Are you worried that your pooch is obsessively licking himself? Does your dog frequently scoot or scratch himself across the floor? If you have noticed any of the problems, then it could mean that your dog is suffering from allergies. Since you are trying to find the remedy to this problem, you probably want to find out if hydroxyzine for dogs is an effective solution.

Well, it is. Just like us humans, our dogs to can react to the harmless allergens like dust and pollen which can result in sneezing and itching. If you don’t treat the allergy soon enough, your dog can develop hot spots on their skins due to frequent licking and scratching. It is therefore important that you spot the allergies in time so that you can deal with the issue immediately. But how do you spot dog allergies?

There are four different types of canine allergies. They include flea, atopy, contact and food allergies. Atopy allergies refer to allergies that are caused by environmental factors. The most common symptoms of allergies are itching, chewing, licking and scratching. When you notice any of these symptoms on your dog, the best solution would be Hydroxyzine.

Hydroxyzine is a drug for allergies that fall under the drug category of antihistamines. When your dog suffers from an allergic reaction, his body will produce a chemical that is known as histamine. 

This chemical is what causes inflammation and itchiness as part of the body’s reaction to the allergen. Hydroxyzine works to counteract histamine, thereby eliminating the allergy.

Hydroxyzine is an effective treatment for allergies in dogs. It effectively mitigates any allergic reactions in dogs by binding to the H1 histamine receptors and preventing histamine from activating these receptors. Hydroxyzine is also considered by veterinarians to be the most effective antihistamine as compared to other antihistamines.

Several published research also support the effectiveness of hydroxyzine in treating allergies and skin itchiness. Therefore, hydroxyzine is the most effective treatment for allergies in dogs. Regardless of whether the allergic reaction in your dog is transient or protracted, hydroxyzine is the best intervention. 

Apart from treating allergies, hydroxyzine can also be used to treat nausea and anxiety in dogs. This is because it has both antiemetic properties that reduce nausea and anxiolytic property that helps in the treatment of canine anxiety. 

The anxiolytic property of hydroxyzine gives it the ability to depress the central nervous system making it useful in reducing anxiety and tension in stressful dogs.

Just like most drugs, hydroxyzine also has some side effects when administered on dogs, thanks to its sedative properties. Here are some of the side-effects of hydroxyzine that you might notice on your dog:

Precaution You Should Take When Administering Hydroxyzine on Your Dog

Hydroxyzine for dogs is usually available in tablets, syrups, capsules and injectable formulations. However, the most common form is the tablet form. The tablets usually come in 10mg, 25mg, 50mg and 100mg formulations. In injectable formulations, hydroxyzine comes in 25mg/ml and 50mg/ml concentrations.

The standard dosage of hydroxyzine for dogs is 1mg per pound of body weight. The dosage should always be administered 2 to 3 times in a day at intervals of between 8 to 12 hours. Once you have started administering hydroxyzine doses to your dog, ensure that you never skip any dose.

However, in the event that you have skipped a dose, never give your dog two doses at the same time. You can administer the dose that you skipped and then give the next dose when it is the right time.

So is hydroxyzine for dogs effective in treating canine allergies? Yes, it is! In fact, hydroxyzine is the best antihistamine that is recommended by most veterinarians to treat all kinds of allergies in dogs. 

However, it is advisable that you consult your veterinarian before you begin giving your dog hydroxyzine. This is because although hydroxyzine is a pet drug that is relatively safe if you don’t administer it under proper conditions, it can be extremely harmful to your dog.