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I discovered a hot spot on Jasper's tail. I immediately cleaned it with peroxide, then put Neosporin on it.
He and Jupiter have both been itching alot lately, Jasper moreso than Jupi. I just gave Jasper one 25mg Benedryl, hoping it might help to relieve the itch, and Ive contemplated giving Jupiter one too.
Jasper is 80lbs, Jupiter is about 65. Do I need to give Jasper more to make it effective?
Its been ghastly hot here this summer, so Im thinking it could be the heat that's making them both itch more? Neither one has fleas.
Also, the one I gave him isnt the Benedryl for babies. Does this matter?
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If you look at the back of the package, the medication is safe so long as the only ingredient is diphenhydramine. It does not have to be children's benadryl.
Dogs are usually dosed between 1 and 2 mg per pound of bodyweight but a vet will not hesitate to go higher than that in an acute episode. Diphenhydramine isn't very toxic at all, has been used for a very long time and the side effects are very well understood. The concern is that the sedative effects will put the dog (or human) so soundly asleep that he or she will stop breathing.
Don't worry too much about overdoing it, you have a LOT of wiggle room on the high end of the dosage.
Usually the dosage is 1mg per lb of weight. You can see if the dosage you gave does anything and if not, increase it. Sorry to hear about the hot spots, but good thing you caught it early!
I check both my dogs often for something like this, and if I dont and something is wrong, they'll often show/tell me about it. He's two weeks overdue for his yearly checkup anyhow (And for those of you who would jump on me for that, money doesnt grow on trees! Im working on it!)
He is also MUCH more hesitant to go outside, and unless I take him myself, he will sit down on the floor and not move when my mom tries to do it (She's 100lbs, he's 80...you do the math). Could this just be he's a crotchety old fart at 7 years old?
We tried that on Shadow this spring. 50 mg twice daily for just under 90 pound dog. It takes 3 days to see relief if it is going to work. It did not work for Shadow and we ended up with Prednisone.
LOL! I have to drag Shadow out this time of year. She knows it is something outside.
Surely, I jest. A dog of seven that has a good owner and is general good health can go a lot longer than two weeks overdue. Don't beat yourself up about it.
I suspect your dog is associating outside with itchiness/being uncomfortable. This time of year there are all sorts of biting/stinging bugs. Have you checked the yard thoroughly for, say, any type of biting ant? If you have sandy soil, you might have sand flies which, although harmless (ie, they don't transmit anything) bite like the dickens.
Might be worth giving your yard a good inspection to see if you can spot anything.
Surely, I jest. A dog of seven that has a good owner and is general good health can go a lot longer than two weeks overdue. Don't beat yourself up about it.
I suspect your dog is associating outside with itchiness/being uncomfortable. This time of year there are all sorts of biting/stinging bugs. Have you checked the yard thoroughly for, say, any type of biting ant? If you have sandy soil, you might have sand flies which, although harmless (ie, they don't transmit anything) bite like the dickens.
Might be worth giving your yard a good inspection to see if you can spot anything.
Hmm..I might just have to do that. Never really thought about it. I know they get bored out there, so I thought maybe that was the reason (I have toys, but Jupiter pretty much eats them all as soon as possible!)
He might have to go a bit longer...my money is rather stretched right now thanks to school coming up.
mosquitoes have become the bane of dave's existence these past weeks.... he really hesitates to go out the far reaches of the yard closest to the woods because that is where they are thickest........
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Surely, I jest. A dog of seven that has a good owner and is general good health can go a lot longer than two weeks overdue. Don't beat yourself up about it. 
