Norskgra Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Brock gets terrible car sickness. Just the sight of the car is enough to make him start drooling. Once he is in the car he can't go very far without throwing up. I have done a search and some people recommended Travel Calm. We have tried them before and they didn't make any difference, Brock has his first show since he nearly died in about 2 weeks and goes back to show training next week. Does anyone have any other suggestions? My vet suggested valium (for him not me) but I am not sure how good that would be if we are trying to show him. Then again, he might behave in the ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
he'smyhero Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I've heard ginger snap biscuits work to settle their stomachs- never had the need to use them though so can't really comment. Lola use to get really bad car sickness so we just some short trips with her - lengthening the time each time. Now as soon as the car starts moving she just goes straight to sleep! When we stop at traffic lights she pops her head up then is back snoring as soon as the car starts moving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 I've heard ginger snap biscuits work to settle their stomachs- never had the need to use them though so can't really comment.Lola use to get really bad car sickness so we just some short trips with her - lengthening the time each time. Now as soon as the car starts moving she just goes straight to sleep! When we stop at traffic lights she pops her head up then is back snoring as soon as the car starts moving! I might try the ginger snaps for both Brock and myself. I love them. We tried the short trips and slowly lengthening the distance and it didn't seem to make any difference. I am going to try feeding him in the car so that he thinks the car is a good place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
he'smyhero Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Maybe some rescue remedy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Thanks HMH, but I have also tried rescue Remedy with him as well. I still think I will try the ginger snapsand at least if they don't work with brock, they won't be wasted. I have just been on the phone with Robert Mcdowell and he has a car sickness remedy that I am going to try. One of his remedies has worked wonders with Brock since he had part of his intestine removed so the car sickness remedy is worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polomum Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 We have a whippet who has vomitted uncontrollably (8 times in 15 minutes to the vets on a nasty winding road and another 8 times on the way home). She went on a trip about 4 hours away in a crate with 2 other dogs in the back of the ute with only a little drooling and no vomits. Put her in the back of the 4WD with all windows open and sunroof opened as well to try and create the 'ute openair feeling' when she came home and has been far better with only drooling slightly....and much more relaxed. Tried Rescue Remedy and Ginger Calm and nothing worked before..... Apparently they are better off in a crate in the back of the car where they are more likely to curl up and sleep rather than looking out the windows..... Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Apparently they are better off in a crate in the back of the car where they are more likely to curl up and sleep rather than looking out the windows.....Good luck! Thanks. Unfortunately, Brock always rides in a crate in the back of our wagon. At least that way we can confine his and drool to just one area. I will try covering up the crate so it is dark and he can't see anything. That way he might just sleep. A few people I know that have had car sick dogs have said that if you put them in the dog trailer instead of the car, they aren't sick. So I might try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Ginger is the remedy for motion sickness, but if Travel Calm didnt work then ginger snaps wont either, as isnt it the one that contains Ginger? There is another NZ product called Sea Legs which some show peopel love to use. Valium is out, as it is illegal to drug your show dogs LOL Some say junket tablets work......found in supermarket in the cake/desert mix section. Have you de sensitised him? like put him in there for no reason, just sit with him, you can feed him in there each day, sleep him in there (if it is cool enough), so he gets to like the car, then drive him down the drive way & back one day, then to the end of the Street the next day etc etc etc........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Ginger is the remedy for motion sickness, but if Travel Calm didnt work then ginger snaps wont either, as isnt it the one that contains Ginger? There is another NZ product called Sea Legs which some show peopel love to use.Valium is out, as it is illegal to drug your show dogs LOL Some say junket tablets work......found in supermarket in the cake/desert mix section. Have you de sensitised him? like put him in there for no reason, just sit with him, you can feed him in there each day, sleep him in there (if it is cool enough), so he gets to like the car, then drive him down the drive way & back one day, then to the end of the Street the next day etc etc etc........ Yes Ginger Snaps do contain ginger but it was an excuse to buy some. I haven't eaten any for ages. I wouldn't use the valium on Brock. I do have some junket tablets so I could give them a go. Do you just give them a tablet or do you actually make up Junket? We have tried de-sensitising him but it didn't work. We have never had a dog that got car sick before but Brock certainly makes up for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 You are describing Hunta to a T!!! We now, after 9 months dont get drool or vomit UNLESS the person driving is a bit rough with the handling. I also tried travel calm and ginger bikkies. There is something that starts withh a D..not siure of the name and that might help. I think it stems from the first time he and Hunta when in the car it was to the airport. For us, it was constant short trips and continually taking her to fun places. The park, Kepala, teh lake, a friends house etc. So maybe try the D stuff, i think it is used for kids when they are travel sick. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Blackmore's travel calm ginger half an hour before the car trip, elevate dog in car if a shortie so they can see out the window ( I use a high density foam cushion with a cover on it cut to size), go to nice places like the park in the car, not just the vet, very very short trips to start with (literally drive an block or to a very close park instead of walking, have a run, maybe a very small treat, and then drive home again - you feel silly to start with driving a very short distance but it worked for me), drive carefully without throwing the car around too much and gradually increase the distance block by block and reduce the travel calm as you go very gradually too. My girl westie was very car sick when I got her - talked to the vet - he said its usually stress related rather than motion sickness related. She can now do two hour car trips comfortably - as far as the Clare Valley wineries!!!! The trick is to understand and treat it psychologically as well as with the travel calm. Anyway I hope that helps - it was an effort to do it intensively over a short period of time but it worked really well for me relatively quickly within a couple of weeks - she now bolts out the door to the car and loves sitting up like Jackie or snoozing on her cushion!!! Cheers, Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keduf Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Crawford went through a puking stage when he was about 18mths old....I was told ground ginger would do the trick so about 1/2 hr before travel, I would give him a small amount of dry food with ground ginger and it worked a treat for him...Might be worth a try??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Supplementing with B Vitamins may also help, although not on an empty stomach. Vitamin B6 deficiency is linked with travel sickness and other forms of nausea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonny_beagle Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 You could try metoclopramide as it tends to make dogs less drowsy than ACE tablets. I have used it with good results. Please check with your vet though as it is a gastric stimulant, am not sure whether his past health problems would affect its suitability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsdog Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Kiss used to vomit when crated in the car - what a problem when you get to a show and your nicely groomed dog is laying in vomit! So at my wit's end after trying all the above I decided to leave her in the back seat (at least she wouldn't be lying in the vomit) and what do you think? No more vomit! As long as she can stand up every now and then and have a look out the window she seems to be OK. Now she just sleeps most of the time and even a four-hour trip is no problem. So maybe it is different reaction for different dogs and you just have to try everything and hope something works. Good luck, nothing worse than a chucking up show dog. Noels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 I had a car sick dog many years ago. I used to never feed her within 12 hours of a planned trip, longer if possible. I was told to give her glucose in water an hour before we left. I gave her sugar instead (it was easier), a couple of desert spoons in a 3/4 water, 1/4 milk mixture. Worked a treat. Plus, make sure the holes for child restraints are blocked so exhaust fumes don't make their way in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Thanks everyone. I will try anything to get him over it. He normally arrives at shows soaking wet and not very happy. Luckily he doesn't have a long coat and dries pretty quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulp Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Motion sickness is caused by a mismatch of information coming from different sets of sensors. If Brock is in a crate his inner ears are telling his brain that they are moving around but his eyes are saying that they are stationary (all he can see is the inside of the car which is stationary relative to him). Someone mentioned elevating the crate to let him see out which is a good move as his eyes are then confirming the inner ears info that they are moving. If he is drooling before getting in the car then it sounds like he has anxiety issues about travelling (probably because there is an association between the car and being ill) which things like travel calm and valium would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 My Parson Russell Terrier also travels very badly. If I am taking him in the car, I have to make sure he hasn't eaten for several hours beforehand. In my sedan with just me, he has learnt to lie down on the front passenger seat and sleep the whole way. In my partner's ute, he gets tied in the back like a real dog and travels much bettter than in the front with us. He hates being put in the back, but the fact is, it's better for him. He alternates between getting up and having a look when we're travelling through suburbia, or lies down when we're going too fast for his liking. I do feel it's gradually getting better and he is handling his nervousness about the cars better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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