Every now and then, an accident happens that leaves you questioning, “Just how much Benadryl can I give my dog?” This is perfectly normal as sometimes dogs find themselves at the business end of a bee or tail-deep in some poison oak and have become quite uncomfortable in their current situation.
Benadryl is a great over-the-counter medication veterinarians often recommend when it comes to treating your dog at home for simple things like bee stings or rashes. However, dogs aren’t humans and you can’t just give them a Benadryl tablet and call it good. They’re much smaller and metabolize things differently, so you need to know just how much Benadryl to give them.
Different Types of Benadryl
There are a few different types of Benadryl readily available for use, but not all of them are right when it comes to giving to your dog. To start with, any Benadryl mixed with another medication, like Tylenol is a no-go, as you only want to use Benadryl.
Tablet
This is going to be your safest and best option when it comes to giving your dog Benadryl. The Benadryl tablets on their own are perfectly safe for your dog to have, provided they aren’t mixed with other medications and you get the correct dosage.
Time-Release Capsules
Time-release capsules are a form of Benadryl you absolutely shouldn’t give your dog. It’s much harder to adjust the dosage and there are also a few other risks with time-release Benadryl capsules, like your dog biting it before the pill reaches their stomach, giving them the whole dose at once. The other risk is that dogs metabolize things differently than humans do, so time-release Benadryl capsules may end up over-dosing your dog by quickly releasing too much.
Liquid
Liquid Benadryl is alright to give your dog, but not the easiest to use when it comes to dosage. If you’re going to use liquid Benadryl, make sure to give your vet a call so they can help you out to get the right amount for your dog. The dosage for liquid Benadryl is different than tablets because it’s absorbed much faster and through different means, so you need to adjust the dosage accordingly, which is easiest done by calling your vet.
Children’s Chewable
Children’s Chewable Benadryl is a great option to give your dog because the dosage is much smaller to start off with, making it easier to adjust to the correct amount. If you’ve got a smaller dog, this is going to be the easiest option for you.
Calculating How Much Benadryl to Give Your Dog
When it comes to figuring out how much Benadryl to give to your dog, it can seem challenging if you don’t know what to do. It’s important to make sure you get the dosage right because if you give them too little, they won’t get any relief from whatever it is that’s bothering them, but if you give them too much they could end up over-dosing and get sick, requiring more care that’s more expensive than some Benadryl.
By Weight
This is the standard way to get the right dosage for your dog. 1 mg of Benadryl is used for 1 pound of dog. If your dog weighs 10 pounds, you should give them 10 mg of Benadryl. If your dog weighs 32 pounds, give them 32 mg of Benadryl. Depending on the size of your dog, children’s Benadryl may be easier as the dosage starts lower.
Talking with Your Vet
The best way to determine how much Benadryl to give your dog safely is to call your vet and ask them. They may ask you a few questions about your dog’s condition and weight, but in the end, you’ll have an accurate dosage of Benadryl to give to your dog. If you have any doubts or are cautious about determining the dosage yourself, this is the best and safest way to get the correct dose for your dog.
When you ask, “How much Benadryl can I give my dog?” the answer really depends on your dog. Be sure to go by your dog’s weight to make sure you don’t give them too much. If you have any doubts about how the dosage, give your vet a call and they will help you out.
