It is recommended to give your dog 0.5mg per pound of body weight. You can safely give Zyrtec to your dog up to 20 mg per day. It should only be administered orally.
Here's the recommended Zyrtec dosage for dogs based on their weight: Less than 10 pounds: 2.5 milligrams (half of a 5-milligram pill or a quarter of a 10-milligram pill) 10–50 pounds: One 10-milligram tablet. 50+ pounds: Up to two 10-milligram tablets.
So long as dogs are given a proper dosage of Zyrtec, side effects are usually nonexistent. Zyrtec is one of the safer medications you can give to your dog, so as long as you do so correctly and under your vet's guidance, your pet should be good to go. Zyrtec is also a difficult medication for a dog to overdose on.
cetirizine (Zyrtec®) – also second gen. It is available as 10 mg tablets and either 1 mg/ml or 10 mg/ml oral solution. The dosage is 5–20 mg/dog once daily.
When you can't live without your pet, a medicine for dog and cat allergies can help control your pet allergy symptoms. ZYRTEC® starts working at hour 1 and stays strong day after day, so you can reduce your cat and dog allergy symptoms. Learn more about ZYRTEC®.
Cetirizine (Zyrtec®, Reactine®) is an antihistamine used to treat and prevent pruritus (itching) associated with atopic dermatitis, urticaria (hives), and insect bite reactions in cats and dogs. Its use is in cats and dogs is 'off-label'. Many drugs are commonly prescribed for off-label use in veterinary medicine.
Medication should never be administered without first consulting your veterinarian. Cetirizine is dosed in dogs at 0.5 mg per pound (1 mg/kg) orally once to twice daily.
Cetirizine (Zyrtec® or Reactine®) is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter antihistamines recommended by veterinarians. Claritin® can be used but is not typically recommended by veterinarians as some forms of Claritin® contain decongestants such as pseudoephedrine which is very toxic to dogs.
Fexofenadine is available over the counter but should not be administered unless under the supervision and guidance of a veterinarian. This drug is not approved for use in animals by the Food and Drug Administration but it is prescribed legally by veterinarians as an extra-label drug.
Be sure that you consult with your vet beforehand to discuss whether or not Zyrtec could help your pet, and always dose based on their recommendations. And never give your dog Zyrtec-D. Keep a close eye on your dog's allergy symptoms before and after giving them the medication.
Cetirizine (Zyrtec) ¼ - ½ mg per pound (one 10mg tab per 30-40 lbs) twice daily. Loratadine (Claritin): ¼ mg per pound (half of a 10mg tablet per 20 lbs) once daily. Clemastine (Tavist-1, Antihist-1): 0.02mg per pound (one 1.34mg tablet per 65lb dog) twice daily.
Antihistamines are commonly used to treat dog allergies. Their histamine-blocking quality tackles airborne allergens and reduces symptoms in your pup. The safest over-the-counter options for your dog include Benadryl, Zyrtec, Claritin, and Allegra.
You can safely give Zyrtec to your dog up to 20 mg per day.
You can see a quick overview of dosages here: 5 Ibs: 2.5 mg or ½ of a 5 mg tablet. 10 Ibs: 5 mg or 5 mg tablet. 20 Ibs: 10 mg, one 10 mg tablet, or two 5 mg tablets.
If an antihistamine has an additional active ingredient, like pseudoephedrine, your pet may experience severe hyperactivity, hallucinations and even seizures. Because it does not take much of this ingredient to become detrimental, exposures can be life-threatening.
ZYRTEC 10 mg film-coated tablets
You can divide the tablet into two equal doses.
Antihistamines. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), cetirizine (Zyrtec®), and loratadine (Claritin®) are commonly used antihistamines that relieve allergy symptoms or counteract allergic reactions. Antihistamines are usually safe but can make some dogs drowsy and others hyperactive.
Telfast®- (active ingredient fexofenadine ) these are available in 60 to 180 mg tabs. But note that while not likely to overdose, the dosage for most dogs is only 5-10 mg / Kg once or twice a day.
The dosing schedule is also much more convenient, with dogs weighing over 10 lbs getting a single 10mg tablet once daily. Dogs weighing less than 10 lbs can have half of a 10mg tablet once daily. Chlortrimeton is another excellent antihistamine for dogs, and is the drug of choice for kitty allergies as well.
Other safe antihistamines for dogs include Claritin (loratadine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine). They produce less sedation than Benadryl does but could still make your dog drowsy. Warning: Make sure your OTC allergy medicine only contains antihistamines.
Additionally, while dogs react to antihistamines differently, Zyrtec has had a higher response rate than others. The drug has minimal side effects, although some pets do become drowsy. The dosing schedule is also much more suitable, with dogs weighing over 10 lbs getting a single 10mg tablet once daily.
Response and effectiveness. Peak concentrations are reached within one hour of administration of Zyrtec tablets or syrup. The onset of effect occurs within 20 minutes in 50% of people and within an hour in 95%. Effects persist for at least 24 hours following a single dose of Zyrtec.
ANTI-histamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), cetirizine (Zyrtec®), and hydroxyzine, are commonly taken by humans to treat allergy symptoms and can be used for dogs as well. These medications work by preventing histamine from binding to cells and exerting its effects.
Zyrtec is a popular second-generation antihistamine first prescribed to people. However, more and more veterinarians have started prescribing it to dogs in pain with pruritus caused by allergic dermatitis. The reason for this is Zyrtec is rather low-risk, however, it's not as effective as the drug Apoquel.
Dogs whose cause of itching cannot be identified, or those in which treatment of the underlying disease does not eliminate the itching, will require medical management for pruritus. Commonly prescribed anti-itching medications include glucocorticoids, and essential fatty acids, cyclosporine, and oclacitinib.