Can I give my dog Benadryl instead of Apoquel?
Nicholas Thiel
2025-08-06 18:52:57
Count answers
: 11
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl): 1mg per pound (one 25mg tablet for a 25lb dog) twice daily.
For more severe itch/inflammation, an examination should be performed to look for primary causes (fleas, mites, other) and secondary infections (bacteria, yeast), and stronger, prescription medications (Apoquel, Cytopoint, possibly prednisone) are likely to be needed to make your four-legged friend more comfortable.
Antihistamines help to control itching in approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of dogs with skin allergies, especially if started when skin itch is still mild and if used with Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
May be sedating – may be beneficial to use an night to aid sleeping.
Each antihistamine should be given for a 2-3 week trial before determining that it is not effective.
In any individual patient, one antihistamine may be significantly more effective than another.
Therefore, you may need to try several until one is found that does help, before determining that they are not effective in your dog.