Benadryl dosage?

thank you

As you were told in your other thread, please, please contact your vet and have your cat put to sleep in a humane manner.

thank you

Cats CAN have this drug if dosed appropriately (weigh your cat) and go with the lower dosage scale recommended by your vet.

*YES, the pill form works better as it can be encapsulated into 

a piece of food, or pill pocket and put into the back of the throat.  This way the cat doesn't taste the drug, and will not foam at the mouth.

It tastes bitter (you try it).  Less traumatic for the cat and easier for you.

I was a vet tech, rescue foster and Animal control Officer.  These techniques worked well.

Michael Ganoe....Thank you for that very rational statement and explanation. I noticed that this was an old thread, but all to often google search pulls up old threads that match my key-wording. It helps when there are responses from professionals in regard to things like this. Even old threads can be very relevant and still useful!

I am well aware that this is a very old topic, but I found it looking for information using Google, so I figure that others doing the same may as well.  That said, a vet I used in CA once told me that Little Noses nasal spray is safe for cats.  We have a cat with a blind, damaged eye that causes constant sinus drainage, so he is always stuffy or snotty.  The Little Noses does help with this when we can manage to get it in him.  In some ways it's easier than an oral medication since he can't spit it up or totally reject it-- we just tuck it against his nostril(s) and spray like you would a human and he snuffs some up.  As with any medication, definitely check with a veterinary you trust before using this medication, but it has worked well for us and the two pages I read hadn't mentioned it yet.

Hey, just know your kitty may foam at the mouth. This is OK. It happened to my kitty when I gave him 12mg and I about had a heart attack. I called my vet and they said that cats do that when they taste something they really don't like. He teared a lot, drooled a bunch, and was a little foamy. Don't panic my friends.

Also I know it's hard to give but if you hold them still and open their mouth with your fingers you should be able to drop it down their throat. I know it doesn't sound fun, and believe me it's not but if he needs it, it's what you've got to do.

Only give Benadryl if she really needs it. Make sure you know your cat's exact weight before administering the drug. You should always try to give it on an empty stomach. When giving a pill, it's best to wrap the cat in a towel to prevent being scratched. You can put a little petroleum jelly on the pill to make it go down easier.

In my experience, Benadryl can be given to cats. In the past, our vet told us to give our 7 lb cat one half tablet (which is 12 mg, as each tablet is 25 mg), and it worked for her bee sting. Also, as others here, I thought that was a very high dosage. But now, I have given my cats one quarter of a tablet, which i think it is more of an appropriate dose.

Important advice about liquid Benadryl:

The liquid Benadryl will definitely make cats "slobber", which is not good - they lose a lot of body fluid when they slobber, and the medicine does not go down - when cats slobber like that, it is an "automatic safety mechanism" that keeps them from ingesting stuff that's dangerous to them. The pill works better, and as someone else said here, it's best to wrap it in cheese, or coat it with something, because cats can also "slobber" when they taste a bitter pill - one of my cats does more than my other cat. Put the pill as far back into their mouth as you can, from the side, to make it easier for them to swallow, and offer water afterwards. If you get a glass water dish and tap on the edge, your cat is more likely to take a drink of water. And if possible, get help from another person to give your cat a pill.

Rang_27 said:

My vet told me that the max dose for cats is 1 mg per 1 lb of body weight. So that would mean her maximum dose should be around 10 mg. My vet had me start with 1/2 the max dose (in your case 5 mg) and then go up from there as necessary.

I'm not a vet but those are the exact instructions I was given when Maggie had an allergic reaction to her immunizations.

Click to expand...

my cat Tabs has had an infestation of either mites or fleas or both.. Anyway, i rubbed in some 'revolution ' i think its called.. about two weeks ago to the scruff of her neck.  She has been scratching right up to a couple of days ago as if it didnt work.  I know it would have done though.   Im wondering if she had an allergic reaction to the bites?  i have sprayed lightly with apple cider vinegar and water and rubbed it in. She loves that  . However im wondering about benadryl.  the only one i could get is original benedryl.. from the chemist.   Would this be safe?  i would like to give her a helping hand to ease her discomfort, although im seeing more day by day that she is improving.    Im also giving her a thorough grooming.        all advice gratefully received.         thanks.

My vet told me when giving a cat (or dog) a pill that dissolves quickly try coating in a bit of butter or margarine. It increases the amount of time you have to get into them.

i beg to differ. Vets suggest it ALL the time..... 

I gave the Benadryl last night for the first time to our 8.5 lb female cat. I had the capsules that are liquid filled. So I just punctured the end of one with a safety pin and squirted out about 1/2 to 3/4 the fluid over a very small amount or wet canned cat food. I used a very small amount of cat food to ensure she got all the medication possible.  As she came to get in bed with me, I could hear her making this weird sound.. She was drooling and mouth was all wet.  So now I know.   Next time (at bed time) I will mix it with more quantity of the canned food to try and dilute it a little bit so it's not so bitter for her, or find another way to give it to her.

It actually worked like a charm. She slept very peacefully for about 5-6 hours right next to me and does not seem groggy or anything. So I will use this only at night like a sleep aide unless she starts with the obsessive bathing and biting of her fur at her back feet during the day.

I hope this info helps out another frustrated owner who loves his/her pet too.

yeah...that stuff is so bitter and makes them spit... Zyrtec worked like a charm for my Min and although I didn't go through my vet...I read good things about it online... of course we can't always take online stuff seriously either Glad your kitty found some peace.

you can get byenedril shots from ur vet............

I just want you all to know you helped me today with a scary allergic reaction my 17 year old long haired siamese and maine coon mix, Merlin. I called vets locally and they were all closed. I knew he was having an allergic reation to something. He was screaming, itching and losing chunks of fur. I grabbed him and washed his feet, rear and face. Helped some. We think it was a reaction to a new cleaning product. We got a siringe of benedryl for children liquid. Foamed at the mouth badly but he seems better now. Ate, drank water and used the pan. So i have a benedryl i use cut in quarters just in case. Recleaned bathroom with bleach and water. But thanks all for your emergency tips!

How do you know what 1/8 of a pill is? and can it be crushed?

If you can split the pill, it can be crushed. When a pill has directions to not be crushed, it can not be split, there are layers of a type of gelatin to slow the breakdown of the pill. If those layers are broken, then all of the medicine would be released at once.

So yes, it can be crushed. My vet has allowed the use of Benadryl for my dogs and cats.

You can buy empty 2-piece gel caps on line and fill them yourself. The bigger the number, the smaller the capsule. Size '5' is the smallest but are hard to find. I use size '4', which is pretty much the size of Benedryl's caps. The first and only time I tried it without the caps, my guy panicked because of the thick mucous plug that developed. When I finally got it out of his mouth it had the consistancy of the thick part of a raw egg white, and he was choking on it. (I already used the bigger caps for myself for a thick liquid medication I hate. As long as the liquid is cold going in, they won't melt for awhile so you could probably use them for that too.) I crush and separate the doses on a ceramic cup saucer, then use the larger half of the caps to just scoop it up. The center lip where the cup sits nicely catches the powder as you're 'shoveling', but it's pretty easy on a flat surface too. Also, if you haven't already noticed, you can purchase a house brand of diphenhydromine from a big department store in 100 cap bottles for between $4 and $5. Considering what you pay for just 24 Benedryl, quite a bargain!