[spoofan]

Does anyone have any good tips?
Gunther starts smacking his lips before he even gets to the car,so I know it is not a true motion sickness.
He does OK on short trips,but a longer one almost always results in him throwing up.
I tried 'rescue remedy',ginger cookie etc.
The vet says gravol,but I am hoping to find a different solution.

 

[mercymoon]

Both of my poodles got carsick, resulting in puking all over
my clothes...yuck! It's horrible!

My best advice would prolly be don't feed em'
before traveling somewhere...personal experience! LOL!

 

[WonderPup]

Does he ride out or in a crate in the car? Sometimes a dog in a closed crate fares better than one who isn't in a crate. Sometimes it's exactly the opposite. Where do you take him in the car?

 

[spoofan]

He is not crated,but is in an enclosed area in the back.
Mostly,we go to the park...so it is a pleasant trip for him.
I find it actually is a bit better on a full stomach.
I heard somewhere it has to do with static electricity,that the dog reacts differently than humans.
You can buy a strip,attach it to your car outside and supposedly it works.
I might give that a try and see.

 

[Sam I Am]

On extremely long trips we have to give Sam a tranquilizer. Our new vet suggests benedryl. But if it is just to a nearby park I wouldn't think he'd have time to throw up, maybe its an anxiety issue? If so, you could try TONS of positive reinforcement starting with just getting into the car and then just driving as little as 500ft, then back home for lots of praise, then gradually increase your distance. Could take a long time, but if it is just an anxiety issue, it's probably the only way to fix it.

 

[gwtwmum2]

Wrigley will throw up if we are in the car for very long. I think it is anxiety that makes him sick. I've been told to keep trying with the car rides and he will outgrow it (he isn't quite 4 months) so all I can say is - I feel your pain!

 

[WonderPup]

I'd be very ineterested to know your results with the static thing spoo. I have never heard that therory. It's interesting, and it's something thats never crossed my mind.

I usually agree with the motion sickness or anxiety therories. I was lean towards nerves in your case because of the behavior you said he displays before getting into the car. That is obviously anxiety, but that may not be the cause of the sickness. He may have formed an association with the upset tummy and the car and now it's habit. Did that make sense at all?? It's been a crappy day so hopefuly I'm just rambling on without making any sense.

 

[CurlyDog]

We've never had trouble until the recent 6 hour trip to VA. Abbie, our 11 year old collie was gagging on and off and threw up once. It was the first time she rode in a sedan instead of the back of the SUV. She stayed on the floor, wheras Max sat on the seat. We couldn't get her to stay on the seat. Max on the other hand was fine! It was his first long trip and he had a blast. Snooze a little, watch other cars for a while... Look at him!

 

[Blue Fox]

T use to get car sick when he was younger but thankfully he seems to have grown out of it. It didn't matter if we had him in the back seat or right in the back behind the cargo barrier he would still throw up. But *touches wood* the last 10 or so trips he has been fine - so I'm not much help really :smile:

I would go with the anxiety theory and do lots of quick trips that don't result in throwing up, even if it's just round the block and back again in case he has formed the link between the car and feeling sick.

 

[Jako]

Sammie gets nervous in the car, unless someone is sitting near him so he can lean on them.
He used to throw up unless he was sitting in someone's lap, but it's gotten better. Now he usually sits in front of me or lies on the floor at my feet. (not in the driver's seat, of course!)

 

[spoofan]

Thanks for the tips.
Will try some.

 

[kathyd]

I'm wondering if it's not more anxiety than motion sickness, since the symptoms start before he actually gets in the car. I was told to use Rescue Remedy, which would help with anxiety, but it didn't work for Murphy. She's fine on a short ride but once we hit the winding road to town she's throwing up, so I think hers is true motion sickness.

There's also a homeopathic travel anxiety remedy made by HomeoPet, which I've bought but haven't tried yet. I bought it because it said it worked for both visually induced motion sickness and travel anxiety.

You can get Rescue Remedy at the health food store and the HomeoPet stuff I bought at Bark and Fitz.

Have you tried very short rides that end in some place really fun? That might help if it's more anxiety than anything else. You can also try just putting him in the car, giving a treat and letting him get out again. Whatever makes him associate the car with good things.

 

[Pamela]

car sickness! yuk! Well one of the minis, Cassie, threw up on the way home from getting the two of them - and she was in a crate. She gradually outgrew it, especially after a long trip to Cape Cod.

Ginger, STandard - got car sick when she was a pup - she outgrew it if she was in the car with the minis. Her trainer said to crate her and drive around town., then take the top of the crate and drive a few more trips and eventually she would be ok. She seemed to outgrow it too.

Now we come to Teddy - the worst of them all - he really gets carsick - no warning - doesn't matter if he eats or not - he projectile voimits. AFter the last time he totally got it all over my car - I actually had to hose it in side and it still smells in summer when windows are close! ugh - anyway we got this waterproof thing that goes on the seat. It doesnt stay up on the back of my seat beacuse I have a sedan and no head rests. But ideally, if you have a car with headrest in front seats and back you can make this kind of hammock. But actually, since I got this, I have taken him in the car several times and he hasn't thrown up, so maybe he will outgrow it too. But I wouldnt' take him on a long trip. By the way I even tried dramamine with Ginger and with Teddy and it didn't help. He really got the motion sickness. Cassie and Ginger did the mouth likcing thing but poor Teddy - he would be enjoyng the ride and then oops! Good luck - try the crate thing.:banghead:

 

[Roxy]

My other standard - Roxy, got sick in the car until she was 7 months old. The vet finally said that sme dogs simply never outgrow that. It is a bad thing to have to deal with. Good luck. P.S. She eventually did outgrow it, but it was a slow process.

 

[SECRETO]

I know this is a old thread but I have heard people use a product called Calm for dogs. You have to get it at a health food store but they make it for people as well. It's supposed to calm the body and help to relax better. There are a few different one's to choose from. My sister swears by it so I know it works for humans.

 

[spoofan]

I know this is a old thread but I have heard people use a product called Calm for dogs. You have to get it at a health food store but they make it for people as well. It's supposed to calm the body and help to relax better. There are a few different one's to choose from. My sister swears by it so I know it works for humans.

Thanks for that information.
We are still struggling with it on and off,so I will give this a try and report back.

 

[Yorkiecrazy]

We also had a problem with car sickness. Always had to bring clean-up bags for Chloe. I have also heard that Calm is a good product too. Read that taping a copper penny to the tummy works great too. Thankfully, Chloe out grew her car sickness.

 

[maddiek]

Rufus does better if I crack a window and let fresh air in.

I have heard that if it is anxiety, having another dog along that likes car rides will help your dog get over his fear.

Rufus used to be car sick really bad. He is slowly outgrowing it.

 

[SECRETO]

How about a puppy that drools alot. Talk about a soaked coat by the time we reach are destination. Im trying to take him for lots of short rides but maybe I'll start using the calm if it can't get it under control. He's still so young.

My only other concern about calm is when we need to go to a dog show. I don't want him too relaxed. I don't want him to ruin his coat on the way there either.

 

[spoofan]

The drooling always comes first.
Followed by lip smacking.
Last, but most certainly not least, comes the throwing up.