My dog has swollen ears. Can I use human allergy meds if no Benadryl?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 4 months and 24 days old
Dr. Lauren, we are out of Benedryl but can we use any anti-allergy drug (human drugs) for Simba ? He is having swollen ears alredy and i hope constant shaking of the head will not cause a mental disorder, if it will let me know and tell me what i can use to ease him ?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 18th, 2017
Some anti-allergy drugs are safe for us in pets and some aren’t. As long as we know the type you are using then we can give you the appropriate recommendation moving forward. The bottle should have the active ingredient listed on there. Also if you are out of Benadryl I would suggest perhaps making a quick run to pick some more up at your local pharmacy. This is just the easiest antihistamine drug to give in pets which is why we recommend this one first. I hope this helps and if you need anything else from us please don’t hesitate to ask. Take care.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on June 10th, 2018
Mild allergic reactions may be treatable with an antihistamine, such as Benadryl or Zyrtec. Ideally, you should contact your veterinarian for an appropriate dose based on your dog's body weight. Legally, we are prohibited from recommending doses for medication, even OTC meds, in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). You can read more about Benadryl use at the link below. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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