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Help needed - suggestions for ill traveling dog?

3K views 34 replies 20 participants last post by  Dougy 
#1 ·
Hey everyone, Arthur and I are desperate for some suggestions as to what can help with car sickness. We travel every month or two for a 5 hour journey. Arthur is always do excited to go, but he really gets so worked up. It starts with a few whimpers, then excessive drooling, a short time later he will vomit stomach acid (we don't feed him before travel),then cOntinues to drool the entire trip. Pools and pools of drool.

Our vet suggested half a tablet of Benadryl - we tried this with no effect.
She then suggested half a tablet of Dramamine - also no effect.

I'm hopeful some of you may have other thoughts/suggestions.
 
#28 ·
Our annual Christmas trip is over so I thought I would offer some help to those owners who have trouble travelling with their little members of the family.

Dougy has been carsick just about anytime he was in the car - even trips of 15 minutes to the groomer would cause him to throw up. We thought it was motion sickness but feel it was a fear of the car (he is a very timid little fella) as he would start to salivate as soon as I put him on the seat. We travel for 550k every Christmas to spend it with family and tried everything - crate, no crate, on the floor, on the seat but each time I have had to force pills from the vet down his throat to stop him from being sick.

Finally my groomer suggested a "Thundershirt" so I got one to try. (Google it - I am sure they come from the USA) He didn't like it much - or his safety harness but we started with short trips of 10 minutes or so and gradually increased the trips to an hour over a couple of weeks. Results have been amazing - he now just lays on the back seat, glares at me for putting the harness on, sleeps, looks out the window, sleeps, and gives me the "are we there yet?" look every now and again. We stop ever 90 minutes for a pee and a run around and have no trouble getting him to jump back in the car.

But no throwing up, no salivating, no gulping - fantastic!

I paid about $50 here in Aus. for the Thundershirt but I couldn't give a hoot - the tablets were $40 and only did two trips - and I am not keen on filling him with drugs!

Give it a go, hopefully it will help.
 
#29 ·
My Otis has always gotten car sick. He rides just fine in our rv, but in the car, he always got sick. Our final solution, was to just not feed him first thing in the mornings, and go for a ride. We did this constantly and usually had to clean up when we got home. We went on a few long trips, and, yep, had to clean up. So, we just kept on taking him constanly with us, and being happy and cheerful, and talking to him all the time. Well, He is 10 months old and he loves riding, and no more throwing up. In the beginning, we tried all the different ways of riding. In the crate, booster seat, laps, and by himself. It didnt matter. I think just taking him constantly riding did the trick. No, it isnt fun cleaning up, and bathing him each time, but, it was worth it. Good luck.
 
#31 ·
I think this has a lot to do with it. Taking them for rides as pups so they get used to the car. I've been taking my guys in the car since the day I got them as wee pups. They would run errands with me and go for daily hikes. Most of my hikes were within 5 minutes of my house.
They also had car seats, so they could look out the window. I really think that helped. Bella was my only one who would shake out of fear. I got her as an older pup at 7 months old. She is now 8 years old and enjoys the car rides when she knows where we are going. Short rides she enjoys, but long rides she starts to get nervous and climbs into Scudder's car seat with him. She will lie on top of him for comfort.

My guys still ride in my car on a daily basis to go on hikes. It's the highlight of their day:)
 
#33 ·
Logan too had bad car sickness - and would throw up even within a 10 minute drive to the vets office. We always just kept him home.
But.. We spend a couple weeks each year at the beach and take the pups with us. That drive is about 2 1/2 hours and he ALWAYS threw up.

I know most will have negative to say (I have heard it all so you don't need to repeat :) ) but I use Cerenia with him on long trips. It is an anti-vomit medication that the vets use for after surgery. I only give him 1/2 of the prescribed amount and he does fine - barely drools and never has thrown up on it. I understand the idea of "drugging" your pup - but my feeling is that he is MISERABLE when he is drooling, and vomiting, and he is very stressed by it - so every so often, on long trips, I feel it is better to use the Cerenia, than to have him so stressed.

I ONLY use it for long trips. Since then Logan has gone to class and been certified as CGC and Certified Therapy dog. So now, he goes out several times a month to facilities and he is getting MUCH better on the short trips.
 
#35 ·
Cerenia works fine - it does'nt make them sleepy or anything and they are effective for about 24 hours. We used to give Dougy his with his meal the night before travel and he would spend the whole trip either sleeping or looking bored!

I just don't like giving him drugs and contributing to the drug companies obscene profits.
 
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