Canine Dosage of Claritin

If you've been searching for the proper canine dosage of Claritin, there's good reason why you're having difficulty finding it. Find out why this medication is seldom used in treating dogs with allergies.

Does your dog scratch, rub and chew his body until the skin is red and irritated? Does he have runny eyes or sneeze a lot? If he does, chances are high that he suffers from some type of allergy.

Dogs can be allergic to almost anything, including:

• Flea saliva
• Dust mites
• Pollen
• Mold spores
• Certain foods

Whether the allergen is consumed or inhaled, the reaction triggered within the immune system more often than not surfaces in the skin. This is what dog owners have come to know as "itchy dog syndrome", but the proper name for the condition is "atopy", and it can wreak havoc on your pet.

The reaction causes the immune system to produce a certain type of protein that automatically attaches itself to tissue mast cells in the skin. This in turn triggers a release of histamine, and it's this chemical that causes your dog to feel so itchy.

When you have a surplus of histamine, you need an antihistamine to bring relief, and this brings us around to the question about the proper canine dosage of Claritin.

Human antihistamine medications such as Claritin, Benadryl, Tavist and Atarax are often borrowed by veterinarians for use in treating dogs. These medications fall into a specific category of antihistamines called H1 blockers, and they work very well for people, dogs and in some cases cats.

A second group of antihistamines are classified as H2 blockers, and while these meds work perfectly well controlling allergic reactions in people, they are usually far less effective when used on dogs. Several popular antihistamines fall into this category, including Seldane.

There are several books on the market that offer information about converting human medications into canine doses. Although many dog owners have found these guides useful when treating dogs at home, there's always a certain amount of risk involved when administering drugs to your dog without your vet's supervision.

Since there have been so many breakthroughs in treating allergies over the last several years, many of the current antihistamines are not included in these guides, and such is the case with Claritin. There are no canine conversion directions in print indicating the exact dosage of Claritin for dogs.

So it follows that if you're determined to share your own allergy meds with your dog, the best thing you can do is run it by your vet first. If you find that your vet has had little experience using Claritin on canines, he/she will probably refer you back to the list of H1 blockers to provide relief for your pet's itchy skin and watery eyes.

In the event that your vet has some familiarity with prescribing Claritin for dogs, there is one crucial factor you need to be aware of. The canine dosage of Claritin refers to regular Claritin, not Claritin D.

Claritin D contains a drug known as pseudoephedrine that can be toxic to dogs, and it has the potential to kill your pet if the dosage is high enough.

Although antihistamines such as Benadryl, and in some cases Claritin, can bring your dog some much needed relief, they are not without side-effects.

These include:

• Dry eyes
• Dry mouth
• Increased thirst
• Drowsiness

Since every dog reacts a little differently to medications, some dogs will experience these side-effects to a lesser or greater degree. If your dog appears to have a strong reaction to any antihistamine you give him refrain from administering the next dose and call your vet right away.

If you'd like to learn more about using human medicines to treat pets, try the following books.

• Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by James Giffen, M.D. and Lisa Carlson, D.V.M., available at Gundogs Online.com.
• The Pill Book: Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat by Kate Roby and Lenny Southam, available at Amazon.com.

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