OT - Itchy cats antihistamine and other treatments

[Nina]

Hi Michelle, I had been avoiding using antihistamine for Starman's itching because, well, mostly because I hate to medicate period.  Have you heard anything detrimental about long term use in controlling Patches' itching with it?  I was looking for information about possible side effects, long or short term and found this page on treatments for allergies sponsored by Drs. Foster & Smith.  I know you said Patches chews on herself because of anxiety, (tell Lucy to stop pouncing on her!), but thought you might find it interesting and helpful.  I didn't know that Omega 3 was specifically beneficial for itching, and that biotin, (one of the B vita) has also helped.  It talks about the different type of antihistamines, steroid treatments, etc.  Anyway for all those itchy cats out there, here's the article: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1332&articleid=505 Nina [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Patches does this from anxiety. it is not an allergy with her, it is anxiety. But she does not do it anymore, because I put compounded transdermal benadryl in her ears twice a day. If I stop doing that, because I run out or something, she picks right up and starts at her belly and legs again. But if she gets it twice a day, the hair all grows back and she doesn't do it. The benadryl just takes the edge off, I guess.   Even though benadryl is not a prescription, you need your vet to call in a prescription to a compounding pharmacy to get it compounded to transdermal. Don't use the benadryl cream from the drug store-- that is topical cream, not transdermal.   <>Michelle