I have a Bichon that has been chewing on her right front paw to the point that all the hair has been removed. Due to our current financial situation a visit to the vet is not possible right now. We had taken her to the vet previously and she was treated for allergies. I know you can give dogs benadryl and the recommened amounts, my question is for how long can I give it to her? Should I try the children's benadryl that dissolves?

Let your vet tell you how much to give her. Childresn is more concentrated than adults, so you must be careful. Sounds like she has become fixated on the foot... I would try puttong the collar on her when I was not around to make her stop the chewing... there are some articles that discuss this, I will post them for you

I have used adult capsels and put them in chunks of meat. One of my dogs gets hives from red pepper and puffs up like she has been stung by a swarm of bees. It does work great for itching. I have used it for up to 3 days and would go no longer than 4.

Just thinking. It is the time of year for fox tails. Have you looked closely at her paw? It could just be a fox tail or splinter.. mine do this when they get cacti needles between there toes.

My dog is allergic to everything. He is on a steady diet of antihistamines, as per the vet's recommendations. My vet had recommended 1 pill per 50lbs of dog. My dog is 150lbs, so he gets 3 pills in the AM, and 3 in the PM. Works like a charm. But since your dog is quite small, perhaps only 1 pill in the AM, and 1 in the PM. They sell one-a-day pills as well. Check the dosage. I give my dog 25mg pills, but they do sell 10mg pills, which might be better for a small dog. Try giving your dog a very tiny amount to start, and see how it reacts, before doing anything drastic. Save your pennies and visit the vet whenever possible.

Best of luck! :)

Amazon.com: The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats (Prevention Pets): Amy D. Shojai: Books (http://www.amazon.com/First-Companion-Dogs-Cats-Prevention/dp/1579543650)

This book has dosage recommendations for Benadryl and it is a great all around reference for pet owners. I have a 65lb shepard mix and we give her two benadryls in the am and one when we get home from work for seasonal skin allergies.

Fantastic! I will definitely look into purchasing it :) Thanks!



Amazon.com: The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats (Prevention Pets): Amy D. Shojai: Books (http://www.amazon.com/First-Companion-Dogs-Cats-Prevention/dp/1579543650)

This book has dosage recommendations for Benadryl and it is a great all around reference for pet owners. I have a 65lb shepard mix and we give her two benadryls in the am and one when we get home from work for seasonal skin allergies.

The Benadryl dosage is 1mg per pound. Allergies have a layering effect and a healthy dog may be able to fight off an allergy, but put multiple allergies on him and the body can't take it. So try to eliminate any possible allergies you can.
The successful vet clinic I work at sees this problem daily. The easiest and 1st thing we suggest is changing from a high level grain/by-product diet to a better quality kibble. Better foods cost more at time of purchase but actually save you about $100 per year/per animal since the pet eats less.
Also, wiping your pets feet off after coming in from outside helps.
Pets may chew at feet due to pain, yeast, bacteria, and/or fungus.
Good Luck!

The Benadryl dosage is 1mg per pound. Allergies have a layering effect and a healthy dog may be able to fight off an allergy, but put multiple allergies on him and the body can't take it. So try to eliminate any possible allergies you can.
The sucessful vet clinic I work at sees this problem daily. The easiest and 1st thing we suggest is changing from a high level grain/by-product diet to a better quality kibble. Better foods cost more at time of purchase but actually save you about $100 per year/per animal since the pet eats less.
Also, wiping your pets feet off after coming in from outside helps.
Pets may chew at feet due to pain, yeast, bacteria, and/or fungus.
Good Luck!



Thank you! :) It appears as though I am in fact giving my dog the correct dosage. He's 150lbs , and he gets 6 25mg pills a day. (3 in the am, 3 in the pm) :)

My dog is a 20lb JRT, and in Thunderstorms I give her 1/2 Benadryl pill. (not a capsule) she does just find. But I would suggest that you start small doses w/your dog. That's only if we catch the storm in time. If not, she frantically moves about shaking and quivering. Love her! She' 15!

iGoogle (http://tiny.cc/MRgtZ)

Definitely you should look at your dog's paw to find the source of the irritation like another person suggested. We have had good luck with this product, after trying various soft and hard cones. This allows us to leave it on when we're away and our dog can still use the doggie door.

Neck's Best Thing Collar - Dog Supplies (http://tiny.cc/NecksBestThing) Oops, quoted the previous link incorrectly.