Itchy skin can drive your dog bonkers. It causes your faithful companion much misery. You watch the scratching, licking, and chewing that increases to a frantic pace. So, like most dog owners, you want to solve the itching problem, pronto. A call to the veterinary clinic advises you to try Benadryl, but because your dog has Cushing's Disease, common in many older dogs like yours, you have concerns.
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Information
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Benadryl is appropriate for use to control "allergy-like" symptoms associated with certain existing canine medical conditions. Your veterinary doctor approved its use for irritated skin, a regular symptom associated with your dog's Cushing's Disease. It has been recommended because Benadryl is an antihistamine that calms irritating problems, including itchy skin in both humans and animals. For your dog, you need to use regular Benadryl in pills or capsules. Liquids contain alcohol and can harm an animal.
Side Effects
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All medications, even Benadryl, have the ability to cause side effects. It can interfere with other medications that your dog may be taking. For this reason, consultation with your veterinarian about the use of Benadryl is important, if your dog is on other drug therapy. The most common side effect is drowsiness, which can be a good thing. Restful sleep is a blessing for a sick dog. Other possible side effects are a lack of appetite and an upset stomach, which are temporary but can cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Warning
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Although using Benadryl on your dog with Cushing's disease is not a concern, if your dog has certain other medical conditions, you need to use caution. Glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, lung and cardiovascular disease may not react well with Benadryl use. Prostate enlargement, and others, are also on the list.
As always, your veterinarian's advice is mandatory.
Time Frame
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Benadryl can be used for itching skin and other symptoms indefinitely. The key to giving it to your dog on a regular basis is the dosage. You want to administer as little as possible at first, which is just enough to control symptoms. Increasing the dosage, as needed, is much better for your dog than decreasing it. Tolerance levels of most medicines tend to increase, which is reason to begin use with small amounts.
Dosage
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The recommended dosage of Benadryl for dogs is 2 mg/kg for small dogs and 3 or 4 mg/kg for medium and large dogs. It can be given as many as three times each day.
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