Dog gets car sick

LisaO

Just wondering what others have used successfully for dogs who get travel sick? Our JRT (aged 12) loves going out in the car but suffers terribly from motion sickness - anything over 2 miles & we're in trouble! Have tried taking him in and out of a carrier but doesn't seem to make any difference. Only thing that has worked is medication - usually give hime a v. small (less that quarter) of a Sea Legs tablet. This works fine but don't want to give it too often as these meds are pretty strong. Would love to take him away with us for weekends to beach, etc but would prefer alternative to having to give him medication every day so that we could go out in the car. Our other dog travels fine & it seems such a shame that the little guy misses out on the fun!

Would be interested to hear any suggestions/ideas...

carwash_2006

The homeopet travel anxiety drops seem to work quite well.

Have you ever tried building up to longer trips? One of mine used to be really sick when she was longer. I gradually built her up, taking her on short enough trips so she wouldn't be sick, got her used to being in the car without being sick. Now I can take her on trips up to one hour and fifteen minutes before she starts salivating and feeling sick.

She can go longer if I dose her up on the drops a couple of times before we go.

MsFifers

Poor doggy! I used to suffer terribly with that myself!

The only advice I can offer is conditioning - keep bringing him for very frequent, short trips and gradually build up to longer ones. If you can ensure he has access to fresh air it might help, so try to ensure he is near an open window.

Also (based on my own experience!!) looking straight ahead is much better than looking out side windows - there is a scientific reason for this but I can't remember it now! (Something to do with how the brain is processing information) I dont' know if that would be possible - can you position the carrier so that its looking forward and not out side windows?

The other trick I found, was eating - everybody tells you not to eat in advance but I found a light meal a couple of hours before a journey actually helped - works for me and the cats anyway!!

Lauragoesmad

My dog used to get travel sickness unless we kept her on our laps in the front passenger seat. That was the only place she wouldn't puke. After a few months doing that with her she'd sleep at your feet and now shes grand. Never gets sick and sleeps in the back in her bed.

LisaO

Thanks for all the suggestions.

The homeopet travel anxiety drops seem to work quite well

These sound good - I presume they are a ready-mixed homepathic remedy. Do you get them from a pet store or pharmacy, do you know?

looking straight ahead is much better than looking out side windows

I was wondering about this, as I know I don't like facing backwards on trains, etc, and he always faces toward the back of the car. It is difficult for him to see out even if not in a carrier as it's an estate car and the side panels are quite high, esp for a small jrt!

we kept her on our laps in the front passenger seat

Can see how this would work - he would love to travel in the front! Would be OK when OH was driving but have tried it before when driving alone & he tries to sit on MY lap - not such a good idea!

Will try a combination of using the drops, moving him around in the car and building up from short trips & hopefully things will improve.