Serious Car Sickness

[mocha]

My mini poodle (6 mths old) throws up in the car after 10 minutes drive. I tried ginger tablets, peppermint oil, windows opening, crating and story telling, but all are not working. I went to the pharmacy today to ask for Maxalon but they said it is a prescribed medicine so didn't allow me to get it.

Any other advices? I am planning a trip from my place to Frankston (around 1.5 hrs trip) this Sunday (to the Pet Day) and really hope to bring him too....pls help

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

What does your vet say is causing the problem? Is it stress (either positive or negative?) or is it motion sickness? Do you feed your pup before you travel or does the pup travel on a completely empty stomach? Usually an empty stomach helps if it's motion sickness OR stress-related.

But be guided by your vet's advice and opinion.

My car-sick dog is medicated for car trips. She just can't help vomiting even if she's not had her breakfast...there seems to be 'something leftover' from dinner the night before.

Edited October 9, 2007 by lillysmum

[mocha]

What does your vet say is causing the problem? Is it stress (either positive or negative?) or is it motion sickness? Do you feed your pup before you travel or does the pup travel on a completely empty stomach? Usually an empty stomach helps if it's motion sickness OR stress-related.

But be guided by your vet's advice and opinion.

My car-sick dog is medicated for car trips. She just can't help vomiting even if she's not had her breakfast...there seems to be 'something leftover' from dinner the night before.

i didn't feed him last night but he still threw up in the car. I just called the vet and she said she usually gives some medicine to this kind of problem but given my dog is still a puppy, she recommended an alternative method and asked us to bring the dog to her for a check. But i don't think I have time to go to the vet before Sat...so hope to get some suggestions from the DOLers.

Thanks

[cavNrott]

Maxalon was the only thing that worked for my sons dog. We tried other things, as you have but none of them worked until we put him on Maxalon.

[Poodle wrangler]

So how does he normally travel? In a crate? Just line it well with newspaper and take plenty to spare. Baby wipes will be handy for the trip if you need to give him a quick clean up.

Dunno about what the vet said about Maxolon, considering it's given to human babies and children

Be very careful giving human medicines to dogs- they don't all handle them the same as we do and it's a much lesser dose for small dogs.

[dogsforall]

junket tablet has worked for me and my dogs one tablet half hr to one hr before traveling

you buy junket tablet in the supermarket normally near cooking and jelly stuff

[mocha]

junket tablet has worked for me and my dogs one tablet half hr to one hr before traveling

you buy junket tablet in the supermarket normally near cooking and jelly stuff

what is junket tablet?.....will try to find that today. thx

How to get Maxalon without the prescription?

[mita]

Years ago when we had a young border collie pup who'd get car-sick, we were told to let him sit up high so he could see the horizon line. It did help him.

Try it out yourself. Get in the back seat....crouch low at about the level your dog's head would be at. Then get someone to drive you a substantial distance. Notice how differently your body deals with motion when you can't see the horizon line.

Then repeat....but sitting up normally so the horizon line is in sight. The body experiences motion differently then.

Edited October 9, 2007 by mita

[Scales of Justice]

A couple of tips which might help:

Travel the dog between the front wheels and the back wheels - that is not in the back of the car. The back of the car gets buffeted around more than just behind the front wheels (which is reasonably stable).

I had a bitch which was drooling and vomiting before the car even left home. I decided to get her mind off the car and car sickness, so I put her in the back (just behind the front seats) and spread out a big blanket. I gave her a marrow bone. She was so interested in the marrow bone she didn't notice the car any more and within about a month the car sickness had completely gone. If you decide to try this, make sure your dog hasn't just eaten - wait till the dog is hungry! You could try small trips to begin. That way, apart from keeping the dog's mind off what is happening, it also positively reinforces the car as a pleasant place to be.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Scales of Justice

[wagsalot]

My vet gives me Maxalon tablets for Riley. Its the only thing that works for him. Once he's had a maxolan tablet he's really good. We even took him on a 8 hour drive to Ballina.

Everyone kept saying try this, try that, he'll grow out of etc, but he never did.

Riley's not scared of the car at all though, he loves it. He just gets genuine car sickness.

I wouldn't give my dog any tablets without consulting a vet first though, so I highly recommend going to your vet.

Be careful what the vets give you too. Our last vet (who was utterly hopeless) gave me a sedation tablet for Riley to stop car sickness, after I specifically said I wanted him to not be sick in the car so I can take him to the beach. By the time we got to the beach he was so sedated he couldn't stand up! Id never give him one of those ever again.

My new vet suggested Maxalon straight away.

Edited October 9, 2007 by wagsalot

[dogsforall]

junket tablet has worked for me and my dogs one tablet half hr to one hr before traveling

you buy junket tablet in the supermarket normally near cooking and jelly stuff

what is junket tablet?.....will try to find that today. thx

How to get Maxalon without the prescription?

when made up they are like a yogurt custard thingy desert but you don't make the tablets up just one whole down the throat

if i'm taking a long trip i always have one now works well for me and seems to do the same for the dogs

don't ask me how they work lol been wondering that myself

[Poodle wrangler]

junket tablet has worked for me and my dogs one tablet half hr to one hr before traveling

you buy junket tablet in the supermarket normally near cooking and jelly stuff

what is junket tablet?.....will try to find that today. thx

How to get Maxalon without the prescription?

You can't.

I'd not suggest going to a bulk-billing GP and asking for it for you for travel sickness . You might say that you've taken it before with no problems.

You still need to know the proper dose for your dog, however. All medications can have side effects. Remember most human meds are designed for an 80kg male human. 1 Maxolon tablet = 10mg.

Edited October 10, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[mocha]

junket tablet has worked for me and my dogs one tablet half hr to one hr before traveling

you buy junket tablet in the supermarket normally near cooking and jelly stuff

what is junket tablet?.....will try to find that today. thx

How to get Maxalon without the prescription?

You can't.

I'd not suggest going to a bulk-billing GP and asking for it for you for travel sickness . You might say that you've taken it before with no problems.

You still need to know the proper dose for your dog, however. All medications can have side effects. Remember most human meds are designed for an 80kg male human. 1 Maxolon tablet = 10mg.

very true...i prefer not to use any medicine for this... i'm thinking to put him on a bean bag at the back seat to avoid the vibration...what do you think? In that way, he can seat up high like Mita said.

[mita]

very true...i prefer not to use any medicine for this... i'm thinking to put him on a bean bag at the back seat to avoid the vibration...what do you think? In that way, he can seat up high like Mita said.

I remember we were told to get our dog up high....so he could see the horizon line....& looking forward through the front windscreen, not to the side or back. It made a difference for our dog. Give it a test go with yours. Maybe up on a cushion on the lap of a front seat passenger who keeps the dog's head to the front. (Perhaps that passenger should wear a raincoat....in case it doesn't work )

Must have something to do with fact, one of the big causes is motion sickness....& the body regulates motion via the 'balance' mechanism of the little hairs in the inner ear.

But I've since read that lots of other things can be involved in car sickness, too.

Edited October 10, 2007 by mita

[Kaos Central]

we use buscopan in our poodle cross....you get it from the vet.... i give her about a quarter of a tablet about an hour before then another quarter about 4 hrs later if it is a long trip

[mita]

Well, lookity what I found. Same advice about elevating & looking forward thro the front windscreen.....for children with car sickness.

It was probably someone who knew what worked for children with car sickness who told us what would help with our young doggie. And it did.

"Dr. Don Bradley, chief medical director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, offers the following tips to head off or avoid sickness in a car.

Know the warning signs; children become sweaty and pale, restless or yawn a lot

Stop frequently, and at the first signs of sickness

Before leaving home, offer a light snack like crackers

Avoid smoking in the car

Avoid strong-smelling foods in the car

Elevate your child -- with approved child safety seats -- so they can see the horizon through the windshield. The center of the back seat is best."

The advice above went on to say that on first sign of sickness (& learn to 'read' the warning signs)....stop & let the child lie down until the dizziness has passed.

Edited October 10, 2007 by mita

[mocha]

Well, lookity what I found. Same advice about elevating & looking forward thro the front windscreen.....for children with car sickness.

It was probably someone who knew what worked for children with car sickness who told us what would help with our young doggie. And it did.

"Dr. Don Bradley, chief medical director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, offers the following tips to head off or avoid sickness in a car.

Know the warning signs; children become sweaty and pale, restless or yawn a lot

Stop frequently, and at the first signs of sickness

Before leaving home, offer a light snack like crackers

Avoid smoking in the car

Avoid strong-smelling foods in the car

Elevate your child -- with approved child safety seats -- so they can see the horizon through the windshield. The center of the back seat is best."

The advice above went on to say that on first sign of sickness (& learn to 'read' the warning signs)....stop & let the child lie down until the dizziness has passed.

but how to keep him looking forward??? should I cover the side windows?? but i need to do head check when i drive....how?

i am thinking to try the combination of all methods....see what works better.

[mita]

Maybe if he was sitting elevated in the centre of the back seat, he'd automatically be looking ahead. And maybe shade thingies on his side windows would keep him looking ahead where the action clearly is.

[dogcop]

Car sickness can also be caused by Static Electricity built up in your car. Many of you will have noticed cars travelling along with a rubber strip hanging from the rear of a car infront touching the road surface. This gets rid of the static build up as this is a fairly in-expensive trick it may be worth trying.

[carabelle]

I tried everything for one of my dogs, and I do mean everything except Maxalon I was not too keen on giving that. Nothing worked, however I did try elevation and next to a open window and this was the most successful, not 100% but better than anything else. He is a toy dog and crated so was easy to elevate. Best of luck Mocha.