Carsickness

[juxie]

My 3 month old Lab pup, Ruby, gets so sick everytime we take her anywhere in the car. Today she went for her second set of vaccinations, our Vet of choice is about 30 mins away, and she vomited 3 times. The poor girl drools like crazy, whimpers and is generally miserable in the car. We have tried taking her in a large carrier, leaving her loose on my boyfriends lap in the passenger seat, and hooking her up with a seatbelt harness in the front and back seats. Nothing seems to help. I am fortunate to live in an area with several beautiful beaches and I would love to be able to take Ruby to the beach with us when the weather warms up a little, but with her debilatating car sickness, she would not enjoy the trip.

Is there anything we can do to help her ease the nausea? Will she outgrow this? I had a Lab years ago that also had major carsickness issues. I assume its not a breed specific issue?

Thanks for any advice you might offer!

[Freedom]

Hi Juxie -

No this is not a breed issue. There are several options to work with to help Ruby.

1. Desensitize her. This means taking her on short car rides and NOT going to the vet. going to someplace where she has fun and is happy. You may have to start with a drive around the block and get out, give her a treat, and leave it at that until the next day. You want her to start associating the car with fun things, not vets and shots and surgery and such.

2. You may want consider someting like Comfort Zone, or Feliway. They are relaxers which help calm the animal. You can google them and read up, see if either appeals to you.

I am sure other folks will also offer ideas. Good luck!
Sandie

[juxie]

We do take her on small trips to her Nanny's (my boyfriends mom ;) ) and she LOVES it there, but she still gets sick in the car.

I will look into those products and see what I think.

Thanks! :D

[critter crazy]

some dogs, just take longer to get use to the ca, and some never get used to it. She is still young, and has plenty of time to get used to it. My moms dog was 6 months old before she could ride in the car without getting siick. Sometimes, the vet can give you some ideas on what is best to use to help with the sickness.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Scullcap and Valerian tablets cured Tobey

http://www.dorwest.com/new_pop_ups/scullcap_valerian_taps_vet.htm

[kimlovescats]

Gretta, my doxie, gets sick every single time she rides in the car. She has done this since the day we picked her up as a puppy! My vet told us to give her a bit of liquid Bendadryl about 30 minutes prior to leaving. It worked really well on our last vet trip! Just call your vet to get the proper dosage for your dog's weight! ;)

[Taz_Zoee]

Gretta, my doxie, gets sick every single time she rides in the car. She has done this since the day we picked her up as a puppy! My vet told us to give her a bit of liquid Bendadryl about 30 minutes prior to leaving. It worked really well on our last vet trip! Just call your vet to get the proper dosage for your dog's weight! ;)

This is exactly what we did with Zoee at first. Now she is two years old and still drools a lot while in the car, but she no longer gets sick.
So I think Ruby will eventually get use to riding in the car. Don't stop taking her places because you're afraid she'll get sick. Just bring lots of towels and try the Benedryl (we gave Zoee tablets but ask your vet for the correct dosage for her weight).
Good Luck!! :D

[dragondawg]

I'll second the idea of desensitization. A possible sequence would be:

Step 1. Place puppy in car with you in the back seat -engine off. Try this for just a few minutes a few times per day. Give puppy a treat.

Step 2: If puppy is mellow, then do the same with the engine on. Most likely it's the noise of the engine that is freaking puppy out. Try putting the radio on to help drown out the engine a little.

Step 3: With you in the back seat with puppy, have someone back down your drive way. Then pull back in.

Step 4: Puppy goes around the block. Still with you in the back seat.

Step 5: You get to drive around the block, with puppy in back.

Step 6: Increasing duration of distance and time in trips.

You may or may not still have to drug puppy with benedryl or the like for long trips. Don't forget the treats when training! Puppy will soon associate car ride with free treats.

With mine I made it a point to introduce them to frequent car rides as soon as I got them. Now all I have to say to them is: Do you want to go for a car ride? or Do you want to go to the store? And zoom they go running to the car door waiting to be let in. When I return to the car each gets 1/2 of a small puppy treat. The more stops the better puppies like their car ride. :D

[juxie]

Excellent tips everyone, thanks a bunch!! I will let you know what works for us :)

[AquaGurl]

Maybe she dose not like the sounds ur car may make or it maybe makes her feel like the car is going to fast. :) :confused: :(