Is your dog scratching excessively and biting its paws? Or does your dog have an upset stomach and red eyes?
If you are worried a lot about it, you are just a responsible pet parent. Canines can be allergic to a wide range of things that they encounter every day.
It can be pollen, dust, molds, insect stings, or bites. You can use Claritin to treat your canine to get better.
Claritin is an antihistamine medication used to treat your canine with a range of allergic reactions. Then you must be wondering, ‘how much Claritin can I give my dog?’
In this article, we shall discuss in detail how much Claritin your canine requires. You can also aim to gain insights on side effects and the right formulation.
What is Claritin for Dogs?
Pets, similar to human beings, have a complex immune system that protects them from various kinds of infections. The immune system sorts through everything they inhale and ingest then eliminated harmful particles. However, this mechanism can go wrong at times.
When it does, it will perceive some non-harmful particles as a threat and start reacting to them. That’s when it causes symptoms called allergic reactions occurs. The symptoms can be itching, running nose, red eyes, sore throat, and digestive issues.
Claritin is an anti-allergen medication that can help to reduce these allergic symptoms. These are generic medicines available over the counter. It works by blocking the effects of histamine in the pet friends’ body.
How Much Claritin Can I Give My Dog?
Generally, vets prescribe Claritin in a small dosage of 0.2 milligrams per pound by the pupper’s bodyweight. We have created a small list below to help you with how much Claritin you can give your dog.
- Small puppies weighing between 1 pound to 14 pounds – One dose of 5 milligrams of Claritin every day
- Dogs that weigh 15 pounds to 39 pounds – 2 doses of 5 milligrams (10 milligrams daily)
- Large size, weighing over 40 pounds – Administer them two doses of 10 milligrams of Claritin daily (20 milligrams daily)
Which Formulation Should I Use for My four-legged pet?
It is advisable to use the plain formula of Claritin or the children’s formula. Regular Claritin tablets contain about ten milligrams of Loratadine. Please avoid using Claritin D, which contains an additional ingredient called pseudoephedrine.
Although the level of pseudoephedrine in Claritin D is only 240 mg, it can still be harmful to dogs. Further, it can be lethal for small puppies and can cause stimulant-like unhealthy effects in larger dogs.
Also, give your canine only the tablet form of Claritin even if you find it more convenient to give them the syrup. It is so because the syrup contains flavors and an additional sweetener called xylitol.
Even small quantities of xylitol can cause seizures, liver failure, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in dogs.
Cutting the Pill
Now, you may think you can cut the pill down to smaller sizes to give Claritin to your canine in the appropriate dosage. However, you can make uneven dosages by cutting up the pills, which is not a healthy choice for your pooch.
Hence, the best advice is to consult your pet’s vet before giving them Claritin. Furthermore, medical history and age play a role alongside weight in determining the right dosage.
Hence, your vet can pull out your furry friend’s record before treating them. Otherwise, you might be putting your canine through unwanted and unhealthy risks.
Claritin Overdose in Dogs
Claritin overdoses are very rare as long as you administer your canine in suitable doses. However, your pet can still overdose on Claritin sometimes due to wrong calculations or underlying medical conditions.
You can find out if you gave your canine too much loratadine by looking for any odd signs. If you discover you indeed gave too much of this drug, you have to seek immediate medical attention for your canine.
Similar to other medications, overdosing can mean facing various degrees of danger. Further, if you do not treat them immediately after overdosing on your dog, it can lead to seizures or even a stroke.
Even if the effects are not so lethal, it can result in various nasty side effects. Some of the side effects include fever, changes in the color of gums, changes in behavior, and red eyes.
What Can Claritin Treat in Dogs?
Claritin contains Loratadine that aids in relieving a wide range of symptoms. Let’s take a look at some of them below:
- Skin sensitivity in dogs
- Decreases allergic reactions
- Aids in reducing inflammations
- Symptoms of skin cell tumors
- Reduces vaccination reactions
What Are the Side Effects of loratadine?
Many medications and treatments come with some side effects. However, if you take it in the right dosage, there is nothing much to worry about.
Nonetheless, your pupper’s can face certain side effects upon consuming this medicine. It can be because of their sensitivity, medical history, or age. Whatever the reason might be, make sure to take your pupper to the vet if you see any side effects.
We have listed some of the common side effects of using loratadine that you should look out for:
- Changes in bowel movements
- Problem with urinating
- Behavioral issues
- Confusion
- Dry and itchy eyes
- Itchy skin
- Urinary retention
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
What Causes Allergies in Dogs?
If you are giving this medicine to your pet, it is important to know what causes allergies. Once you know it, you first identify them and eliminate them or reduce their exposure.
There are many potential reasons out there that will trigger allergies in your pupper. While some are easier to tackle, others are not. Nonetheless, you can arrive at a decision only when you know what the problem is.
To help you with that, we have listed some of the most common causes of allergies in dogs.
Parasites: It is one of the most common reasons for skin allergies in dogs. Parasites such as fleas and ticks will trigger constant itching, scratching, and skin rashes in dogs.
Environmental Causes: Many particles in the environment can trigger allergies in dogs, as with humans. It can be because of mold, pollen, untidy bedding, or grass.
Food Allergies: Canines are extremely allergic to many components in human food. Hence, it is vital to give them pet food and sorted human food.
Mast Cell Tumors: Mast cell tumors can cause many allergic reactions in your pupper, in addition to pain. Some of the signs to look out for include watery eyes, running knows, and fatigue.
Preventing Allergies
Claritin is pretty effective and completely safe at the right doses. However, it is better to prevent any allergies in your canine than to treat it with pills.
Following these tips should decrease the chances of allergies in your dog.
- Bathe your dog with a hypoallergenic shampoo and make sure to scrub away the allergens.
- Clean their beddings, sitting area, and your house regularly.
- Make sure to provide them with a balanced diet. The diet should include omega 3, omega 6, and essential minerals.
- The water you give must be very clean and free of any particulates.
Final Words
This drug works very well on your canine’s allergies. So, many dog parents keep a bottle in their cabinets. However, as with many medicines giving them in the right dosage is crucial.
Further, it is advisable to be very careful about the dosages when you have small pets. On the other hand, pet parents of large dogs do not have to worry as much.
Hopefully, this article helps you find answers to how much Claritin can I give my dog!