Swelling & Benadryl

The benedryl dosage for acute symptoms is 1-2 mg per lb of body weight, so she could easily have an entire pill every 4 hours.  What you are giving her is no doubt helping, but in this case, more would be better.

Maybe I'm just a nervous nellie, but I'd get her to the vet. If all the swelling had gone down, I'd say continue with the benadryl but since it's been 24 hours and she's still swollen, I'd want to have her seen. If that's not possible, I agree with Glenda about upping the benadryl dose and see if that helps more.

Oh!  My bad.  Absolutely if the swelling hasn't gone down at all, VET.  I thought I read that the swelling had lessened, but it's been a long day.  I'm sorry if I didn't understand and gave advise that wasn't too good.

There are some things that can poison with a bite -- and the swelling is too close to the respiratory system.  Vet ... absolutely a.s.a.p.  It's possible the airway is swollen which may be why she doesn't want to eat.

 Which brings me to a related point -- DO NOT give a chi that much peanut butter.  You're asking for major trouble (worse than the swelling).  Peanut butter is ultimately very very very hard on the kidneys ... and it's super hard on the pancreas (like you're flirting with pancreatitis doing something like that with a small dog).

Try babyfood meat, or liverwurst (liver sausage) - that's way better than peanut butter.  Even yogurt would be better (NOT artificially sweetened -- but even the regular one with sugar is better than peanut butter in that quantity).

Try tahini rather than peanut butter. 

But yes the dose for Benedryl (and it needs to be PLAIN Benedryl -- not a cold formula, etc.) is 1-2 mg/lb bodyweight ... given 3 times a day.  A vet can and will exceed that dose.

You have to give enough Benedryl for the body to combat the allergen -- But it should bring down the swelling pretty fast.  So honestly VET a.s.a.p --

So for future reference -- in an emergency (like a sting, etc.) -- a full 25 mg tablet of Benedryl is FINE for a 13 lb. chi.  Yes, it will make them sleep -- but it will help the body cope until you can get the dog to a vet.

Thank you for all the responses, I'm just getting to them now.

 Roxy's swelling has decreased over night, though you can tell she's still swollen a bit under her chin and around her legs. I'm at work, but am now concerned that I should leave and take her to the vet, is that still the consensus even with the swelling having decreased about 30%?

She has another half a benadryl this morning, though it was a huge fight trying to get it in her. She just realyl didnt want to eat her breakfast (I had hid it in there) and it took me 5 cookies and her fidning the pill in the first 4 before she ate it.

Calliecritturs- Wow, I didnt know peanutbutter was bad for Chi's. I'm shocked and horrified knowing that I've given her pb in her food at least once a week for the last 6 months! I'll stop immediately. Is there something I can use with her dry food every day to add flavor, I always have yogurt int he house, could that work? She's on the Acana Pacifica dry food and has been for about a year.

Yes, I would leave work and take her to the vet.  I feel very badly that I didn't read carefully enough and only gave you the doseage.  Yes, vet.  ASAP.

romeoharley

Calliecritturs- Wow, I didnt know peanutbutter was bad for Chi's. I'm shocked and horrified knowing that I've given her pb in her food at least once a week for the last 6 months! I'll stop immediately. Is there something I can use with her dry food every day to add flavor, I always have yogurt int he house, could that work? She's on the Acana Pacifica dry food and has been for about a year.

YOgurt, Tahini, SARDINES ...  all good and good for them.

 go to the Vet!!!

dixie had a facial swelling, took her to the vet the next day. She still ended up with facial paralasys on one side of the face (vet thinks due to the severe swelling). But- after I switched vets new vet put her on prednisone for a while, now she have most function back .

Please check her over well to make sure that after the swelling goes down there is no damage.  (I didn't notice for a while that she couldn't even close one eye 

Thanks for all the advice! Roxy saw the vet yesterday. Most of the swelling had gone away, though the vet said she didnt see any swelling. There was concern as she wasnt drinking much or eating and that she literally just lays around and home and dosent want to move. The vet said her temperature was fine and she was hydrated.

 Blood was taken to test for any underlying issues with kidney, liver etc etc and the results should come in sometime today.

WHen we got Roxy home from the vet she ate most of her dinner but after about 5 min of acting liker her old self, she went back to her chair and refused to move for the next 6 hours, all she wanted to do was sleep. She didnt even get up when the delivery person dropped off dinner, nor did she even bother to come and stare at us while we ate (which she normally does). That is what concerns me most... fingers crossed the results are all negative and that maybe this is just something that will pass.

 Thank you again for your help!