Car Sickness....

[Cataholic]

I am considering adopting one of the dog I am currently fostering, Jasper. Jasper gets carsick. I really would like him not to, LOL. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to best work on this? I have heard of medication, and would explore that for such things as the Findlay Dog Park gatherings...but, for the day to day stuff?

Thanks in advance!

[Karen]

I do think that getting him more accustomed to travel in short doses may help. Taking him for a short ride every day may decrease his anxiety, plastic down on the seat of course ...

[MonicanHonda]

Have you tried just facing him forward and making him high enough to see out the window. I notice with Remy, if she can see out the window, forward, she doesn't get sick. But when she gets on the mats on the bottom, she gets sick and throws up.

[Karen]

Have you tried just facing him forward and making him high enough to see out the window. I notice with Remy, if she can see out the window, forward, she doesn't get sick. But when she gets on the mats on the bottom, she gets sick and throws up.

Funny, that's how it was with me, as a kid. If I could see forward, and get some ventilation, I'd be less likely to be sick. No one ever really wanted to be stuck in the "wayback" of the station wagon with me, and I didn't blame them.

[caseysmom]

My Bubba gets car sick. I asked my vet for some meds, I paid eleven dollars for two doses of Benadry :) I now cut a benadryl in half for him.. I called the vet the day we were leaving once when I didn't plan ahead and he gave me the dose for bubba, you can also google the dose.

Trust me it wasn't fun having him puke on a pillow on our way camping, we now put towels down also but the benadryl does seem to help him.

[Cinder & Smoke]

I am considering adopting one of the dog I am currently fostering, Jasper.
>>> :D <<<

Jasper gets carsick.
I really would like him not to, LOL.

Before you medicate - try some *Car Drills* on an empty (dog) tummy >>>

* Leash him and lure him into the back seat + treat when he seems calm
* Close the door when he's calm
* Let him out & back in a few tiimes - reward when he's calm
* Repeat a few times over several days - NOTE: NEVER Start the engine!

* Now load him up (+ tiny treat + happy conversation)
* Close doors - and when he's calm - START the engine but remain parked.)
* On & Off with the engine, In & Out with the dog + treat if appropriate.

After a couple days of "engine drills" - time for the Road Test!
* Load him up, start engine, and SLOWLY drive a 1/2 block
* TALK your fool head off announcing the sites and praising the Good Dog
* Park, engine off, let him out for a stroll
* Repeat till you're both bored silly
* Gradally increase the driving distance.
* >>> Do NOT sneak in a Vet visit <<<!! :eek:

As long as he thinks the car is a PHUNN Place to be -
he'll forget about the urk & gurk stuff.

If his Tummy flunks the course - ask the White Coat for a non-drowsy medication.
Benadryl (in the proper dose) might prevent the sickies ... but chances are
you're going to have a Zonked-Out dog sound asleep on the seat!
Benadryl is a serious sleep-inducing drug.

Good Luck with Jasper!! ;)

[freckledimple]

I read somewhere recently, that canned pumpkin is good for settling carsick doggy tummies.

[sasvermont]

I vote for the change in seating. Let the pupster in the front, window cracked with lots of fresh air, and allowed to look out.

I, too, was a little tyke that vomited every time I entered the car for a long trip. They finally put me in the front, with fresh air. I still get clammy and ill when stuffed in the back seat or in a van without windows. It may be in my head, but never the less, getting ill when riding is just not fun.

My puppy loves the car and does really nicely. It's the luck of the draw I am afraid!

Good luck.

[MonicanHonda]

Poor Karen. :( My friend gets car sick very easily, especially when men drive. They make these little wristbands with pressure points on them and they relieve her carsickness! And they work. It's interesting. Maybe they make something like that for pooches? :)

[Karen]

Poor Karen. :(

Thanks, Monica - but since I had brain surgery several years ago, the one GOOD side effect is I do not get motion sick anymore. I was so excited when I realized this! Sure, I'm half deaf, have half the balance of a normal person, but I can go on Ferris Wheels now!

[Freedom]

Start with the short trips.

Tasha, my puppy mill rescue, got car sick when I first got her. She was terrified that something "bad" was going to happen -- AGAIN. So I just kept taking her, going to our fun places: walkies sites! And I would tell her: Going walkies! Go Slater!" "Go Farm Walk!" So she would know which place we were going to.

I also (bad me) let her sit in my lap, and held her up to look out. She was afraid of that as well at the start. Now, she demands my lap and the open window, puts her head out, he hee. She has to settle for 2d behind my Lacey who has always loved the window spot.

Anyway, with rescues, and if you don't know their background, you need to go slowly and talk, talk talk so they know what to expect. At the start, they are just so frightened they won't even hear you, they shut down. But over time they will tune in.

If it really IS motion sickness, sometimes you can work that out as well, doing the repeat short trips for fun things. Only if that doesn't help would I suggest a treatment. There are some "treat" type things which work great for short trips.

[MoonandBean]

Sunny got terribly carsick for a year. 2 things really broke it for her:

1) Our friend who has 2 labs who LOVE the car took Sunny for a ride with her 2 labs. Sunny was distracted by the other dogs and seemed to notice how relaxed they were.

2) We got her a hammock so she could feel secure in the back seat. Just a picture: http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/code/380294.do?cm_mmc=NEXTAG-_-PetsInternetOnly-_-2010-_-380294&code-macs=MP0NEXTAG&code=MP0NEXTAG&mr:referralID=7185773d-667b-11df-8f6b-0026b9571fcb

I didn't use that site but just googled "car hammocks for dogs" you will find lots to choose from.

[Cataholic]

Thank you, everyone.

I did wonder about the difference between anxiety produced carsickness vs. motion sickness. And, since Jasper IS a rescue doggie, I don't know his background. I am pretty sure not much good happened before I got him and his two puppies. :(

I will work on the short trip/treat/good association part of things.

Thanks again!!

[AdoreMyDogs]

My wonderful dog, Kersey, gets carsick and she's 9 years old. She's been getting carsick since the day she was rescued by her foster mom. I've tried everything with her: crate, changing seating positions, withholding food/water, seeing outside, not seeing outside, nothing but fun trips (I used to do SAR as well as agility training with her...it does not get more fun than that for a doggie), homeopathics, as well as dramamine. The dramamine helps a little, but she still vomits. When I have a trip planned with Kersey, I fast her and give her dramamine about 2 hours before our drive. It's a shame because she's the perfect dog other then the puking in the car.

Sadly, Kersey never outgrew it. Some dogs do with time, but unfortunately not my dog. I hope your foster pup outgrows it. How old is Jasper? I'd love to see photos of him :)

[Shelteez2]

On top of making the car something positive, you could try going to a health food store and getting ginger capsules. I'm going to try that with my new little one as she tends to get car sick too.

[Logan]

Johanna, I have always heard that using Ginger (in the form of a pill or ginger snaps) is great for motion sickness for people and dogs. Thankfully mine don't get car sick so I've never tried it, but it might be worth looking into.
When Lilly was a puppy, she threw up every time she got in the car. I bought an expensive liner for the back of my Jeep Grand Cherokee from Cabela's to protect the car and she never threw up again. :p
Makes sense that the ginger might work since all our lives we have been given ginger ale when we are nauseous.
Hope that will help. I'm excited that you might adopt one of the pups!