calliecritturs
Posted : 8/28/2006 7:53:12 PM
I would give Benedryl (for a sting I'd give the 2 mg/lb dose, which is the right one for anaphylactic shock) --
danger signs happen FAST and can include the head/face swelling, difficulty breathing (because the trachea can swell shut in a bad reaction), or even something like hives. frantic behavior can also be a sign of anaphylactic shock.
The difficulty is that it can happen fast or slow. Err on the side of caution -- give the benedryl every six hours (the over the counter caps are 25 mg, the liquid elixer is 12.5 mg/teas). And I would surely give it the first 24 hours at least. Yes, the dog will sleep -- but it will help the body deal with the histamine. If you see any of the danger symptoms get to a vet.
But also realize that once the dog has survived one bite, the next can react WORSE -- so frankly I'd be keeping benedryl around.
That sounds like a big dose. The 'normal' dose for allergies is 1 mg/lb. So that means for the 2 mg dose that a 12 pound shih tzu needs one whole capsule. A 75 pound lab needs SIX capsules -- and both of those are 3-4 times today. But that is the correct dose for a sting.