Possible Benadryl overdose
 

On Friday Ginger had her annual check-up with her rabies and DHPPC booster. Everything was going fine ‘til I got to work and noticed she wasn’t right. Within minutes her whole face had swollen up and she had lumps all over her body. She was having a bad allergic reaction and the vet said I should bring her back in for a steroid shot. I did, of course, and he instructed me to give her children’s Benadryl every 4 hours. The dosage seemed excessive though, (2 rounds of a syringe) so I only gave her half.

On Saturday she was acting odd so I called the vet and the Doc on duty said the dosage prescribed was a too much and to stop giving it to her. That she was now having a reaction all the Benadryl. She slept most of the day Saturday and again Sunday and this morning she is still not 100%. She’s just not herself. She threw up this morning around 5:00 but hasn’t since. Besides that, she’s just being odd. She will just stand there and zone out....it’s like she’s high or something. I don’t know what to do for her and I don’t think the vet can offer anything more. I was hoping someone here could offer some advice based on a similar experience? I would appreciate anything you guys could throw in. Do you think an animal could suffer permanent damage from a Benadryl overdose? I have no idea how strong it is.

I think she is still having a reactions to the shot and I would go to a new vet

I would take her to the vets right away.

In a post last week, I told about how Tatum had a reaction to something (I think it was grass or something she was in) and my vet told me the dosage is 2 ml per pound every 8 hours. That's the maximum dosage... which is what the vet wanted me to do because of her severe reaction. Others on here say that they give less for allergies on a regular basis. That day I gave Tatum 12 ml because she's 6 pounds and she bounced back really quick from her "spell". I too thought the dosage was excessive but I trust my vet completely so I gave it to her. Everything I've read since then says this is correct. I tend to lean towards the reaction your baby was having was due to the shot and not the Benadryl.

1/2 mg to 2 mg per pound is the suggested dosage. A teaspoon (5 ml) is 12.5 mg - don't know how much 2 syringe fulls is. I never give two vaccinations at one time. That is a lot to put a small dog through. The swelling was a definite reaction to the vaccine and she should have been brought back in immediately and been given an injection of epinephrine - with that severe of a reaction you are lucky she is okay. Make sure the vet is aware of this reaction before she gets another vaccine and never give two at one time (3 weeks in between is what is recommended for toy breeds to give their immune system time to recover) and if it were me she wouldn't have another rabies shot ever.

My dachshund and Jack Russell BOTH had reactions to vaccination combinations. The dachshund got bumps (dog hives) all over her body and the JR's muzzle swelled up something awful. They both acted puny for a week or more. We now split their shots and since the VET stopped giving the combo shot containing the Lepto virus vaccine, they have not had any further reactions. I am with the majority -- it is probably still vaccine reaction. Hopefully she will be better by week's end.

2 mg per pound is correct.... so sorry, I said 2 ml by accident! Just realized that when I saw the next post. Here's a chart I printed out to put in Tatum's file....
http://lowchensaustralia.com/health/med.htm
Of course, when you're away from home and can't refer to what you have filed away, call your vet.

Thanks guys. I’m not sure exactly how much is was, but it was up to the 5 mark on a large syringe, larger than the ones I’ve used in the past. I should have double-checked; I just figured the severity of the reaction called for more medicine. I’m glad I didn’t give her the two liked he prescribed. This vet as never led me wrong in the past so I trusted his judgment.

Thank you FlDebra. It’s good to know she should be coming out of this, even if it will be a few more days.

I’m waiting for a call back from the vet.