Dogs can also suffer from allergies. And as with people with pollen allergies, you can also give your dog cetirizine if their eyes are watering and everything is itchy.
But like any medication, cetirizine should only be controlled and Administer in consultation with your veterinarian.
Therefore, this article explains when and how cetirizine helps and what else you can do against an allergic reaction.
In a nutshell: is cetirizine suitable for dogs?
Cetirizine is fundamentally suitable for dogs and also largely harmless. It is not officially approved for dogs, but is often prescribed off-label by veterinarians and is proven to be effective.
You can administer cetirizine as a tablet, drops or juice 1x – 2x per day. The maximum dose is 20 mg, but dogs up to 5 kg should only be given a maximum of 5 mg on a regular basis and dogs between 5 and 25 kg should only be given 10 mg.
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The correct dosage of cetirizine
Cetirizine is available as allergy tablets, drops or juice. How you administer these to your dog is up to you and your dog – some swallow pills obediently, others cheer drops under a dollop of liverwurst.
Whether you give the pill in the morning or in the evening depends on the type of allergy. If your dog is exposed to the allergen during the day, you should give them in the morning.
If the allergy causes breathing problems when sleeping or if the medication makes your dog tired, he should be given the tablet in the evening.
Your vet will always determine the exact dosage as it depends on many factors. On average, however, it is based on the following values:
Maximum dose per daytabletfrequencyDog up to 5 kg 5 mg 1/2 tablet 1x daily Dog 5 – 25 kg 10 mg 1 tablet 1x daily Dog over 25 kg 20 mg 2 tablets 2x daily (morning and evening)
our recommendation
CETIRIZINE Aristo for allergies 10 mg
What can help with allergies in dogs?
The most important thing is to find out the cause of the allergy, ideally to avoid contact altogether. Changing your diet helps with food allergies, and redesigning the garden can work wonders for contact allergies.
And even with unavoidable contacts such as house mites, you can do a few things to keep contact with allergies as low as possible, e.g. through frequent washing and special allergy beds for your dog.
antihistamine
Antihistamine acts directly against the allergic reaction. Cetirizine is the most common, which also works best in humans.
Antihistamines block receptors for the hormone histamine, which is responsible for the immune system’s initial response and causes tissue swelling.
The drug has a short-term effect against the symptoms, but can also be taken preventively.
home remedies
Dubious shops often recommend special shampoos against allergic reactions, which are supposed to relieve the itching. However, these usually only wash the allergens off the skin, after which the reaction subsides. You can also achieve this with any other shampoo suitable for dogs.
Sprays based on corticosteroids can relieve itching, but you have to be careful that the dog does not lick them off and absorb them through the mucous membranes.
The best remedy for itching is always cooling with a wet towel or cold tiles. You should also make sure that your dog does not scratch its skin sorely. Because such wounds quickly become inflamed from constant scratching and can cause problems of their own.
diet change
A change in diet is the remedy of choice for food intolerances. However, it should always be discussed with your veterinarian to ensure that your dog is getting all the nutrients it needs.
The administration of essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 is also recommended to soothe the skin.
This can also be useful to support the treatment, to further calm the symptoms and to support the skin during regeneration. However, the additional feeding of essential fatty acids does not change anything.
Specific immunotherapy
As with humans, desensitization can also help in dogs.
In around 60-70% of cases, dog owners describe an improvement. In addition, the treatment has very few side effects, which is why it is highly recommended in combination with another treatment method.
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Which antiallergic is still suitable for dogs?
In addition to cetirizine, the active ingredient ciclosporin is also widely used. It also has few side effects, but is associated with higher costs and is not the first choice due to a delayed onset of action.
In acute use, corticosteroids such as prednisolone or prednisone also help. These suppress the immune response, causing the symptoms of the allergic reaction to go away. Therefore, when the drug is stopped, they return as long as there is still contact with the allergen.
Corticosteroids cause strong side effects, such as increased thirst and hunger and thinning of the skin, making it more prone to cracking. Immunosuppression also increases the risk of infection.
our recommendation
CETIRIZINE Aristo for allergies 10 mg
Conclusion
Cetirizine can help your dog reduce allergy symptoms. However, it is important to know the cause of the allergy and to avoid contact with it if possible.
As a medication with very few side effects, it is also safe for your dog. Nevertheless, a dose should always be agreed with the veterinarian.
If your dog is exhibiting unusual behavior or has obvious health issues, the professionals at Dr. Sam just a click away. With appointment booking via WhatsApp and online consultation hours, waiting times and stress are history! This way you and your vet can concentrate fully on your dog.