Better OTC medicine besides Benadryl for Dogs??

[Clarence Martin]

Is there a better OTC medicine besides Benadryl for a Dog's Summer Allergies ? My old GSP is allergic to, of all things , GRASS!! Tried using Benadryl , but it doesn't seem to work too well. The Vet said he could do shots or pills , but that is over $100 a Month.

Is there any OTC allergy med that works better and faster for simple grass allergies in Dogs ? I was thinking of possibly Claritin or Allegra , I think that is the name of the 2nd med.

Thanks,

Clarence

[Mike Henderson]

Talk to your vet before giving your dog any over the counter meds. And get specific dosage recommendations for your size dog.

Mike

[David Bassett]

Our Vet likes Zyrtek. Fortunately it available as a generic and our (75#) dog's dosage is a single full tablet per day, so cheap & easy. I overheard a lady at the pet store saying her Vet has her 12-1/2# dog on 1/2 tablet a day. So, like Mike says, dosage is key and could be complicated. It's best to consult with your Vet.

Oh, better? Every person is different and has better results with different meds & doses. I'm sure each dog reacts differently too.

[Jim Matthews]

Dogs with compromised kidneys should not be medicated with this class of drugs,
unless they're also provided with Lasix - antihistamines can cause water retention
as it's part of the mechanism to reduce congestion and excess fluid production.

Lasix forces the kidney to be more active and has side effects of it's own.

I wonder two things; how old is the dog?
How long do the symptoms last?

Once grass pollinates, the symptoms should abate.

Caution is in order with older dogs.

[Pat Barry]

Dogs with compromised kidneys should not be medicated with this class of drugs,
unless they're also provided with Lasix - antihistamines can cause water retention
as it's part of the mechanism to reduce congestion and excess fluid production.

Lasix forces the kidney to be more active and has side effects of it's own.

I wonder two things; how old is the dog?
How long do the symptoms last?

Once grass pollinates, the symptoms should abate.

Caution is in order with older dogs.
What medicine are you referring to? The Benedril or the Zyrtek, or something else?

[Lee Schierer]

My Brittany develops a rash at times from running around in the weeds and I bathe him with Burt's Bees Itch Soothing shampoo. It seems to work better than Benadryl.

[Clarence Martin]

Talk to your vet before giving your dog any over the counter meds. And get specific dosage recommendations for your size dog.

Mike

I got the list of OTC allergy pills I could give my Dog, from the Vet. But, he never said which one is better than the others.

[Clarence Martin]

Dogs with compromised kidneys should not be medicated with this class of drugs,
unless they're also provided with Lasix - antihistamines can cause water retention
as it's part of the mechanism to reduce congestion and excess fluid production.

Lasix forces the kidney to be more active and has side effects of it's own.

I wonder two things; how old is the dog?
How long do the symptoms last?

Once grass pollinates, the symptoms should abate.

Caution is in order with older dogs.
No problems during the Winter, But from about May till the first heavy frost or first snow, my 13 year old GSP is doing the old itchy , scratchy routine. He is going to be put down sometime this Summer. The Lypoma between his rear legs is getting bigger , and the Vet says he is too old to operate on. He has a few more of them beside the huge one.

I just want to try to stop the itching and scratching to make him more comfortable until the time comes.

[Harry Hagan]

Benadryl if by far the most effective, if you don't experience intolerable side effects. Zyrtec is very effective and popular with vets and dog owners.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

No problems during the Winter, But from about May till the first heavy frost or first snow, my 13 year old GSP is doing the old itchy , scratchy routine. He is going to be put down sometime this Summer. The Lypoma between his rear legs is getting bigger , and the Vet says he is too old to operate on. He has a few more of them beside the huge one.

I just want to try to stop the itching and scratching to make him more comfortable until the time comes.

1. Too old to operate on? I hate seeing vets use that phrase. I would find another vet. I do surgery safely on geriatric dogs virtually every day. It's a matter of well trained staff and special considerations for the older dog. Using up to date anesthesia and proper protocols we even operate on geriatric dogs with heart disease.
2. Antihistamine performance varies a lot between individuals (both human and our canine friends). Your vet probably gave you a list expecting you to experiment. My starting point is usually one Claritin (loratadine) for a medium to large dog with Benadryl at 1 mg/lb twice a day. Hopefully your vet gave you dosing information, many dogs end up on other antihistamines that work better for them.

That's why you'll find people who swear by Zyrtec but others find Claritin or some other antihistamine works better for them.

Bill Thompson DVM, PhD
Disclaimer: I can not specifically prescribe for your dog whom I have never seen. Doses above are standard doses from published literature which I do use in my practice. And it's a bad year for pollens here in NM!

[Jim Matthews]

Zirtec and Benadryl both inhibit acetylcholine uptake.

This can result in urinary retention, and stress kidneys.
We've got a practicing vet in this thread and should
defer to their knowledge set.

I've only got anecdotal basis for this caution.
(Two old dogs in our family history near the age of the OP's GSP - different breeds.)