is it safe to give my dog liquid benadryl and what dose i need to sedate her long enough to groom her?

Question

she is a siberean husky who will not sit still for more than 30 seconds and she is shedding her winter coat everywhere and i need to brush her but she wont sit still

Answer 1

Don't give your dog benadryl to sedate her. A good run before grooming would be a much better, safer method of tiring her out. Otherwise take her to a professional groomer who is used to dealing with hyper dogs.

You might ask your vet for a safe sedative, but I doubt you will be given one just for grooming purposes. Another less expensive alternative to the groomer would be to get someone else to help you. Get them to hold the leash and distract the dog while you groom her.

The best possible option is still to wear her out on days you want to groom her, take her for several walks/runs, bring her to play with other dogs, and then at the end of the day when she is tired out, go at the grooming. Also groom her OFTEN. Daily if possible. Not only will grooming take less time, but she will get used to it. Soon she will probably remain still for longer and longer grooming sessions.

Answer 2

Benadryl is safe to give animals. My dog has allergic (anaphylactic) reactions to wolf spider bites. The first time he was bit we rushed him to the ER at the vet. She told us to give him a Benadryl the next time because it would stop the reaction.
He is about 80 lbs and we give him 1 pill by putting it into a piece of bread. I don't know the size of your dog so I would also recommend calling your vet to find out how much he should have for his weight.
I am not too sure that it will "sedate" him for a grooming.....in some people (so I would assume dogs too) it has the opposite reaction and you might end up with a hyper dog! You may need to consider taking him to a pro!

Good luck!

Answer 3

Not sure the answer, but all these people talking crap. I have an 80 lb. Pit Bull that is terrified of having his nails clipped. Rather than freaking him out more by taking him to a groomer, my plan was to give him some benadryl, muzzle him and myself do it!! There could be extenuating circumstances, but no one cares about that!! This is a dog that is extremely well trained, championed out in RKC and ABKC. So, no matter the training, some really need a sedative, cause you know it's that important! Just like whatever I had to do to take care of my kids, I would do it for my furbaby!!!! SMH!!!

Answer 4

Interesting question. Sounds like you need to train your dog to "sit" rather than drug her to make her calm.

Benedryl is an excellent medication for both people and dogs with allergies, but to use it as a sedative for something as routine as grooming is taking it way too far. Most dogs love to be brushed. If you can't get her to sit still for it, perhaps you need to learn how to do it.

Dogs have very sensitive skin - more sensitive than a person's skin. That's why there are dog shampoos for bathing your dog. Using regular soap for people can iritate their skin. I know you didn't ask about that, but I am guessing you didn't know it. Presuming that to be true, you are probably using a brush that is too harsh for her skin. You aren't supposed to brush the skin - just the hair. There are tools called "shedding blades" that most tack shops and feed stores carry. These are excellent for horses and for dogs - to pull the dead hairs out of the fur.

Answer 5

you can give the dog benadryl--the dosage is 1 ml per pound so if you have a 20 pound dog they can have 20ml of it. It may not sedate to dog to the point of being totally out but it will make them very sleepy--and there is a low occurance of allergic reactions to be honest at the clinic i work at we have never seen one case of an allergic reaction to benadryl. There is the rare occurance though where instead of the dog being sleepy they become hyperactive but we have only seen 1-2 cases of that. Good luck if you have any further questions about this feel free to e-mail me...

Answer 6

YOU DO NOT GIVE A DOG BENADRYL JUST TO KEEP THEM CALM! that's like drugging a baby! you should only give them benadryl if they have an allergic reaction to something, and you need to talk to the vet, because the dose depends on the weight of the dog. i have a mini dach, and he weighs 8 lbs. we can only give him 5 ml when he has a reaction. if you can't groom your dog, either it needs obedience classes, or you take it to the groomers. that's the ONLY thing you should do, and if you are a responsible pet owner, you won't drug your poor dog. i hope you don't have kids.

Answer 7

I agree with Amishpan - what you need to do is train your dog to sit and stay. Stop doing everything the lazy way - by drugging your pet. Train her and you won't have to think about such things. Use the right tool for the job and your dog will beg to be brushed more often.

Answer 8

don't we have fun, I have a husky too. and sheds like that, I just hold on to her collar and brush as much as I could. but my son will come over, its his dog. and take him to the groomers to have her shaved for the summer and its not bad. by winter time her coat is full again. but I wouldn't give her any medication unless her vet prescribes it. you don't want to harm her.

Answer 9

It is safe but you need to ask the vet about dosage. Benedryl is mostly used in dogs because of allergies though and it's not guaranteed it will make the dog sleepy.

Answer 10

It's Official! You are a complete idiot!!!!
Why don't you slip a roofie in your dogs water dish while you're at it!

Ever consider taking your dog to a groomer?