My cat is allergic to fleas and has scratched himself raw. Can you give a cat liquid Benadryl?

Question

I know when I take him to the Vet they give him a shot of Benadryl is this not the same as we use? Should I use childrens Benadryl?

Answer 1

You should call your veterinarian.

Answer 2

I doubt it's Benadryl they use - well, it isn't where I'm from anyway, we'd use a steroid like Dexadreson.

Pick up the phone to a vet and ask about the Benadryl - do NOT take advice from people on here about dosages.

Allergy treatment is only really short term fix, the most important thing is to get rid of ALL fleas. What are you using as a flea treatment? Best thing is to come at it from all sides - spray the house, use Frontline Plus AND Program tablets, which sterilise the fleas. It's perfectly possible to be 100% flea free and if your cat is allergic, it's what you need to do.

Really hope you're not using ANYTHING from a pet store, because none of it works.

Chalice

Answer 3

Hi ,you need to give him one of the best flea treatments available like Frontline,this product is recommended by vets.I decided to try it because I had read some many great reviews about it on here.I have used this on my kitten for 4 months now and he has not had a single flea on him since.You can buy it over the counter from any vet,price is around £20 for 3 months supply and it's worth every penny,it's brilliant stuff.

Answer 4

You need to find out where your cat is getting the fleas. If he is an indoor/outdoor cat you may need to keep him inside to prevent the fleas from chewing him up. Consider checking your house for fleas, too. A thorough vacuuming, including stuffed furniture and pillows, will help. (Throw away the bag).

I wouldn't give a cat any medicines designed for humans because they could be too strong for the cat and end up poisoning him or causing seizures.

Perhaps you should call the vet and ask him.

I had a cat (a rescue) who had flea allergies and the only sign he had was his third eyelid was visible and he looked miserable. After the initial problem and treatment by the vet, we kept him inside and the problem never returned.

Answer 5

I was told to give mine the Children's liquid Benadryl (NOT the bubble gum flavor, cats gag on that) before bringing him in for his vaccinations - he had a bad reaction last time and they wanted him pre-treated. 1/2 teaspoon was the dose.

I just checked the bottle--our vet was very specific as to which kind.

It's Childrens Benadryl, dye-free Alergy, Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride Antihistamine, alcohol and sugar free. It worked pretty well with him, he didn't have any reactions to the vaccinations.

Answer 6

I agree with jessica...you might involuntarily put your cat to sleep for good. There usually are other options than meds. Oatmeal can be very soothing and calming as far as itching goes. As far as the fleas there is this "tea" called flea tea that was created by two girls and I'm sure that some of the botanicals in that will help with the itching as well as get rid of the fleas and help prevent them. If you can't get that then it's highly important that you keep your cat on some type of repellent. Frontline for example. There are also other sprays that you can find at Petsmart that help relieve itching for pets that is relatively inexpensive. You should always ask your vet about these remedies though, it may not be right for your cat at this stage.

Answer 7

I don't believe that is the solution. It should be used for exactly what it says.."Children's Benadryl". Don't do anything without consulting your vet - you never know what could harm your cat.

Answer 8

Don't give Benadryl. There is a spray that you can get at the pet store called "Anti-Itch Spray" made by Pet Relief; it is specifically made for cats. Or you can rub him down with Skin So Soft lotion by Avon; diluted with water.

Answer 9

u should call your vet because human benadryl is different the animals benadryl i would call your vet first to see what they say

Answer 10

Take your cat to the vet before giving anything like benedryl . You could make them very sick.

Answer 11

NEVER ever give you cat human medicine. Can KILL the animal, it be a different strength to human medicine and cats are extremely sensitive to medicine, take the cat to the vet!