# Sticky  benadryl - for reactions/allergies and dosage ...



## Brodysmom

I didn't want this info. to be buried in other posts, so thought I'd make a new one. 

Benadryl is a VERY safe and effective antihistamine that we should all have in our cabinets in case we need it. It is used for allergic reactions and also chronic allergies. It comes in a tablet or liquid. Just make sure that you are using PLAIN diphenhydramine (generic benadryl) and not the combination formulas that have other ingredients.

The standard dosage for dogs is 1mg (milligram) per pound every 8 hours. If you buy the regular tablets, they come in 25mg strength, so obviously that would be hard to divide up for a 5 pound dog. But if that's all you had on hand, you would give a little less than 1/4 of a tablet to a 5 pound dog that was having a reaction.

The children's liquid benadryl is half strength. So it is 12.5mg per teaspoon. So a 5 pound dog would get 5mg, which is a little less than half of a teaspoon. If you have a syringe, it will be marked in milliliters (mm's). 5ml equals ONE teaspoon. So you want to give 2.4ml. (That is approximately half a teaspoon.) 

To be completely accurate, try to dose liquids using syringes, as they are much more accurate than the average teaspoon in your silverware drawer.  Or you can measure your teaspoon with a syringe and make sure that 5ml = 1 teaspoon.

I also want to point out that benadryl is very safe and has a pretty wide margin of error. So if you don't dose your dog "exactly" 1mg per pound, they are not going to have any ill effects. Some vets will even go up to 2mg per pound on a dog that is having a bad reaction. So don't stress if you don't get the dosage measured exactly to the tenth of a millimeter. 

Hope this helps. 

Brodysmom


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## BellaLina's Mom

Thank you for posting this information. I will definitely print and save this for an emergency for my Bella, who has food and other allergies.


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## pigeonsheep

wait this is confusing me, i am really bad at math....so how much would i be feeding dexter if he's 8lbs? thanks!


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## BeckyLa

I have been trying my best to get this figured out, I'm bad at math, too. Thank you so much, Brody'sMom, for posting it. Now, would someone please make this a sticky so it is readily available in time of sudden need??? Please???

Thanks!!!


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## Brodysmom

pigeonsheep said:


> wait this is confusing me, i am really bad at math....so how much would i be feeding dexter if he's 8lbs? thanks!


Ok, if it's 1mg per pound and he's 8 pounds, then he gets 8 mg. So that would be slightly less than half of a 25mg tablet or 1.5 teaspoons of the liquid Children's benadryl. Remember, it doesn't have to be exact. This medication has some play in the dosage.

In an emergency situation where you noticed him having a reaction (like to a bee sting, etc), the 1/2 of a tablet would probably be easier to get down him, than the liquid. 

Brodysmom


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## pigeonsheep

Brodysmom said:


> Ok, if it's 1mg per pound and he's 8 pounds, then he gets 8 mg. So that would be slightly less than half of a 25mg tablet or 1.5 teaspoons of the liquid Children's benadryl. Remember, it doesn't have to be exact. This medication has some play in the dosage.
> 
> In an emergency situation where you noticed him having a reaction (like to a bee sting, etc), the 1/2 of a tablet would probably be easier to get down him, than the liquid.
> 
> Brodysmom


thank you for the reply!!!  we'll be sure to thank u if this ever happens which im hoping it never does  i would think the liquid would be easier than the tablet though no? he hates tablets...i know he knows when it's meds too...syringes were actually easier when he had an infection and we used panacur


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## Brodysmom

pigeonsheep said:


> thank you for the reply!!!  we'll be sure to thank u if this ever happens which im hoping it never does  i would think the liquid would be easier than the tablet though no? he hates tablets...i know he knows when it's meds too...syringes were actually easier when he had an infection and we used panacur


In that case, if he's better about taking liquids, then have some liquid benadryl on hand! Every dog is different so do what works for you! 

Brodysmom


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom *

Thanks for this, I was wondering about dosage amounts too. I've written that down. We are packing Benadryl and a baby syringe (we used that to supplement formula when we first got him) in Bailey's bag. We will be outside a lot on our trip, I just want to be prepared. He doesn't have any allergies that I am aware of... but I am trying to plan for everything! I am a hypochondriac mommy... LOL


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## huskyluv

Thanks for the helpful post Tracy! Just to be clear, the measurements you posted for the liquid Benadryl only apply to the Children's Benadryl correct?

So far I've only heard to give the Childrens Benadryl but I am curious now, would the regular Benadryl be bad if that's all you had available to you in an emergency situation?


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## Brodysmom

huskyluv said:


> Thanks for the helpful post Tracy! Just to be clear, the measurements you posted for the liquid Benadryl only apply to the Children's Benadryl correct?
> 
> So far I've only heard to give the Childrens Benadryl but I am curious now, would the regular Benadryl be bad if that's all you had available to you in an emergency situation?


The KEY is to read the label and know just what the concentration is in your benadryl. The tablets and capsules are 25mg each. The liquid CHILDRENS is 12.5mg per teaspoon (or 5cc's/milliliters). 

All benadryl is the same. The ingredient is diphenhydramine. The only difference is the concentration. There is probably a liquid benadryl for adults that is the 25mg strength! So read your labels and know your concentration. Children's or adult, tablets or liquid, just remember it is 1mg per pound and you are set!

Brodysmom


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## Mom of 4 Chi's

Tracy,

Maybe you can clear this up for me. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but when you say 1 mg is that the same as 1 ml? All my syringes that I get from the vet are ml. Isn't ml for liquid and mg for tablets/pills? 
Sorry, but I'm confused. It's been a long HOT day!Lol.


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## Brodysmom

*Mom of 4 Chi's* said:


> Tracy,
> 
> Maybe you can clear this up for me. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but when you say 1 mg is that the same as 1 ml? All my syringes that I get from the vet are ml. Isn't ml for liquid and mg for tablets/pills?
> Sorry, but I'm confused. It's been a long HOT day!Lol.


NO dumb questions!! 

No... milligrams and milliliters are NOT the same. Milligrams is a weight measurement. Milliliters is a liquid measurement. Yes, syringes read in milliliters. You're right.... ml are liquid and mg are for pills/tablets.

Just remember there are 5 ml per teaspoon. 

And remember benadryl dosage is 1mg per pound of body weight. So a 5 pound dog gets 5mg. 

Also, just to confuse us further... milliliters and cc's are the same. You will sometimes see cc's listed also. 

It seems confusing, but it's really not! 

Brodysmom


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom *

I just heard tonight that Children's Benadryl contains aspertame or something artificial to sweeten it... does anyone know if this is true??


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## Yoshismom

You can find a really great list of things you need for a Chi's medical supply kit stickied in Chi Chat. It has doses and such at the bottom of the list. ;-)


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## Mom of 4 Chi's

*Bailey's Mommy* said:


> I just heard tonight that Children's Benadryl contains aspertame or something artificial to sweeten it... does anyone know if this is true??



Good question Kim! I'd like to know about that too. The one I get is sugar free, dye free, and alcohol free, but it's flavored. 
Is that bad?


The inactive ingredients are:
anhydrous citric acid
carboxymethlcellulose sodium
flavors
glycerin
purified water
saccharin sodium
sodium benzoate
sodium citrate
sorbitol solution


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## BABY BABS

I have actually marked my bottle of children's benedryl with the dosage. That way when I need to use it, I don't have to go get it and find the instructions that I wrote down months ago. The other thing to make it easier on you during a panic moment is to buy a syringe (if you are using liquid) and premark it to the spot it needs to be filled to. A piece of color tape around the syringe makes it very easy to fill to the measured amount you need. 

Does anyone know if benedryl has a shelf life? The only ones in my household that use it are the dogs. I wonder if I should replace it every 6 mos, year, or don't worry about it.


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## BeckyLa

Baby Babs, I just looked on my Benedryl liquid bottle and saw that it has a use by date of 2007. I just go by that. Time to get more to keep on the shelf! And the dosage amount written on the bottle and marked on the syringe is an excellent idea, thanks!


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## Rico's Mom

How many times a day is safe to give the benadryl?

Also, is the sugar free one (with artificial sweetners: saccaharin and sorbitol) better to use or the regular children's one?


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## Brodysmom

Benadryl should be used for a reaction. If you are giving it every 8 hours, which is the recommended dosage interval, then is there an allergy situation going on? In that case, I'd go to the vet and get some precription meds especially for that. I use benadryl for urgent situations only.

I'd just use the regular children's one but either is fine.

Brodysmom


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## ahra1284

brodysmom - thanks for this info. i only just saw this post but benadryl came in very very handy for my lucy this weekend. she had an allergic reaction to her routine vaccine and it scared me to death - when i recognized the signs of an allergic reaction (she was twitching her ears non stop and couldnt sleep properly from it, i noticed tiny bumps on her head which were hives, they look like raised hair in some spots, and her face looked a bit wrinkly due to the face swelling) the benadryl had an almost immediate effect. within 30 minutes seh was almost back to her normal self! i felt so bad for not having recognized the signs earlier. benadryl is sooo important to have handy for the dogs!


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## huskyluv

Moving this up since I know someone who needed the dosage for children's benadryl for allergies.  Great thread by the way, Tracy!


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## Jerry'sMom

*Bumping this Up for New Members...*


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## pam6400

Jerry'sMom said:


>


Hahah cute Therese!


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## flippedstars

Our vet said that when pre-medicating for a vaccine to use up to 2 mg per lb...and even that is incredibly safe.


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## Chihuahuasloveme

I've given 1/2 tab to ninja and it was safe just the regular Adult dOse he's just over 6 lbs He did not like the liquid at all!


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## KayC

Thanks Therese for the bump and Tracy for the post. It is very good info. Kristi thanks for the extra info on pre med for vaccines, very good to know


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## SuperMomX4

We give benedryl to our beagle mix. Works well.


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## Deerboy's Momma

My vet said I should get the children's Benedryl tablets for Chip's environmental allergies, and I should give them to him "3 or 4 times a day", every day that his allergies seem to be causing him issues, which is every day, so apparently it's safe enough to be used multiple times daily for general allergies as well. Vet said he'd rather me be giving Chip something like Benedryl that often than give Chip prescription allergy medications that are more potent and have the possibility of causing harm.


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## Jerry'sMom

Well, I'm soooo glad I remembered this thread! Jerry got up this morning (Christmas Day)
with terrible dark runny eyes, sneezing and itching  We had not opened any gifts yet
or started dinner so I knew he was probably having a reaction to something from yesterday.
Who knows what!?? Maybe because he ran through the leaves along the back fence line?
Anyway, thanks again Tracy for this info. I just got back from CVS pharmacy with some 
children's benedryl. The pharmacist said it's what she gives her dog


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## rubia

Jerry'sMom said:


> Well, I'm soooo glad I remembered this thread! Jerry got up this morning (Christmas Day)
> with terrible dark runny eyes, sneezing and itching  We had not opened any gifts yet
> or started dinner so I knew he was probably having a reaction to something from yesterday.
> Who knows what!?? Maybe because he ran through the leaves along the back fence line?
> Anyway, thanks again Tracy for this info. I just got back from CVS pharmacy with some
> children's benedryl. The pharmacist said it's what she gives her dog


Ah Jerry...on Christmas morning...hope he is all well now !!


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## Jerry'sMom

rubia said:


> Ah Jerry...on Christmas morning...hope he is all well now !!


thanks 
he seems better today--not quite his usual self, but improved...


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## AC/DC Fan

Any time we travel with the dogs, I take our bottle of Benadryl. Wouldn't leave home without it.


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## Jerry'sMom

AC/DC Fan said:


> Any time we travel with the dogs, I take our bottle of Benadryl. Wouldn't leave home without it.


that is such a great idea! you never know when you will need it--just like
jerry getting sick on Christmas Day!


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## buffygirl

Hi all,

I'm bad with math also lol. Can someone help me figure out the right dosage for a 9.5lb chi ? I want to use the Children's liquid. I bought the cherry flavor, but realize the red dye may not be ideal...hoping when I go back the dye/sugar/alc free one will be available.

I have a syringe in CC measurements (easier than using measuring spoons)

TIA!


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## Yoshismom

I looked up Benadryl dosage for allergies and found this thread again and thought it would be a good idea to sticky ;-)


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## My Manolo

this is just a test...please disregard message.


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## Chihuahuasloveme

I had to
Come back to this to see how many hours between doses poor ninja has swollen itchy eyes poor dude got 1/2 a tab @ 2pm I'm going to give him another 1/2. 

Thanks again for this lol


Bump!


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## pmum

*It Works..*

Hi Everyone:
I have used Benadryl for my Chi. when vaccinated,
and when he gets stung by a bee. (he loves chaseing/killing them) lol..
The stuff does help. 
The tablets are small, I just break in half and give a half.
Blessings.


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## lilbabyvenus

Benedryl is a must have in our home. I always keep some in the cabinet for Venus's allergies, and it's really easy to double up and use the same kind for both Venus and Gabriel lol


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## joeandruth

Simcha has allergies, and we use generic ChlorTrimeton [Chlorpheneramine maleate, hopefully spelled correctly]. He is largish, 14lb, and we give him half of a 4 mg tablet as a 'dessert' following his morning and evening meals. The pill goes into a tiny wad of low-fat cream cheese. He eagerly begs for that after his meal, and there are no problems whatever with the pill being spit out.


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## Pumpernickel

I've been meaning to get some Benadryl to keep in the cupboard for ages now, just in case of an emergency, and I've been looking online to check the ingredients against what this post advises:



Brodysmom said:


> make sure that you are using PLAIN diphenhydramine (generic benadryl) and not the combination formulas that have other ingredients.


But I am really struggling to find Benadryl with diphenhydramine. The standard Benadryl tablets I found online have Cetirizine hydrochloride plus a list of other ingredients. I'm in the UK so not sure if it's different over here?

When I looked on the Boots website and searched for diphenhydramine the only things that came up are sleeping tablets. I ideally wanted to get the liquid form but the ingredients are still different.

Can anyone advise on what to use in the UK & where to get it from? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

Lianne


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## cpaoline

Great info thank you! I always have children's benadryl in the house. Also I do believe the liquid works faster than the tablets


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## Jmg

*Bad allergies*

Our little deer head chihuahua is now 5 years old and has had allergies for the better part of his life. We tried several sifferent meds. For really bad allergies, I must say. the cortisone depot shot works pretty well and lasts for a pretty long time. However, some vets told us its not really good for him in the long-run. We started documenting our story in a blog: Louis The Itchy Chihuahua 
We hope other dog owners with similar problems might find it helpful. Cheers


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## Huly

Jmg said:


> Our little deer head chihuahua is now 5 years old and has had allergies for the better part of his life. We tried several sifferent meds. For really bad allergies, I must say. the cortisone depot shot works pretty well and lasts for a pretty long time. However, some vets told us its not really good for him in the long-run. We started documenting our story in a blog: Louis The Itchy Chihuahua
> We hope other dog owners with similar problems might find it helpful. Cheers


I have to ask but has a Vet given him an allergy test? It is a simple blood test. Also what does he eat?


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## zellko

Brody is such a handsome guy. His coat is so gorgeous! Is he a show dog? When I started my 'chi hunt' I did not want a black one since I've had run ins with several 'junkyard' Chihuahuas and they were always black. But now I've seen so many well socialized black ones I would love to have one! LOL


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## zellko

PS I ended up with a brindle with a white chest and paws. My husband loves Mickey's coloring, which led him to bring him home to me. Originally, it was a true gift of love from DH, as he doesn't like dogs. However, we've all bonded and now my husband loves him as much as I do! Mickey and I are going away for a week and I don't know who he will miss most. LOL


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## Brodysmom

zellko said:


> Brody is such a handsome guy. His coat is so gorgeous! Is he a show dog? When I started my 'chi hunt' I did not want a black one since I've had run ins with several 'junkyard' Chihuahuas and they were always black. But now I've seen so many well socialized black ones I would love to have one! LOL


Thanks for the compliments! But no, Brody is not a show dog. In any way, shape, or form.  But he is in the best health he can possibly be in. Your new baby sounds beautiful. You will have to post some pics! Start a new thread so we can all ooooh and aaaaah over him.


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## Chi Chi Mama

This is fantastic! So, for my Chis who are between 5-8 pounds, I can do 1/4 tab for a mild reaction, and 1/2 tab for a super bad reaction.

Any clue on Children's Aspirin tablets and Peptobismol tablets? I have 1/2 an aspirin up to 2 times a day MAX for a 5-8 pound Chi. And 1/8 to 1/4 tablet of Bismuth (peptobismol) for that size Chi. Is that right?


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## Bridget71

My chi gets 3/4 teaspoon of children's Benadryl for her allergies. It works like a charm.


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## josh2484

Very accurate info! Thanks for the post so everyone knows. My vet also said the dosage is 1mg per pound and I have successfully used this method with liquid children's Benadryl with my 2 Chi's even with my 15 pound Shiz-Tzu, although I give him less just in case. Works great for seasonal allergies and in our situation also with reverse sneeze caused by allergies.


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## Bridget71

Thanks for all the great information. My 8 yr. old chi Penny has allergies. Her vet said to give her the liquid children's Benadryl . Works great!


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## pixiebeans

Thanks Brodysmom! I could have looked this up on here instead of waking up my vet for the info. He gave me the same dosage for my newly adopted 6# Pixie. She began excessive digging late tonight and couldnt stop. I even flea bathed her at 1:30am. Finally I realized she needed benadryl and called emergency vet for instructions. Her 6# equaled 1/2 teaspoon liquid. She threw up but kept enough down so that she is resting now. She will go to the vet tomorrow for observation after her heart pill is administered. I think it was the new pork chew bone. I will sleep soon if she continues to be comfortable lol


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## AC/DC Fan

We added a new member to the Chi family last Thursday. His name is Riley, the vet puts him at approx. 3 years old and he is adorable -- white and tan. He also has allergies which seem to have gone untreated heretofore. We gave him children's Benadryl (2.5 mls per his 5.4 lbs.) the other night for the first time and I'm pretty sure it was the first time ever. He acted like the devil and I was trying to give him holy water. rotest:

The second time we gave it to him, things didn't improve. So I looked at Wal Mart today and noticed the Benadryl Fastmelts (it melts quickly on the tongue). I need to cut each one into fifths based on dosage but I'm thinking it should work just fine. Anyone else tried this?

Thanks in advance.


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## CHITheresa

I keep it on my kitchen counter with syringe ready because seems like Amberleah always needing it. Last wee we were out side and when we came in her head was all hived up. Plus she allergic to many things. If cats knock there food on floor she get it and ears break out all red.. use to give to my Pom when she had bad trachea attack.


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## Sharrielynne

*Benedryl*

Just wanted to mention that Benedryl in Australia is actually a cough linctus and not an antihistamine, just thought I ought to bring this to the attention of Aussie chi owners. Thanks


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## Sharrielynne

*Oops!!!*

Checked the labeling in my medicine cabinet and we have an a in the middle where you have an e, too close for comfort though I would hate to kill a little chi with a dose of cough linctus instead of an antihistamine! Could you just add this to your excellent article on Benedryl. Thanks!


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## Dixie's mom

Make sure with smaller chis mine is like 5 lbs it’s children’s Benadryl, just gave mine some , after ww2


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## enginesrus

Just my idea for a dose of anything for a chi. If its a human pill, and a 200 pound person can take it. Then a 5 pound dog that weights 40 times less, should have that pill divided up into 40 equal parts and only give one of those parts to the dog. 
I guess a very sensitive scale would be the best way to go for that. Something that measures in milligrams.


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## susan davis

some human medications should not be given to dogs. Period. Benedryl is an exception. If you are uncertain of the dosage call your vet. Usually its one milligram per pound.


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