Antihistamine Medication for Dogs
Posted by admin on 11 Nov 2008 at 12:29 am | Tagged as: Dog Allergy, Pets Allergy
I’ve been asked the other day if there is any antihistamine medication for dogs. I’ve said it before, and I’m telling it once more: dog allergy is not histamine-mediated. Histamine not being responsible for your dog’s allergy symptoms, it means that giving the dog antihistamines won’t solve the problem and won’t bring any relief of his symptoms.
A dog allergy should not be treated in-house. I know vet bills can be crazy expensive, but if you cannot afford a vet for your dog, maybe you shouldn’t have a dog at all. When your kids get sick, are you treating them by yourself, or do you run to see a doctor? Why not doing the same for your dog? Allergy is one of the most serious chronic diseases, both in humans or dogs. Eventually, it may even become deadly, if neglected for a long time.
As dog allergy causes are still unknown to the medical world, all that you can do to alleviate your dog’s allergic reactions such as sneezing, itches or swollen dog eyes is to keep him from getting in contact with the allergen. The most common allergens for dogs are food allergens, therefore an elimination diet should eventually determine what particular food gives your dog that allergy. Never give him that food again and you’ll have a healthy, symptom-free dog.
The sooner you take your dog to the vet for its allergy, the better.
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Allergy Signs in your Pet
Nov. 2007: Seasonal allergies or hay fever are a pretty common complaint among people but what many don’t realise is that our pets can suffer in much the same way and allergies left untreated can cause a pet a great deal of distress and anxiety.
An allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to common substances that are normally harmless. In humans, the body reacts by releasing chemicals that manifest in symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose and watery eyes.
Common symptoms for dogs and cats include sneezing and itching which can lead to excessive licking, scratching or pulling clumps of hair from their coats.
Dr Debbie Osborne, former president of the Small Animal Veterinary Association (ASAVA), said simply breathing in or having physical contact with an allergen was enough to cause a reaction in a sensitive dog or cat, while skin disorders from allergies was one of the most common reasons for vet visits at this time of year.
“Although not life threatening, it’s extremely important for the comfort and health of your pet to determine the source of the allergy and treat it appropriately,” she said.
In flea endemic areas found in temperate regions, up to 80% of all allergic skin disease in dogs and cats is due to fleas.
The incidence of flea allergy increases in the spring and summer months, and if an animal is allergic to fleas, one bite may cause itching for up to three weeks.
Determining the cause of itchy skin conditions in pets is not easy as some foods can also trigger allergies and skin disorders so a good diet is paramount to prevention.
“Pets are reliant on the bond and trust between owner and vet for their health and well being,” said Dr Osborne.
“You need to closely observe your pet’s behavior and be sensitive to their body language.”
I take personal offense to the remark if you cant take your dog to the vet maybe you shouldnt have one, then you compair it to my child, my very ill child who we pay alot of money to keep well, will always be first, and his dog means the world to him , but at this moment to major medical bills out weigh the vet bills . it dosent mean i dont love my dog, right now i just need a more reasonable way to take care of my pet.
I can tell you from personal experience, I’ve given my dogs over the counter antihistimines for years. I’ll agree not all dogs benefit from it; but I know mine do. I have a cocker spaniel, chihuahua, and two pomeranian’s. We live where the allergies are BAD! The drug of choice most vets recommend is: clemastine which is Tavist. They suggest 1.34 mg. tablets 2 times a day; but I usually give mine the chlorphenaramine 4mg. tablet for 10-20 lb. and only 1/2 tablet for under 10 lbs., which you can buy 100 of them at Walmart for under $3.00 You can try these and see if you can’t tell a difference. You can also give them benadryl 25mg. tablet for 10-20 lb. dog twice a day – I usually only have to give mine just once a day.
The reason the vets won’t go over this with anyone, is because of the money. They are afraid they would loose some of their business. There are also a lot of homeopathic herbs that work really well for dogs and cats too – you can check all this out on the internet. Hope this helps to answer your question.