Noah has been taking 25mg of hydroxyzine for the past two days to hopefully alleviate chewing on his paws. For the past two nights, he has needed to go to the bathroom twice in the middle of the night. Two nights ago he needed to go at 1am and then again at 3:30am. Last night it was 2am and 5am. He normally goes out at 9:30pm and is fine until around 6am. Has anyone else's dog experienced frequent urination associated with antihistamines? I read that hydroxyzine can cause dry mouth and cause a dog to drink more water, but I don't leave water out for Noah during the night. I gave him his pill this morning to see if this happens for a third night in a row - I really hope not!
I find that when I take antihistimines, I tend to have a dry mouth and I drink more all day. When Gracie takes Atarax (same anithistimine) I have never known her to have any changes....I might try changing the timing of the pill. Maybe right before bed instead of in the morning. That would alter the heaviest drinking times.
Sorry! I know what a bummer it is to have to get up in the middle of the night! I haven't found this with Nugget when she has been on an antihistamine, but I don't think she's ever been on that one. We find that she needs to go out more frequently when she's on prednisone, which is a side-effect.
Is Noah a mini? Maybe his little bladder reacts differently? Changing the time of the meds is a good idea.
Has your vet checked Noah for a yeast infection in his paws? (They will take a sample of skin scrapings and look under a microscope) Maybe the yeast infection will cause more frequent urination?
Jack has never been on Atarax (hydroxyzine), but he has taken Zyrtec and is on megadoses of Claritin (loratidine) much of the year. He hasn't had any issues with excess water consumption or urinating...in fact, he goes forever without peeing. I give him his pills in the evening after dinner. He does weigh 85 lbs, I don't know if that makes a difference.
Totally normal - Peri had sneezes and cough last fall - vet put her on antihistimines and told me a side effect is definitely drinking more water/peeing more frequently.
Give it to him at night so he won't drink as much and can just rest.
I hope the paw chewing calms down. The pollen in Nashville is driving us all nuts and if I don't wipe Peri's paws off after going outside (every time), she licks them and sneezes.