how to euthanize a dog with benadryl

By Alex M. •  Updated: 02/12/24 •  4 min read
how to euthanize a dog with benadryl

Euthanasia is a sort of mercy killing, i.e. killing your pet without any pain. The below-mentioned blog is a guide on how to Euthanize your dog with Benadryl.

The purpose of euthanization arises when your dog becomes aggressive to others and there is some change in his behavior and routine.

Well, the choice is completely yours to weather euthanize your dog at home or at the clinic. If you are brave enough to euthanize your dog on your own, you should go ahead.

How to Euthanize a Dog at Home with Benadryl?

Benadryl is an antihistamine and is used for treating common cold, nausea, insomnia in pets. However, when we increase the intake dosage of Benadryl, it serves the purpose of euthanization in dogs.

It is one of the most common drugs used by vets for dog euthanization. Euthanizing your dog by own is hard to go process. You have grown your dog from day 1 and you have extreme love and affection for him. And then there is this day where you have to euthanize your dog as you can not see him suffer.

You can use Benadryl at home to euthanize your dog. But it is recommended that you get consulted with the doctor first. It will be better if you do this euthanization process in the presence of a vet doctor.

The standard dosage of Benadryl is 1 mg per pound of bodyweight. However, it is recommended that you consult your vet doctor before as there are a number of other factors too that decide the dosage of Benadryl.

You have to give around 3 times more than the normal dosage of Benadryl to your dog. Doing this will first calm your dog to sleep and then will let him get free from this world. Remember- Do consult your vet doctor before taking any action.

Side effects of too much benadryl in dogs

Benadryl is widely considered safe for dogs, but, like all medications, it can have side effects.

Consulting with your veterinarian before giving Benadryl to your dog is wise. They can assess whether the medication might interact with other drugs your dog is taking. Side effects of Benadryl fall into two main groups:

Common Side Effects:
While Benadryl’s common side effects can be concerning, they are usually not alarming. Nonetheless, certain effects, such as urinary retention, need attention, especially in dogs with previous liver or kidney issues. Common side effects when administering Benadryl to a dog include:

Less Common Side Effects:
These are rarer but require vigilance if they occur:

Monitoring your dog for 1-5 hours after administration is crucial, as most side effects will manifest within this window. Keep a close watch to ensure your dog’s eating patterns remain normal and that none of the rarer side effects present themselves.

Wrapping Up

Your dog has been your best friend and buddy for his entire life. In such a case, euthanizing your dog is a terrifying process as it is not easy to let someone go from your life. But this is the time that you have to let your dog free from pain.

Ending your dog’s life at home is not the ideal situation and you are not professional enough to do this. So if you have made up your mind to do this at home, prepare yourself more than enough for this.

Decide the best place to do this. He may lose bowel control so just make sure you have gathered the necessary things and make no mistake and can easily handle the situation.

Euthanasia is a very hurting process for the dog owner. But it is done to relieve your dog from pain. It is given when there is no other cure left for your dogs’ problem.

Euthanizing your dog at the vet clinic is considered much suitable and easy as compared to home. But still, if you have made up your mind of euthanizing your dog at home, you should just consult a vet doctor go ahead with euthanizing your dog at home with confidence.

Show your last love to your dog  and get him euthanized. Peace. 

Alex M.

Alex, the founder of PetFoodsReview.com, He created PetFoodsReview.com to help pets live healthier through better food. He combines his love for animals and research to guide pet owners in choosing the right meals for their pets.

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