I've done a lot of research on the Internet, and suspect that my dog is suffering from allergies. She recently had an infestation of fleas, which has been cleared up, but I believe she was allergic to the bites. I cannot afford to take her to the vet, so again, after doing tons of research, I concluded that the best thing was to treat her with Benadryl. This after using medicated shampoos and Sulfodene. She was licking and chewing around the base of her tail and her paws and scratching incessantly around her "underarms." This as slowed down, but I am wondering how long before the Benadryl takes full effect. I am TERRIFIED of overly medicating my dog. She is indeed my "child." I was afraid to even give it to her in the first place, but I can no longer stand by and watch her suffer. So after much prayer, I moved forward with the Benadryl. When can I stop?

You should be able to contact your vet for the proper dosage per lb.

Did the itching happen after the flea problem? Or has she always had itching fits during certain times throughout the year?

The bennadryl should work with in the hour. You can find the dosage chart online, but a quick call to your vet to double check would be a wise idea.

I give my dog benadryl, we think he has food and environmental allergy's, it usually works in about 30 minutes for him.

Benadryl dosage for dogs

Brand name Benadryl or Dollar store type brands of diphenhydramine that says its “ compares to Benadryl”.


NEVER GIVE YOUR PET JUST ANY ANTIHISTAMINE THERE ARE SOME NEW KINDS OUT THAT WILL KILL YOUR DOG!!

Give your pet Diphenhydramine only…

Note: if your dog has any medical conditions at all, consult your vet before giving your pet anything…

I have posted a table below to show you how much Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) you can give a HEALTHY dog.

Caution: its Always best to start with 1 half of the reg dose ,to see how your pet reacts to it and if they show any major side affects (drowsiness is normal”)
If no side affects after 1 hour give the other 1 half dose, after your dog has taken a few reg doses with no problems you can give a maximum doses if needed.

Remember to keep plenty of fresh water close by,because one of the side effects from Diphenhydramine)is constipation.

You can give the dosage is every 8 hours/3 times a day.
It takes about 30 minutes to an hour for the effects are noticeable
Once your dog stops itching and scratching discontinue
Dosage…

If your dog has sores that appear infected from its scratching you will need to cut the hair down very short around the sores and clean the infected area and apply an antibiotic cream that is safe for dogs..

Benadryl Dosage Chart for Dogs
Weight Reg Dosage Max Dosage
8 lb 8 mg 16 mg
10 lb 10 mg 20 mg
12 lb 12 mg 24 mg
14 lb 14 mg 28 mg
16 lb 16 mg 32 mg
18 lb 18 mg 36 mg
20 lb 20 mg 40 mg
22 lb 22 mg 44 mg
24 lb 24 mg 48 mg
26 lb 26 mg 52 mg
28 lb 28 mg 56 mg
30 lb 30 mg 60 mg
32 lb 32 mg 64 mg
34 lb 34 mg 68 mg
36 lb 36 mg 72 mg
38 lb 38 mg 76 mg
40 lb 40 mg 80 mg
42 lb 42 mg 84 mg
44 lb 44 mg 88 mg
46 lb 46 mg 92 mg
48 lb 48 mg 96 mg
50 lb 50 mg 100 mg
52 lb 52 mg 104 mg
54 lb 54 mg 108 mg
56 lb 56 mg 112 mg
58 lb 58 mg 116 mg
60 lb 60 mg 120 mg
62 lb 62 mg 124 mg
64 lb 64 mg 128 mg
66 lb 66 mg 132 mg
68 lb 68 mg 136 mg
70 lb 70 mg 140 mg
72 lb 72 mg 144 mg
74 lb 74 mg 148 mg
76 lb 76 mg 152 mg
78 lb 78 mg 156 mg
80 lb 80 mg 160 mg
82 lb 82 mg 164 mg
84 lb 84 mg 168 mg
86 lb 86 mg 172 mg
88 lb 88 mg 176 mg
90 lb 90 mg 180 mg