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Can Benadryl Help With Seasonal Allergies

Prioritize Your Pets Wellness

Managing Seasonal Allergies

If your dog has allergies, speak to your vet to hear about treatment options like steroids, immunotherapy, or allergy shots, or injections. In the meantime, theres Benadryl, oatmeal baths, topical skin protectants, and good allergy hygiene practices to help reduce the discomfort that your dog may feel when allergies put a damper on playtime.

How To Ease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Pollen may be hanging around almost all year, but these steps can keep you comfortable

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Got itchy eyes and an alternately stuffy and runny nose? Feeling like allergy season seems to start earlier and end later?

It’s true that due to climate change, there’s more pollen in the airand for a longer timethan there used to be, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the Environmental Protection Agency. And pollen counts are expected to double by 2040, notes AAAAI.

Thats a problem for the 6.5 percent of American adults and 7.5 percent of children with hay feverallergies to pollen from trees, weeds, and grasses. Research has found that 80 percent of those with seasonal allergies report moderate-to-severe symptoms that significantly impair their quality of life.

Heres what to know about the latest treatment recommendations and what you can do to keep your seasonal allergy symptoms to a minimum.

How Do Antihistamines Work

Your allergies are an immune response to an otherwise harmless substance. This substance whether its pollen, animal dander, or dust comes into contact with cells in the mucus membranes of your nose, mouth, throat, lungs, stomach, and intestines. In a person with allergies, this ends up triggering the release of the chemical histamine.

Histamine is a part of the immune system that causes all the symptoms you associate with allergies the sneezing, itching, and cold-like symptoms you dislike. Antihistamines block histamine activity, seeking to stop the allergic reaction.

Many allergy medications on the shelves of your local drugstore work as antihistamines. But there are also certain foods and plant extracts that may similarly block the effects of histamine.

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Can Benadryl Side Effects In Dogs Be Used For Good

Yes. In fact, some Benadryl side effects in dogs can be used to treat various health issues your furry pal may be experiencing. Your veterinarian may use Benadryl side effects in dogs, such as anti-anxiety and drowsiness, to help control behavior conditions or inflammation.

For example, with your dogs seasonal allergies, Benadryl can be used to help decrease skin and throat inflammation. Also, vets may prescribe Benadryl for dogs if they are having difficulty sleeping due to chronic or seasonal allergies, which can help them get the necessary sleep they need to stay healthy.

What Can Benadryl Be Used To Treat In Dogs

Benadryl Allergy Relief Capsules

Just like humans, antihistamines can be used to treat similar allergic reactions in dogs. The important aspect is to know whether your dog is having an allergic reaction or has chronic seasonal allergies. In addition, dogs may exhibit different symptoms that may not mimic those of humans, so its vital to know what to look for. In most cases, dogs who are having an allergic reaction may exhibit symptoms on the skins surface or have difficulty breathing.

Although your furry friend can show signs of allergies that are similar to those of humans, youll want to make sure that your pup doesnt have a more serious condition at hand.

If you notice nasal discharge, coughing, or inflamed, reddened eyes, these can all be signs of a respiratory infection. Therefore, remember not to assume your pets allergies are causing these symptoms.

You may be thinking, what is Benadryl for dogs? and is it safe for you to give Benadryl to your pet? It all comes down to getting a comprehensive evaluation from your vet. If your fur baby is indeed suffering from an allergic reaction, your vet may recommend daily doses of Benadryl for dogs.

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Pregnant And Nursing Women

Benadryl is a commonly used antihistamine during pregnancy. That said, it should not be considered as a preferred antihistamine for routine use in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Regardless of how often one plans to take it, the drug should only be used under the direction of a healthcare provider.

Large doses or overdoses of Benadryl can result in premature contractions during pregnancy. Caution should be used when giving Benadryl near delivery, as the side effects in a newborn can include excitement, irritability, and seizures.

Like many other medications, Benadryl is secreted in breast milk and may be passed to a nursing child, causing temporary side effects such as irritability and colic.

Second-generation antihistamines, such as Zyrtec or Claritin , have fewer side effects, are more effective, and are safer medications for pregnant women and nursing children.

How Much Benadryl Can You Give A Dog For Allergies

Dogs can generally have 1 milligram of diphenhydramine per pound of body weight, up to twice a day. Its safest to wait 12 hours between doses to allow your dogs body to fully metabolize the first Benadryl dosage and prevent overdose.

Childrens Benadryl often comes in flavored, sweetened chewable tablets. Its a wise idea to avoid any artificial flavors or sweeteners in anything you give your animal, especially if they contain xylitol, a natural sweetener used as an alternative to sugar.

Stick with adult Benadryl tablets, which typically dont contain any sweeteners . Adult Benadryl tablets each contain 25 milligrams of diphenhydramine.

It can be difficult to measure the perfect 1 milligram to 1 pound ratio for your dog. A small dog would only need one-fifth of one tablet. If your dog regularly experiences allergies, an efficient pill cutter that can split tablets into multiple pieces may be a worthwhile investment. When in doubt, its better to give your dog too little than too much.

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Allergy Shots And Other Immunotherapy

You call them allergy shots. Your doctor calls it “immunotherapy.” By either name, the goal is the same: Retrain your immune system so it doesn’t go into allergy mode.

When you get allergy shots, your doctor gives you small, gradually increasing amounts of the pollens that are causing your symptoms. Over time, your body builds up a resistance to them. The shots are a long-term commitment, likely taking 3 to 5 years. After that, your doctor will see if you still need them.

Instead of getting shots at the doctorâs office, there are also under-the-tongue tablets that you can take at home. The FDA has approved three of these products: Grastek, Oralair, and Ragwitek. They work the same way as shots. The goal is to boost your tolerance of allergy triggers.

The tablets can cause an allergic reaction in some people, so you will need to take your first one at your doctorâs office to make sure itâs safe for you. Even if you donât have a reaction, you may feel itching or burning in your mouth or lips or have stomach troubles. These problems usually go away after a few days.

Ten Ways To Control Allergies Without Medication

Avoiding Outdoor Allergies: Grasses

The best way to control allergies without medication is to avoid them altogether, but thats not always possible, or realistic. Some allergens like pollen are tiny, which means they can travel long distances and cover a lot of ground, surfaces, skin and hair. So, unless you have severe allergy symptoms that require medication, there are a lot of ways you can alleviate your symptoms and get back to doing the things you love, including:

  • Saline nasal irrigationA nasal rinse clears mucus from your nose and can ease allergy symptoms. Not only can it reduce nasal drip, but it can also wash out any bacteria or allergies youve inhaled.
  • HEPA filtersA high-efficiency particulate air filter is a mechanical filter that works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles like pollen, pet dander, dust mites and tobacco smoke. Replace HEPA filters monthly for best results.
  • Try ProbioticsProbiotics may help reduce allergy symptoms when taken during allergy season. Some strains of beneficial bacteria have been shown to regulate t-cells , which can help produce a stronger immune response to common allergens.
  • Take vitamin CVitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine by reducing the amount of histamine your body produces in response to an allergen. It might help reduce mild symptoms like congestion, runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. The recommended dose is 2,000 milligrams per day.
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    Aid For Your Airway Allergy

    Again, due to the potential danger of airway allergies, the only over-the-counter agent that is available to you is the oral antihistamine. Another non-prescription medication that could be useful is the Asthmanephrin inhaler. This racemic epinephrine spray can temporarily open a constricted, âtightâ airway.

    I cannot emphasize strongly enough that, if you have airway allergies often synonymous with asthma, your doctor or allergist should frame a program for you to follow. Use of over-the-counter medications for these disorders is ill-advised and dangerous.

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    How Are Antihistamines Classified

    Antihistamines are divided into two major subtypes. The first subtype is called H-1 receptor antagonists or H-1 blockers. This subtype of antihistamines is used to treat allergy symptoms. The second subtype is called H-2 receptor antagonists or H-2 blockers. They are used to treat gastrointestinal conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease , peptic ulcers, gastritis, motion sickness, nausea and vomiting. The naming structure tells doctors and scientists the cell type the location of the histamine receptor that the antihistamine medication blocks.

    The H-1 blocker subtype is further broken down into two groups first-generation antihistamines and second-generation antihistamines.

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    Differentiating A Cold From Allergies

    A cold is a viral infection that affects your nose and throat, or the upper respiratory system. In order to catch a cold, you must be in contact with someone else who has oneoften times your kids, spouse, or someone else in your home. Common symptoms of a cold that dont usually apply to allergies include:

    • Body aches and chills
    • Fever
    • Sore throat

    Allergies, meanwhile, are often associated with the spring and summer, as this is when you are exposed to pollen, grass, and other common allergens . Common symptoms of allergies that dont apply to a cold include:

    • Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
    • Watery eyes
    • Post nasal drip, or excess mucus that forms in the back of the nose and throat

    As previously mentioned, you can experience a runny or congested nose with both a cold and allergies as well as a cough due to post nasal drip. Furthermore, a cold can lead you to develop pink eye, an infection or inflammation on the outer membrane of the eye and inner eyelid, which can be confused with the itchy and watery eyes you experience with allergies. In these cases, try to evaluate your other symptoms to help determine whether you have a cold or allergies. Make sure to speak to your doctor if youre still having trouble differentiating the two.

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    Which Antihistamine Is The Best

    Children

    All antihistamines work pretty well to reduce symptoms of allergy. Your doctor or pharmacist may advise or prescribe a particular antihistamine depending on the cause of your allergy and on whether you require a sedating or non-sedating medicine. For example:

    • In general, antihistamines are probably roughly equally effective in reducing the symptoms of hay fever and hives . However, non-sedating antihistamines tend to be used more commonly as they cause less drowsiness.
    • Second-generation antihistamines are generally advised for most allergic situations as they cause less drowsiness.
    • Cetirizine, fexofenadine, or loratadine are often recommended for urticaria.
    • Antihistamine eye drops may be advised when itchy eyes are a particular problem – for example, azelastine eye drops or ketotifen drops.
    • A sedating antihistamine may be particularly helpful at bedtime for children who have allergic symptoms. Cough medicines containing sedating antihistamines are not suitable for children under the age of 6 years, and a pharmacist’s advice is needed for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years.

    For other conditions, specific antihistamines may be used. For example, cyclizine and promethazine teoclate are used for feeling sick and being sick , not for hay fever. Chlorphenamine is the antihistamine most used in an emergency situation such as anaphylaxis, and may be given by injection in this situation. Diphenhydramine is sold over the counter as a sleep remedy.

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    Other Medications And Combinations

    Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray that keeps certain cells in the body called mast cells from releasing chemicals that cause allergy symptoms. It’s available without a prescription and helps a runny/itchy nose, sneezing, and congestion.

    The prescription drug montelukast blocks substances called leukotrienes. They can cause the swelling linked to asthma and allergies.

    Nasal ipratropium is a prescription nasal spray that can help if you have a runny nose because of your allergies.

    Some products include more than one kind of drug. Allegra-D, Claritin-D, and Zyrtec-D have both an antihistamine and the decongestant pseudoephedrine.

    Benadryl For Hives Itching And Rash

    Some topical, over-the-counter Benadryl products are approved for treating hives, itchy skin, and rash. These products include:

    • Benadryl Itch Stopping Cream
    • Benadryl Itch Stopping Gel
    • Benadryl Itch Relief Stick

    Oral over-the-counter Benadryl products arent approved to treat hives, itchy skin, and rash. However, these products are sometimes used for these purposes. Theyre effective for this use, but theyre not usually a first-choice treatment because of side effects such as sleepiness.

    Newer, second-generation antihistamines are usually preferred over oral Benadryl for treating these symptoms. These newer medications include:

    • cetirizine
    • Benadryl Itch Relief Stick

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    How Do I Know If It’s Just Allergies

    “Take your temperature. That’s probably a good first step, since coronavirus almost always includes a fever. If your temperature is normal, it is likely allergies,” says allergist an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

    She adds, “Also, think about whether this happens to you every year. Come March and April, do you usually have itchy eyes and a runny nose?” If so, this may just be seasonal allergies acting up.

    Cut Down Allergen Contact

    Benadryl for Dogs with ALLERGIES

    Although its unrealistic to think that you can altogether avoid the pollens, dust mites, and molds that make you sneeze and sniffle, its a good idea to reduce contact as much as possible.

    Consider:

    Check out our review on instagram .

    As you can see, a few simple lifestyle changes can make a world of difference in controlling your allergies.

    Lastly, you dont have to live your life at the mercy of allergies just because you want to avoid the use of Benadryl and similar types of allergy drugs. Fortunately, there are a host of natural ways to soothe your allergy symptoms while also being kind to your body.

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    What Causes Allergic Rhinitis

    You have an allergy when your body overreacts to things that dont cause problems for most people. These things are called allergens. If you have allergies, your body releases chemicals when you are exposed to an allergen. One such chemical is called histamine. Histamine is your bodys defense against the allergen. The release of histamine causes your symptoms.

    Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen. Pollen comes from flowering trees, grass, and weeds. If you are allergic to pollen, you will notice your symptoms are worse on hot, dry days when wind carries the pollen. On rainy days, pollen often is washed to the ground, which means you are less likely to breathe it.

    • Allergies that occur in the spring are often due to tree pollen.
    • Allergies that occur in the summer are often due to grass and weed pollen.
    • Allergies that occur in the fall are often due to ragweed.

    Allergens that can cause perennial allergic rhinitis include:

    Can Benadryl Be Crushed

    Benadryl tablets can be crushed. If you have trouble swallowing whole tablets, Benadryl liquid solution and chewable tablets are available.

    Benadryl is an antihistamine. If you have allergies or have a cold, your body releases a chemical messenger called histamine. This messenger causes symptoms such as inflammation, edema , itchiness, and runny nose.

    Benadryl blocks some of the effects of histamine and decreases some of the symptoms caused by it.

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    How Should Benadryl Be Taken

    A typical dose of Benadryl is 25-50 mg every 4-6 hours. Benadryl may interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors , other over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or insomnia medications, anxiety or sleep medicines, antidepressants, or any other medications that make you feel drowsy, sleepy, or relaxed. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Benadryl has not been adequately evaluated in pregnant women. Benadryl is secreted in breast milk. Because of the risk of stimulation and seizures in infants, especially newborns and premature infants, antihistamines should not be used by nursing mothers.

    Warnings Of Benadryl And Claritin

    Benadryl Allergy Relief Nasal Spray

    Benadryl or Claritin should not be used if you have had allergic reactions to any of the active ingredients labeled on the package. Taking these medications may cause a hypersensitivity reaction, such as trouble breathing or severe rash, if you have an allergy to the medicine.

    Since antihistamines can cause increased drowsiness and sleepiness, their use is cautioned when engaging in certain activities such as driving a car or operating machinery.

    Benadryl is not recommended in elderly adults 65 years and older. Taking Benadryl may increase the risk of dementia or cognitive impairment, delirium, and fainting.

    Talk to your doctor before using Benadryl or Claritin if you have asthma, liver disease, or kidney disease.

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