# Piriton - quickie questions



## LucyLastic88

My cat who has a skin allergy to something, fleas or something had had a steroid jab the other day but I don't think it worked so thought I'd try Piriton.


I hope I'm not imagining it but I think it is working! I give him 2mg twice a day and I haven't seen him do a frantic scratch or lick since.

How quick does it work? He had his first tablet yesterday around 7pm and one this morning.

Also, do I need to keep him on it? Or how long should I keep him on it until I try him without? In case it's more a pollen allergy or time of year related, for example.

Is it safe to give it to him indefinitely if I have to? Must be safer than steroid jabs surely.

Big thank you for the person who initially recommended it to me.


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## havoc

I bet he hasn't scratched because he's zonked out. I have no idea what amounts vets suggest but half a tablet every 24 hours should be your starting point in my opinion. If necessary you can increase to half a tablet every 12 hours I suppose but I really would check with a vet for long term use. The ideal is to find a minimum dose which deals with the symptoms without making him permanently drowsy.


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## hobbs2004

I would also suggest that you clear its use with your vet.

I presume you are doing other things to get to the bottom of his itchiness? Otherwise you are only tinkering/masking the symptoms without addressing the real cause.


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## LucyLastic88

Spoken to the vet and they have suggested a longer lasting/stronger steroid jab but they're happy for me to try him on the Piriton and even said, for his size, he could go up to 4mg twice daily if need be. I don't want to give him that much though. 

I'm going to take him in for a skin allergy test to try to distinguish exactly what it is that's causing it.

I'll keep you posted on his progress. Need to take him off Piriton for the allergy test though, of course.


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## EllesBelles

I'd try to drop it to 2mg once a day and see if the effects remain. That's a more "normal" dose, so it shouldn't cause problems used long term.

I'm glad it's working, allergies are rubbish!


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## LucyLastic88

The vet has quoted me about £500 for a skin allergy and it would take about 2weeks to get it out of his system before they can do the testing.

I'm going to speak to my insurance and hopefully get it booked. I would like to know what's causing the problem and look at all my options.


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## havoc

> and even said, for his size, he could go up to 4mg twice daily if need be


Might be safe but wouldn't tell you anything though as he'd just be in a drugged sleep all the time. Some breeders use Piriton for its side effect of drowsiness. I've done so myself to give us a night's sleep when a queen with an extremely loud call been going 24/7 for days and it is extremely effective. As you want to find out if it's effective for your cat in its primary role then you need him conscious. Knocking him out with a large dose isn't going to give you any answers.


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## Ali82

The vets prescribed me 2mg twice a day for my girl (3.4kg), this absolutely knocked her sideways so I dropped it to 1mg twice a day which still knocked her out so it was a no go for me.


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## Paddypaws

I weigh 9.5 stone and would take 4mg of Piriton so I think 4mg or even 2mg for a cat is a pretty high dose. 
It works quickly, within an hour I would say but I would not want to take repeated doses.


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## kittycat007

I have had two rescue cats one nearly bald and the vet said flea dermititus so was put on steriods. The 2nd cat bald patches round tail. My 3rd cat suddenly with constant runny nose n sneezing.... Well i changed all foods to best one can buy. Applaws wet n dry and natures best which has lynsceen... (sorry Ive forgotten the correct spelling but its good for cats with herpies although the sneezy cat had it as a kitten the vet didnt think it was causing the sneezes). Anyways it took 3 to 4 weeks and the skin allergy cats have made full recovery. Its totally down to the food. And its been proven as one cat went fussy and new owner put him back on cheap food... His skin issue returned in days. So its really worth trying foods for skin allergies. The sneezy cat was put on 1/2 a piriton x 2 ad day but 3 days into it she was a mess n couldnt walk she was so out of it. I took her to another emergency vet who took her off piriton. Ive been told many times by vets her sneezes n watery nose is a cat thing. Till she started with laboured breathing. So on low steriods for 6 weeks. Its been hard to balance i now give her 1/2 or 1/4 piriton at night n thats it. Shes a bit sniffly but sneezes have stopped. I wanted to point out on here its worth to try food changes. Ive found almo in uk large buy is great food at £3.16 a kilo only £1.16 a kilo more than the real cheapo stuff. Theres also butchers the vet suggested which is very cheap but without the fillers. Its worked for many of the cats n dogs the vets treated. I also read that an addertive which has been linked to ADHD in children is permitted in pet foods. So the vet said it could affect pets in similar ways with hypo behaviour.... Something to consider....


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## RowanWolf

Does anyone know roughly how long it takes to work?


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## Paddypaws

RowanWolf said:


> Does anyone know roughly how long it takes to work?


Pretty quickly within a few minutes in fact from my own experience.
What is the issue with your cat though?


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## RowanWolf

Paddypaws said:


> Pretty quickly within a few minutes in fact from my won experience.
> What is the issue with your cat though?


Thank you. My cat has been a fur pulling since I rescued him. I thought it was stress (as did my vet) but he's been very bad these past few days, all over overgrooming, really getting into his paws, scratching a lot. He has scabs around his ears..just tiny ones.
He has no evidence of flea dirt on him. I use Broadline every month as directed.
He's an outdoor cat, about 15 years, good condition. I'm taking him to the vet but wanted to try and ease his itches in the meantime.
He's longhair and there are far more clumps of fur around than usual, bless him.


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## RowanWolf

I should add that there is nothing new stressing him atm. No change in routine etc. Other cats don't come near his garden heh.
I have had to start brushing his teeth but that was several months ago.


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