Oh Simba

 adult version. I believe the dose should be about 1 mg per lb of dog.

Must be something in the air since Neiko got stung today too

Get the 25 mg capsules -- just regular Benedryl (never use the severe cold version or anything like that -- READ LABELS -- acetaminaphen/Tylenol is poison to dogs and some of the 'cold' versions have that in it).

 The dose of Benedryl (Wal-mart's generic is fine) is 1-2 mg/lb body weight 2-3 times a day.  For a bee sting use the 2 mg/lb dose.

 That means a 25 pound dog needs TWO of the benedryl caplets.  That sounds like a lot but their metabolism is much faster than ours and that's correct. 

So ... a 50 pound dog would get FOUR (and yes twice or three times a day).  Usually a day or so is enough to help their body process the toxin. 

Don't let Simba "chew" the capsule/caplet -- they put your mouth to sleep ( I am so serious) -- so put it in something slippery.  Like a spoonful of yogurt (teach him to lick it off the spoon -- mine say YUM) or put a slit in a piece of hot dog and shove the pills in it.

Don't try to 'hide' them -- TELL Simba "Gotta take your medicine!! YUM" and then have a 2d piece of hot dog as a chaser. 

Honestly -- it is a GOOD thing to have a bottle of children's Benedryl elixer in your first aid kit.  It's sweet and it goes right to the bloodstream.  TWO teaspoons equals one 25 mg pill.  So -- if you can give FOUR teaspoons absolutely as soon as he gets stung you save yourself a lot of grief.

Get one of those childrens medicine syringes so you can squirt it in his mouth (he's not going to volunteer to take that).  But the liquid is absorbed FAST and you can save him a nasty reaction.

Dogs can be allergic to bee/wasp stings just like people can. 

 Thanks guys! I hope Neiko is okay. :-s

It's funny I'm used to giving Toby pills but I don't think I've given one to Simba before, he'll probably be a bit more difficult because why would he make anything easy on mommy? :P Can't I just put it down his throat and hold his mouth closed till he swallows? Or should I use the yogurt trick instead? I really should start a first aid kit for Simba. :-s

Yeah I know, I wish there was a way to test if he is or not, he seems fine right now just resting since it's been a crazy day.

 Stuff it into some cheese or liverworst. They'll almost ALWAYS swallow it, that way, especially if you follow it with a couple more bites

 hot dogs are known as "medicine" in my house. They only get hot dogs when they get medicine, no other time. So, when I want to give meds I say "come get your medicine!" and they come running and swallow the hot dogs laced with meds happily!

 Ari will eat ANYTHING coated in peanut butter. If I try to stick the pills in something like a hot dog, she'll eat around the pill and spit it out. I hope Simba is feeling better!!!

calliecritturs

Honestly -- it is a GOOD thing to have a bottle of children's Benedryl elixer in your first aid kit.  It's sweet and it goes right to the bloodstream.  TWO teaspoons equals one 25 mg pill. 

I consider the liquid Benedryl to be a first aid kit must-have for any dog that reacts to a sting with much in the way of pain and swelling on any part of the body.  Liquid Benedryl might be the only thing that you can get down a dog with a facial sting that is producing swelling and threatening to block the airways. 

In the case of a life-threatening reaction, liquid Benedryl can buy you time to get to the vet, but only if you have the product and the dosage instructions readily available.  You might be surprised at the amount of knowledge that suddenly exits your brain during an emergency, so write down the dosage and tape it to the bottle. 

 Be careful, careful, careful that your liquid Benedryl does not contain xylitol. It is deadly toxic to dogs!

jennie_c_d

Be careful, careful, careful that your liquid Benedryl does not contain xylitol. It is deadly toxic to dogs!

Agreed!  Benadryl currently uses sorbitol, but buyers should carefully check every time they get a new bottle.  Changes to the sweetner used could happen at any time.

Any product that says "sugar-free" may contain xylitol, so watch out!  This can include mouthwash, toothpaste, gum, candy, breath mints, etc.  Just one xylitol breath mint can kill a small dog within minutes.  A pack of xylitol gum can kill a large dog. 

Xylitol will severely drop a dog's blood sugar and can damage the liver.  If you even think that your dog may have gotten into some xylitol, it is time for an emergency trip to the vet. 

The vet can work to stablize the blood sugar levels, but there is nothing medically that they can do for the liver, so many dogs still do not make it.  Small amounts of xylitol may not produce visible effects in a large dog, but that does not mean that liver damage is not taking place, so repeated doses could still damage the liver beyond repair. 

janet_rose

Just one xylitol breath mint can kill a small dog within minutes.

We experienced that, here. Emma was given (we didn't know!) one tiiiiny breath mint, and by the time we realized what was happening, she was so swollen she could hardly breathe. When I got to the vet's office, she was blue. I dropped her carrier, to startle her. It worked It was VERY, VERY scary!!

Sorry -- I don't drink or eat **anything** sugar free.  I'm allergic to all that stuff (and I've done enough research to know that no buddy should use ANY of those anyway *sigh*).

xylitol

acetaminaphen (Tyrenol)

ibuprophen (Advil/Nuprin)

Naproxyn Sodium (Aleve) -- ALL are completely toxic to dogs.

 Wow I wouldn't have even thought about checking for that stuff. I mean read that it's bad for dogs but yeah. :-s Thanks guys! And apparently he didn't need it unless he had a reaction. Which he didn't. Though the shot they gave him made him have to pee like crazy. o.o