Can you give a cat benadryl

Has your cat been sneezing, had watery eyes, and runny nose? Experienced a bee sting or bug bite and constantly itching? Or perhaps, developed an adverse vaccine reaction? If your cat was in any of these situations before, chances are the vet recommended Benadryl.

The most popular antihistamine medication , Benadryl, although not FDA approved for use in veterinary medicine, is prescribed to allergic cats on a daily basis. This is because the drug is safe, efficient, and readily available.

In this article, we will talk about Benadryl for cats. Yes, you can give your cat Benadryl. However, first, you need to talk to your veterinarian. There are a number of factors affecting the safe use of Benadryl in cats, such as size, age, medical history, and concurrent use of medications.

Benadryl is the brand name of the drug Diphenhydramine — a first-generation antihistamine medication. It is available over-the-counter and in veterinary medicine used off-label for allergy management in cats. Get it on Chewy. Same as in humans, Benadryl is used in our feline friends when suffering from allergies.

But what is Benadryl for cats, and how does it work? As mentioned, the active ingredient in Benadryl, Diphenhydramine, is an antihistamine med, meaning it works by inhibiting the histamine effects in the body. Namely, when allergic reactions occur, the body produces histamine necessary for supporting the inflammatory and allergic processes. The released histamine travels through the body and binds with its specific receptors called H-receptors located in small blood vessels and smooth muscles.

Once histamine binds, it results in itchiness, swelling, and allergy symptoms. Your cat may act drowsy. The drug, sometimes, may also cause a cat to get amped up or hyper. Overdoses can lead to seizures, coma, difficulties breathing, and even death. Image: iamreal-kobzeva via Shutterstock. Home Cat Care Center. Can You Give a Cat Benadryl? Written by: PetMD Editorial.

First is having general allergy issues. Which include allergic reactions to things in the environment, such as pollen, cleaning products, and plastic, or they can have food allergies. If a cat has general allergy issues, you will notice signs like sneezing, itchiness, vomiting and diarrhea.

Second reason for a cat to need Bendaryl is having acute allergic reactions. Which is reactions to bug bites, or vaccine reactions. In addition, it works on reducing allergic reaction symptoms by decreasing itching, sneezing, swelling, and drying up watery eyes or runny noses. Benadryl is commonly used by the veterinary community and considered to be safe.

However, it is not FDA approved for use in cats. You should avoid giving your cat Benadryl, if the cat is pregnant, or has underlying health issues, or taking other medications, , because serious reactions can happen.

Pregnant cats, cats with certain underlying health conditions, or cats currently taking other medications we cover these later on should not be given Benadryl, as serious adverse reactions can occur. In these situations, make sure you contact your vet before trying to give Benadryl to your cat.

Usually, people give Benadryl to cats with itchy skin or allergic reactions, but you might use it to help with nausea on car or plane rides, as a sleep aid, for responses to injections, or bug bites. If you are looking for a sleep aid or something to relax for your cat, be aware that while Benadryl can make some people sleepy, it often has the opposite reaction in cats, causing them to be even more excitable than usual.

For this reason, you might want to look at alternatives like CBD oil for cats or discuss prescription medications with your vet. You should consult your vet in certain situations like reptile, insect, or snake bites, as in some cases, they can be fatal to your cat if not treated quickly. Here's a list of situations where you might consider giving Benadryl to your cat:. It's important to get the dosage of Benadryl for cats right, as there can be real problems if they overdose.

Before you attempt to find the correct dosage of Benadryl for your cat, make sure that you only give them Benadryl tablets that do not contain any other ingredients, like Tylenol, or a decongestant.

If you go the route of liquid Benadryl, you will want to use the children's liquid or liquid Benadryl from your vet. The generally accepted dose is 1mg of Benadryl per pound of your cat's body weight every hours. You can use the following dosage table to find the correct dose for your cat:. Benadryl is generally considered to be safe for cats if given at the correct dosage.

An overdose of Benadryl for cats can have serious negative side effects and even cause death. Do not give your cat Benadryl without consulting your vet if they are currently taking any of the following medications:.

Although Benadryl can help cats cope with itchy skin, allergic reactions, or bug bites, it can have some negative side effects, especially when an overdose occurs. If you encounter any of the following, you should monitor your cat closely, and if the symptoms persist or worsen, you should contact your veterinarian.

More and more cat owners are looking for natural alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs to help their cats and themselves with allergies, itchy skin, nausea, or to encourage them to relax. Most cat owners know they need the cat to be calm especially when they are cutting its nails. Here are some of the best natural alternatives to Benadryl for cats:. Since fish oil is an excellent source of the fatty acid omega-3, you might want to consider adding it to your cat's food.

Omega-3 aids the skin's immunity and reduces infections. Additionally, omega-3 is an anti-inflammatory that can help reduce itching and hot spots.