Travel sickness in dogs

[Dot]

Travel sickness in dogs is a real and upsetting problem for many pet owners. It can happen even on short car trips.

Puppies and younger dogs are often more often troubled by motion sickness as their immature ear structures, which support balance and equilibrium, are not fully developed. In many instances dogs grow out of travel sickness, but in some cases the problem continues and needs to be addressed.


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Here are my tips to improve travel sickness:


If your dog’s experience of travel has been unpleasant, it is important to re-program them and remove the stress associated with travelling in the car. Plenty of short car journeys that end with a fun trip to the park or beach can help re-program a dog that is fearful of travel in the car.

Don’t feed your dog for at least 3-4 hours before travel and then give teaspoon of honey just before your journey to help quell feelings of nausea.

Make sure the car is well ventilated and not too warm. Try leaving the windows open just a little at the top.

Some dogs prefer to lie down on the floor or in the foot well of the car, whilst other dogs travel better when they can look out the window. Experiment to work out which is best for your dog.

[supersparky]

Dot, when I first picked Bandit, or he picked me, we travelled home in the M/home and he has been an absolute pleasure to travel with for the past 6 years. Never ever gets car sick in the front or rear of a vehicle. I haven't tried him in the boot of a car yet, even though he may have been threatened with that a few times. He loves to stick his head out the window, but that is a bit difficult in the M/home. I do let him stick the nose out in the car window though. But never the whole head.

[TassyJim]

The first day we brought Teddy and Scarlet home we discovered that one of them got car sick.
Not good when you plan on lots of traveling.

Fortunately, we soon worked out that Scarlet only got sick in the car and not in the Iveco.

Lots of trips including many Bass Strait crossings all went well. She even survives trips in the car now but we don't push our luck.

Jim

[Dot]

I still get car sick no matter what I am given to eat drink sniff or starve unless I am in the front seat but not on a winding road at all..

[supersparky]

Dot, Just for a laugh, try drinking ginger beer before you venture out. I know a lot of people that use that as an anti travel sickness cure. Pretty sure that it might be a bit difficult to get the dog to drink it though.

[pet-els]

Boat tour companies in Tasmania issue ginger tablets to all passengers for motion sickness.

PeterH