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  • #1

    Allergy Meds

    I'd like to start Ali back on an antihistamine. I think we've tried most of them and Benadryl's worked the best for us, though it's definitely not a magic bullet.

    Sandy's post in Hanks thread about Chlortab got me thinking about trying something new this year again. http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2999

    I know antihistamines aren't very reliable in dogs and each one responds differently. But I'd love to hear what's worked best for your dog and the symptoms it treated.

    Thanks!
    Patty
    Patty and Ali 13.5yrs 47lbs diagnosed May '08 Ali earned her wings October 27, 2012, 4 months after diagnosis of a meningioma ~ Time is precious ~
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Allergy Meds

    Zrytec has been working GREAT for Sydsta!
    Soaphie = 15 yr old Border/Berner mix dx 07/08. ~8.25 units a.m./p.m. vetsulin, blind/deaf. Ultra Senior, Vital Beef/Bison, Brown Rice and lots of loving. Soaphie passed on October 29, 2015. Sydney = 14.5 yr old Aussie/Shar Pei mix dx 11/10. NPH-varies w/ predinisone a.m./p.m., blind/deaf. Sydney passed on June 3, 2014.

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    • #3
      Re: Allergy Meds

      What's her dose Tami for her weight?
      Patty and Ali 13.5yrs 47lbs diagnosed May '08 Ali earned her wings October 27, 2012, 4 months after diagnosis of a meningioma ~ Time is precious ~

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      • #4
        Re: Allergy Meds

        I think I'm going to make a list and keep that around. I'd love to have a simple pill to use for Hank and his allergies. SOMETHING has to work.
        Shell and Hank (aka Mr. Pickypants) - now deceased (4/29/1999 - 12/4/2015) Cairn Terrier mix who was diagnosed 8/18/2011 and on .75 U Levemir 2Xday. Miss you little man!

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        • #5
          Re: Allergy Meds

          Originally posted by Patty View Post
          What's her dose Tami for her weight?
          Hi Patty - Syd is about 48 pounds, Soaphie about 65. They each get 2 zrytecs in the a.m. We ran out a couple days ago - and it they missed 2 days of allergy meds....last night I noticed Syd had been licking her hip and chewed a spot hairless. Thankfully I had already "restocked" so they were back on the meds....

          Works for them - hopefully it works for Ali!!!! Might take a few days to see a difference at the start...
          Soaphie = 15 yr old Border/Berner mix dx 07/08. ~8.25 units a.m./p.m. vetsulin, blind/deaf. Ultra Senior, Vital Beef/Bison, Brown Rice and lots of loving. Soaphie passed on October 29, 2015. Sydney = 14.5 yr old Aussie/Shar Pei mix dx 11/10. NPH-varies w/ predinisone a.m./p.m., blind/deaf. Sydney passed on June 3, 2014.

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          • #6
            Re: Allergy Meds

            Thanks Tami.

            Ali was rubbing her head into her pillow like crazy tonight. We usually don't get that type of response until Aug-Sept. I gave her 25mg Benadryl tonight just because its what I had on hand. But am looking into using something else this year....maybe the Zyrtec or Chlortab.

            Patty
            Patty and Ali 13.5yrs 47lbs diagnosed May '08 Ali earned her wings October 27, 2012, 4 months after diagnosis of a meningioma ~ Time is precious ~

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            • #7
              Re: Allergy Meds

              Originally posted by Patty View Post
              Thanks Tami.

              Ali was rubbing her head into her pillow like crazy tonight. We usually don't get that type of response until Aug-Sept. I gave her 25mg Benadryl tonight just because its what I had on hand. But am looking into using something else this year....maybe the Zyrtec or Chlortab.

              Patty
              I alternate between ChlorTabs and Benedryl with Otis.

              Walmart Equate Chlortabs are $2.76 / 100. Costco brand of generic benydryl is 4.95 / 600.
              Otis Farrell dx'd 12/10, best friend to his dad, Bill, for over 14 years. Left this world while in his dad’s loving arms 10/04/13. Sonny Farrell dx'd 1/14, adopted 5/15/14. Left this world while in his dad's loving arms 9/06/16. Run pain free, you Pug guys, til we're together again.

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              • #8
                Re: Allergy Meds

                I'll have to look up Zyrtec. My vet gave me a list of three to try (and/or alternate).

                1) Cetirizine hydrochloride (brand name Reactine); at a does of 7.5 mg daily - or even twice daily if needed (which, unfortunately, she does).

                I've just put her back on that after a long haul with Benadryl - up to 40 mg three times daily - and she's been on a caplet and a half of 25 mg caplets, three times daily - 37.5 mg). The Benadryl, so far, seems to work best for Camellia, whose allergies are environmental; she's missing the normal skin barrier that moisturizes - hydrates - the skin - it's made up of phytosphingosines and other stuff. Without the barrier, the allergies can get in, so she's on DOUXO calming shampoo and spray, with weekly baths, and twice-weekly spraying.

                The Reactine doesn't work quite as well as the Benadryl.

                2)Chlorpheniramine - known here in Canada as Chlortripolon (brand name), or, Novo-Pheniram, in its generic version. This didn't do much for Camellia at all, with the prescribed dose of 2 mg (half a 4 mg tablet), three times daily. I tried her on it for a few days, and then moved to Benadryl, when it didn't seem to work well at all.

                3) The famed Benadryl (diphenhydramine) - I get it in 25 mg caplets, and give a caplet and a half three times daily, as mentioned above.

                (I'm writing this off-the-cuff; hope I got all the names right!)

                Sun, 6 May 2012 17:36:34 (PDT)
                http://www.coherentdog.org/
                CarolW

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                • #9
                  Re: Allergy Meds

                  Thanks Bill!

                  Originally posted by CarolW View Post
                  I'll have to look up Zyrtec. My vet gave me a list of three to try (and/or alternate).

                  1) Cetirizine hydrochloride (brand name Reactine); at a does of 7.5 mg daily - or even twice daily if needed (which, unfortunately, she does).
                  Carol,
                  Zyrtec in the states is Cetirizine HCl 10 mg so must be equivalent to your Reactine.
                  Patty and Ali 13.5yrs 47lbs diagnosed May '08 Ali earned her wings October 27, 2012, 4 months after diagnosis of a meningioma ~ Time is precious ~

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                  • #10
                    Re: Allergy Meds

                    Originally posted by Patty View Post
                    Thanks Bill!

                    Carol,
                    Zyrtec in the states is Cetirizine HCl 10 mg so must be equivalent to your Reactine.
                    Interesting; indeed, that seems right to me! Thanks for the info! A lot of vets appear to like this antihistamine. Mine does.

                    Love and hugs, with special greetings to Ali!
                    Sun, 6 May 2012 19:31:20 (PDT)
                    http://www.coherentdog.org/
                    CarolW

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                    • #11
                      Re: Allergy Meds

                      Originally posted by Patty View Post
                      Thanks Tami.

                      Ali was rubbing her head into her pillow like crazy tonight. We usually don't get that type of response until Aug-Sept. I gave her 25mg Benadryl tonight just because its what I had on hand. But am looking into using something else this year....maybe the Zyrtec or Chlortab.

                      Patty
                      Patty,

                      The dog dose for Benadryl is 1 mg / lb. At Ali's weight that would be ~50mg / 2 pills. You may want to double up and see if that helps.

                      The dogs seem to develop a tolerance to a specific antihistamine with regular usage.

                      I have a neighbor with some westies who develop pretty severe and predictable allergies during certain seasons. A few years back one of them who had been given Benadryl for quite a while began to experience no relief from it after a couple of months. She switched to ChlorTab and it was immediately effective in reducing the scratching and gnawing at the paws.

                      This is why I keep both on hand for Otis. Seems when one of them appears to be losing its effectiveness, the other one will help him.

                      Of course, what really works well is Prednisone, but we sure don't want to go there unless absolutely necessary.
                      Otis Farrell dx'd 12/10, best friend to his dad, Bill, for over 14 years. Left this world while in his dad’s loving arms 10/04/13. Sonny Farrell dx'd 1/14, adopted 5/15/14. Left this world while in his dad's loving arms 9/06/16. Run pain free, you Pug guys, til we're together again.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Allergy Meds

                        Thanks Bill,
                        For some reason the last couple of years Ali's done better when I add it in slowly. I've been starting with 25mg in her 2nd meals then increasing to all 4 meals then finally going up to 50mg.

                        I had the Benadryl on hand from last year around Oct so thought I'd start with it, but I'm thinking the Chlortab might be worth trying as the season progresses.

                        How long to you keep Otis on an antihistamine before rotating the type?

                        Patty
                        Patty and Ali 13.5yrs 47lbs diagnosed May '08 Ali earned her wings October 27, 2012, 4 months after diagnosis of a meningioma ~ Time is precious ~

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Allergy Meds

                          Originally posted by Patty View Post
                          I'm thinking the Chlortab might be worth trying as the season progresses.

                          How long to you keep Otis on an antihistamine before rotating the type?

                          Patty
                          No harm in trying the ChlorTab.

                          No set period. Just until the one I'm using appears to be losing its effectivenes.
                          Last edited by farrwf; 05-08-2012, 08:31 AM.
                          Otis Farrell dx'd 12/10, best friend to his dad, Bill, for over 14 years. Left this world while in his dad’s loving arms 10/04/13. Sonny Farrell dx'd 1/14, adopted 5/15/14. Left this world while in his dad's loving arms 9/06/16. Run pain free, you Pug guys, til we're together again.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Allergy Meds

                            I've come to the conclusion that Tiggy MUST be allergic to her Frontline . She's been doing great with the itching all winter and into our spring with the Chlortabs...... I actually thought they might be the magic bullet I was looking for

                            Gave Tiggy her frontline at the beginning of the month and within 3 days she started itching and chewing like crazy!! Guess I'm gonna switch over to Zyrtec starting tomorrow and see if that will settle things down somewhat. Next month
                            I'll switch to advantix and see if that makes a difference. Poor little girl is sooo pitiful and her skin crawls at the slightest touch . I HATE these allergies!!

                            Sandy

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                            • #15
                              Re: Allergy Meds

                              Originally posted by farrwf View Post
                              I alternate between ChlorTabs and Benedryl with Otis.

                              Walmart Equate Chlortabs are $2.76 / 100. Costco brand of generic benydryl is 4.95 / 600.
                              I've been paying $4/100 for WalMart generic Benedryl.

                              Definitely will look into the Costco.

                              Naturally I just picked up 300 capsules...

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