# Benadryl turning my dog into a "zombie"



## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

I have given Wagner benadryl a time or two when his itching was unbearable. But never on a regular basis--24/7 for itchiness. 

I would think there has to be a better solution than benadryl for her that won't cause the drowsiness. I know it makes *me* a zombie and there is no way I could take that much. 

Did your vet recommend giving this quantity to her?


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

That may be a little high -- maybe try cutting back on the dosing? I give a couple of mine 50 mgs. once a day (in the morning w/ their breakfast) and have never noticed any drowsiness. You could also try Zyrtec for her allergies.

My Joey who has big-time allergies takes a pretty small dose of Temaril-P (reduced after his loading dose and then gradually cutting back to lowest dose before itching came back). He has done great on it. I will be having a full blood panel run next month to make sure he is not having any negative side effects.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

The vet gave Mia Vanectyl-P, but I'd really rather not give her steroids... The side effects just sound so scary!

When I asked the vet for alternatives, she said Benadryl but that it could make her drowsy. She didn't specify a dose.

I looked it up on the Internet and based on what others who have given it to their dogs, and they all said for dogs over 50 lbs (Mia is 56 lbs) to give 50 mgs every 8 hours.

I'm thinking of either stopping it all together or giving it to her once a day... Maybe before bed (with a bit of food)?


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

jealous1 said:


> You could also try Zyrtec for her allergies.


I read conflicting info on Zyrtec (which is Reactine in Canada). Some even say it's not safe for dogs. 



jealous1 said:


> My Joey who has big-time allergies takes a pretty small dose of Temaril-P (reduced after his loading dose and then gradually cutting back to lowest dose before itching came back). He has done great on it.


Temaril-P is Vanectyl-P in Canada. That's what the vet prescribed, but the side effects sound so scary! Your dog hasn't had any issues?


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

Benadryl could definitely make your dog sleep. The same ingrediewounding in it is used in pm pain relievers and some over the counter sleep aids. I'd also stay away from Zyrtec. That stuff makes me so drowsy I want to pass out for hours. I can only imagine how it would make a dog feel. I have heard of some people giving their dogs 1/2 an Allegra but I'd definitely check with a vet first. I know Allegra is what I take year round for my allergies and it's one of the only on sedating antihistamines.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Our vet has recommended zyrtec for Maggie's allergies.... said many of the dermatologists have gotten good results with it. She's done well with it,


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## w00f (Nov 4, 2011)

vitamin C, bioflavanoids, quercetin, Hylands Hayfever remedy - lots of things to try!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Our vet recommends a generic (Walmart $2.96 for 100 tablets) called Chlorapheniramine. It works very well, without a lot of drowsiness. She reserves Benadryl for acute allergies such as insect stings, etc. 

Ask your vet about hydroxyzine--it's a more powerful antihistamine that worked wonders for my allergy dog Barkley.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Thank you Op for this thread. I was going to open one to ask. Kye, since the weather has gotten so hot is itching, all the time and where she itches the skin is inflamed and fur feels hard. No fleas and have been using a medicated shampoo, but itching continues. Could this be allergies? No hot spots, just general constant itching.

Was going to make a Vet appt next week to have them look at her, but would be good to know what the general symptoms are for allergies so I can be better informed.

Dallas Gold the med you can get at Walmart - do you mind sharing what your dose for your dog was? I know my Vet, she will want to give a steriod and just not comfortable with this if there are alternatives I can ask her about. Kye is young and know continued steriod use is not good.


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## MILLIESMOM (Aug 13, 2006)

Deber said:


> Thank you Op for this thread. I was going to open one to ask. Kye, since the weather has gotten so hot is itching, all the time and where she itches the skin is inflamed and fur feels hard. No fleas and have been using a medicated shampoo, but itching continues. Could this be allergies? No hot spots, just general constant itching.
> 
> Was going to make a Vet appt next week to have them look at her, but would be good to know what the general symptoms are for allergies so I can be better informed.
> 
> Dallas Gold the med you can get at Walmart - do you mind sharing what your dose for your dog was? I know my Vet, she will want to give a steriod and just not comfortable with this if there are alternatives I can ask her about. Kye is young and know continued steriod use is not good.


Try using a gentler shampoo, an oatmeal shampoo is good. For the real itchy spots Baby Goldbond powder works.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Deb, Toby is about 56 pounds on his "fat" days. He gets 2 4mg tabs in the a.m. and 2 4mg tabs in the pm. You can space them out every 4 hours, but it's too difficult for me to do. 

We stopped Toby's dosing last week after he started exhibiting soft stools. We wanted to eliminate any possibility one by one. It was his food (new intolerance) so we'll be adding it back in the next week or so. BTW, the pollens this year are about double a normal bad year. They were 7000+ yesterday--low by this spring's standards!

Look for the med in the OTC aisle of Allergies and the name is something like ChlorTabs--white and green bottle with a yellow tablet.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Hank has seasonal allergies. I tried the Bendryl at first but needed to keep uping the dosage. Now he gets an allergy shot in the fall (jury is still out on spring allergies) and it's done.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

To the original poster, if you are staying with Benadryl, I would decrease the dosage.
When I gave some to Toby for itching before, I only gave it twice daily, and often just gave him one tablet. 
Yes, all the veterinary medical books suggest Benadryl 3-4 times a day and at higher dosages. 
Good luck with whichever meds you end up.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

Deber said:


> Thank you Op for this thread. I was going to open one to ask. Kye, since the weather has gotten so hot is itching, all the time and where she itches the skin is inflamed and fur feels hard. No fleas and have been using a medicated shampoo, but itching continues. Could this be allergies? No hot spots, just general constant itching.


With Mia and her seasonal allergies, it's a lot of scratching and she chews donw on her paw & hips fur, and this year she's been licking the fur on her tummy a lot too. So sounds like allergies for Kye too. :uhoh:


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

Dallas Gold said:


> BTW, the pollens this year are about double a normal bad year. They were 7000+ yesterday--low by this spring's standards!


Yeah, it's really bad for my hubby and I too! Can't get a break! It's either freezing and snowing, or it's nice but got to deal with stupid allergies and bugs!!! :doh:


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

cgriffin said:


> To the original poster, if you are staying with Benadryl, I would decrease the dosage.
> When I gave some to Toby for itching before, I only gave it twice daily, and often just gave him one tablet.
> Yes, all the veterinary medical books suggest Benadryl 3-4 times a day and at higher dosages.
> Good luck with whichever meds you end up.


Starting today we're trying 50 mgs just in the morning with her breakfast (so only one dose per day)... but not sure if it's still in her system, or if it's still too high, but she's really mopy still today  (It IS raining and it's a miserable day here today! :yuck: So not sure if they get affected by it like we do too?) 

Should I give it at night instead (either with her supper or before bed with a bit of food)?


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

It all depends on when she is more bothered by her itching. I would try to give the Benadryl in AM and PM, leave the middle of the day dose out and see if that makes a difference in her drowsiness. If still too much, cut to one tablet twice a day. That is what I would do and have done in the past with my Golden.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

cgriffin said:


> It all depends on when she is more bothered by her itching. I would try to give the Benadryl in AM and PM, leave the middle of the day dose out and see if that makes a difference in her drowsiness. If still too much, cut to one tablet twice a day. That is what I would do and have done in the past with my Golden.


It's hard to tell as I'm not awake at night (usually! LOL!) but I THINK it's during the day that she seems more bothered by it. I THINK she sleeps well at night, so must not be bothering her enough... but not sure.

She's 56 lbs, so although they recommend 50 mgs for dogs 50 lbs and more, maybe it's too much for her...

I'm thinking maybe one pill twice a day (so 1 morning and 1 night) would be best... then if she's still scratching/biting her fur, I might up it... 

How long does it stay in their system, does anyone know? And how long would it take to see results?


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

*Called Mia's vet*

I called Mia's vet, and they recommend only 25 mgs. They said that you can give 2-3 times a day (25 mgs each time), but ideally to only give the minimum dose necessary... so 1 time a day would be ideal...

And that usually after 24-48 hours you should be able to see if it's worked or not...

I feel bad now for "drugging" her up so much!


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Don't feel bad, it happens.
I am glad you got some good answers now and I hope it works out for her!


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Thank you everyone for the help. Changed shampoos and will try the OTC.


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

For years our Golden, Logan, suffered from seasonal allergies. Licking/chewing on paws mainly. All this time we used Chlortrimeton pills (which is Chlorpheniramine Maleate) for many years and the side affect was drowziness just like Benedryl. Once Clariton became an OTC pill, the Vet had us switched to it - but used the generic brand which is "Loratadine". Logan weighed approximately 72 pounds and we gave him one pill am/pm. It worked just as well but no drowzy side affects. Since he was taking at least 4 of the previous pills a day he was quite drowzy. Once we switched it was a nice change not to have drowzy dog. The nice thing (per the Vet), if he happened to have serious attack, we could add the Chlortrimeton back in as well to help get through the few bad days. Then go back to just Loratadine. Good luck!


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

Just saw where you asked how Joey was doing on the Temaril-P (sorry, hadn't checked back in). He is doing very well and only takes one tablet daily now (he's ~85 pounds) which is a pretty low dose for his size. I tried cutting back to every other day but the itching returned. I did a lot of research and weighed the pros and cons on keeping him on it, and after discussing with DH we decided that the quality of life that it provides outweighs the possible side effects at this point. He's been on it for about a year now and he will be getting a full blood panel done at his next annual (was supposed to have been this past week but he's on antibiotics right now for an infected salivary gland and vet advised waiting for a month after he came off of them before doing any blood work). Depending on the results, I will make a decision on continuing the Temaril-P or coming off of it. I will try and remember to post the results for you.


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## Enzos_Mom (Apr 8, 2010)

Another thing you might want to consider is maybe keeping some baby wipes by the back door so you can wipe her down with them when she comes in (don't forget the bottoms of her paws!). That way, you're getting the pollen off of her so she's not suffering with it all the time.


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

Great suggestion EnzosMom - forgot to mention that but my vet recommends this as well.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

Enzos_Mom said:


> Another thing you might want to consider is maybe keeping some baby wipes by the back door so you can wipe her down with them when she comes in (don't forget the bottoms of her paws!). That way, you're getting the pollen off of her so she's not suffering with it all the time.


We usually wipes her paws with a towel when we bring her in, but baby wipes sounds like a good idea... better than a dry towel!


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

shortcake - another good product is "Mal-A-Ket Wipes" by Dermapet - you can get it on-line or at your vet's 

_DermaPet, the market leader in WET WIPE and OTIC technology, brings you the 1% Ketoconazole, 2% chlorhexidene and 2% Acetic Acid wipes, good for:_​ 

 _Anti-fungal/anti-bacterial_
 _Intertriginous dermatitis_
 _Skin folds at all locations (neck, lip, face, anal, axillary, etc.)_
 _Pododermatitis & interdigital dermatitis_
 _Hot spots_
 _Focal Malassezia & Pyoderma_


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

jealous1 said:


> Just saw where you asked how Joey was doing on the Temaril-P (sorry, hadn't checked back in). He is doing very well and only takes one tablet daily now (he's ~85 pounds) which is a pretty low dose for his size. I tried cutting back to every other day but the itching returned. I did a lot of research and weighed the pros and cons on keeping him on it, and after discussing with DH we decided that the quality of life that it provides outweighs the possible side effects at this point. He's been on it for about a year now and he will be getting a full blood panel done at his next annual (was supposed to have been this past week but he's on antibiotics right now for an infected salivary gland and vet advised waiting for a month after he came off of them before doing any blood work). Depending on the results, I will make a decision on continuing the Temaril-P or coming off of it. I will try and remember to post the results for you.


Will this be his 1st blood panel done since being on it for a year? Just curious because Ruby has been on it since October & my vet hadn't mentioned doing any testing.


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

Yes, it will be his first blood work. Joey turns ~8 this year (rescue, so age unknown), so I decided a full work-up would be good for him anyway and my vet agreed. How is Ruby doing on it?


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

I also had her down to 1 pill a day and thought I would try spacing it out. Did 1 every 2 days and then finally down to 1 every 3 days and then 2 weeks ago I stopped it. She was a mess again. She just started it back up to 3 a day for 3 days and now is on 3 every other day for 2 weeks. She has a very bad ear infection, which she normally doesn't suffer from. The vets office left cotton down her ear canal week before last during a bath and I found it this past Tuesday. Her ear was inflamed and oozing. That's why she had to go back on the Temaril P. for the inflammation. Honestly, if it isn't a high enough dose, she is still going at herself. It is a miserable way for her to live. We will have to see over the next 2 weeks how she is doing and then decide the dosage.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

I posted this under one of your other threads, and wanted to add it here for others' benefit.

Please try the Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) treatment. I've had much success with it to soothe and stop skin rashes, etc. Personally, I prefer trying these natural treatments rather than loading my dog's system with meds, but of course, it's up to you and your vet!

If you get the ORGANIC Apple Cider Vinegar (ideally, the Braggs brand from your local health food store), and dilute it 50/50 with distilled water, give Mia @1 tablespoon per day mixed in her food. 

Or what I've done with my Lacey is put @2 tbsps in a separate small dish, and with a cotton pad, swab some of the ACV on each of her paws. Then I give the rest of what's in the dish to Lacey, and she laps it up! She takes only about 2 sips, and then stops. It's not totally distasteful to her, but she'll stop when she's had enough.

Here's a good link re all the benefits of ACV, including for allergies:

Apple Cider Vinegar for Dogs


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

> *2 tbsps in a separate small dish, and with a cotton pad, swab some of the ACV on each of her paws*


doesn't it sting? Bayne has licked his paws so I can see redness and don't know if they are open. I got some salve from the pet shop, safe for ingestion just in case he licks it off, and the taste is supposed to be bitter but Bayne licks it all off and then wants the tube. He also likes the taste of vinegar, don't know about apple cider vinegar though. I don't like the smell of it, hopefully the smell dissipates in a short while.


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

Wendy427 said:


> Here's a good link re all the benefits of ACV, including for allergies:
> 
> Apple Cider Vinegar for Dogs





from the article said:


> I think maybe you should read up on what your dog is really eating. There was a veterinary school who actually followed Purina and several other big dog companies and found that they were taking dead dogs and cats out of dumpsters (some that died of cancer or other illnesses) and they grind this into your dogs food.


Reading this made me so glad I stopped feeding Purina to Bayne.. the rest is going in the garbage right this minute, I was going to use the rest of the kibble for treats.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

Deb_Bayne said:


> doesn't it sting? Bayne has licked his paws so I can see redness and don't know if they are open. I got some salve from the pet shop, safe for ingestion just in case he licks it off, and the taste is supposed to be bitter but Bayne licks it all off and then wants the tube. He also likes the taste of vinegar, don't know about apple cider vinegar though. I don't like the smell of it, hopefully the smell dissipates in a short while.


No, it doesn't sting, but remember to dilute the ACV first. Also, try it on an area that's not open, first, and see how Bayne reacts to that. 

Lacey had a large partially-open cyst on her leg that I've been using ACV on, and it's worked wonders! Nope, didn't sting. When I applied it she lay down, very relieved!

The smell of ACV dissipates after a few mins.

Also, just a reminder to ONLY buy the *ORGANIC* Apple Cider Vinegar (ideally, the *Braggs* brand from your local health food store). This is because the sediment at the bottom of the bottle contains all the nutrients. Of course shake the bottle before using.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

Deb_Bayne said:


> Reading this made me so glad I stopped feeding Purina to Bayne.. the rest is going in the garbage right this minute, I was going to use the rest of the kibble for treats.


We now feed Mia Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey and Potato. We used to feed her Acana Grasslands, which is also a good food, but high in calories, and Mia needed to lose some weight, which is mostly why we looked at switching in the first place.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *from the article* 
_I think maybe you should read up on what your dog is really eating. There was a veterinary school who actually followed Purina and several other big dog companies and found that they were taking dead dogs and cats out of dumpsters (some that died of cancer or other illnesses) and they grind this into your dogs food._

Reading this made me so glad I stopped feeding Purina to Bayne.. the rest is going in the garbage right this minute, I was going to use the rest of the kibble for treats. 
__________________


Where did you get that quote? I think you really need to research this report, it's highly inflammatory and I don't believe it is true.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

mylissyk said:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *from the article*
> _I think maybe you should read up on what your dog is really eating. There was a veterinary school who actually followed Purina and several other big dog companies and found that they were taking dead dogs and cats out of dumpsters (some that died of cancer or other illnesses) and they grind this into your dogs food._
> 
> ...


I was wondering that too. I think that *Deb_Bayne* got it from the article on Apple Cider Vinegar... not sure.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

shortcake23 said:


> I was wondering that too. I think that *Deb_Bayne* got it from the article on Apple Cider Vinegar... not sure.


This quote is from the ACV site that I posted earlier. *It's part of a full comment from one of the posters. *

Best to read the comments before and after this comment, as well as the full comment itself.

Thanks 

Also, this ACV site displays a standard "Disclaimer":

"
*DISCLAIMER*_
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history."_


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I looked at the link for the vinegar, that statment is just a comment by an individual posting a response to the vinegar informatioin, there is no research in that article to back that up.


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

I realize that some people embellish their statements, knowing that there are fillers in Purina's food was part of the reason for me changing his food last week and coupled by the fact that Bayne suddenly started refusing the food. What I'm feeding him now is Canadian made and has NO soy, corn, wheat or gluten and he loves it, he's back to dancing when I get his food and that's a big indication that he's looking forward to eating again.

I'm heading into town right now to get that Organic ACV and start him on that today.... thanks for all the info.


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## hvgoldens4 (Nov 25, 2009)

shortcake23 said:


> We've been giving Mia 50 mgs of Benadryl every 8 hours (so 3 times a day) for about a week or so now, and I find that the past couple of days she seems very drowsy all the time and not interested in playing...
> 
> This is one of the main reasons I didn't want to try the Vanectyl-P...
> 
> ...


Generic Zrtec works wonders and is 1 pill a day with no drowsiness


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

Update on Joey/Temaril-P: I just got Joey's bloodwork results back and everything is well w/in their normal ranges  Joey has been on a low dose of Temaril-P for a little over a year now (after his initial higher dose to get his itching under control). With his bloodwork coming back good, we will continue on this regimen as it is the only thing that seems to keep his itching under control.


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