the liquid childrens benedryl might help, I have a medicine dropper but how much should I give of the liquid? My vet gives her injections of depo-medrol and those help for about a month but I would like to be able to treat the condition at home and save on office visits. She is almost 1 yr old and is small -a about 7 pounds
This information sheet is for educational purposes only and is intended to be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise and professional judgment of your veterinarian. The information is NOT to be used for diagnosis or treatment of your pet. You should always consult your own veterinarian for specific advice concerning the treatment of your pet. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, allergic reactions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for your pet. It is not a substitute for a veterinary exam, and it does not replace the need for services provided by your veterinarian. Note: Any trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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