It’s vitally important to know the Benadryl dose for cats as it is actually the medications you can easily find over the counter and usually used to treat your skin rash, allergies, motion sickness, or runny nose. You may have heard that some cat owners also give this medication to their felines. Therefore, it’s reasonable to ask if it’s safe for cats. While the veterinarians approved the use of Benadryl, only they are allowed to administer this medication.
It’s obvious that a cat’s anatomy is entirely different from the human body. As such, it’s not advisable to use the exact dosage of Benadryl on your furry little friend as you usually take for yourself. Diphenhydramine is the main active ingredient of this drug, which is obviously safe for pets. It also comes in many different forms, such as solid pills, crushed, or liquid, and it is always administered orally. According to the recommendations of some veterinarians, the Benadryl dose for cats is approximately one milligram for each pound of the cat’s body weight.
Here is the breakdown of the appropriate Benadryl dosage for cats by weight:
- For a cat with 10 pounds of body weight, give approximately half of 25 mg in pill form.
- If it’s a liquid form with a concentration of 12.5 mg/5 ml, it’s recommended to give your cat 4 ml of Benadryl liquid.
One milligram is the safe dosage you can give to your pet. However, it doesn’t automatically mean that the drug will already be enough or there won’t be any side effects your cat will experience. It all depends on the body of the cat itself and how well the cat absorbs medicine as well as reacts to various drugs. Also, as a cat owner, you should never increase the dosage because it takes some times for the medication to work.
Like with any medicine, Benadryl also has some side effects that may appear once you administer it to your cat. The most common side effects are sleepiness, breathlessness, disorientation, panting, and seizure. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to not up the dosage as it will increase the possibility of severe side effects or overdose.
Suppose your cat takes other medicines for other pre-existing health conditions. In that case, you can still use Benadryl as this medicine can interfere with different types of substances. However, it’s always recommended to first visit a vet so that you know the safe Benadryl dose for cats of yours.