Car Sick Puppy

[Jen21]

I have a 4 month old Maltese Poodle X gorgeous fluff ball, and he is a total delight in nearly every way.

Unfortunately though he gets carsick, and literally throws up after about 5-10 minutes in the car, everytime, both to and from everywhere we go.

I know that in the first few weeks, the bulk of our trips were to the vet, but since then I have added in good experiences like puppy school, the park, the beach, etc, (all which he has loved) but he still seems frightened of the car/being in the car, to the extent that I have to chase him and pick him up to get him in there.

I've tried him travelling in a crate, and in a harness on the back seat, neither seems to make any difference, and getting so sick always takes so much out of him, which is awful to see.

I have stopped feeding him hours before a journey, so we don't get whole meals thrown up anymore, but if he has an empty tummy he will still dry reach and then throw up some bile/spit, etc

Does anyone have any advice that can help? I have family all over Melbourne and Victoria who I had planned to travel and visit with him, so I would hate to have to leave him with a dog sitter or something when I visit my family.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Jen21

[Erny]

Car sickness and anxiety from traveling in a car can be a catch 22. Being sick isn't pleasant, therefore can increase anxiety. Anxiety can promote the nausia.

Try having all doors open and just having pup sit in the car. Keep the sessions very short, lengthening the time according to the pup's comfort levels. Make it a 'nice' time, perhaps encouraging your pup to chew on a favorite toy. Make it really short, and almost 'game' like. Eg. In one door, straight through and out the other door - just until pup is happy to approach and enter the car. This works best if you have someone to help as each can then be at either door.

Eventuate to doors shut (one by one).

When all is good, repeat but with the car engine going. Then a VERY short drive (to end of street and back, for example).

You can try giving pup some ginger tablets/drops before a car trip - I've momentarily forgotten what they're called but they are designed for travel sickness and you can get them from your health food store.

Also, it might help to try having a window open in the back (I assume that's where pup travels) and cover the crate (is this what you use?) over so pup doesn't see things whizzing by as you travel. Secure the crate with a seat belt - not only is it safer, it steadies it and helps to keep it still.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Erny

[Nicole...]

Car sickness and anxiety from traveling in a car can be a catch 22. Being sick isn't pleasant, therefore can increase anxiety. Anxiety can promote the nausia.

Try having all doors open and just having pup sit in the car. Keep the sessions very short, lengthening the time according to the pup's comfort levels. Make it a 'nice' time, perhaps encouraging your pup to chew on a favorite toy. Make it really short, and almost 'game' like. Eg. In one door, straight through and out the other door - just until pup is happy to approach and enter the car. This works best if you have someone to help as each can then be at either door.

Eventuate to doors shut (one by one).

When all is good, repeat but with the car engine going. Then a VERY short drive (to end of street and back, for example).

You can try giving pup some ginger tablets/drops before a car trip - I've momentarily forgotten what they're called but they are designed for travel sickness and you can get them from your health food store.

Also, it might help to try having a window open in the back (I assume that's where pup travels) and cover the crate (is this what you use?) over so pup doesn't see things whizzing by as you travel. Secure the crate with a seat belt - not only is it safer, it steadies it and helps to keep it still.

We used to have the same problems and these approaches all worked a treat for us. I think the most important one was spending nice time in the car, we even fed her in there for a week or so to establish a positive "relationship" with the car and saw immediate changes. Lomani has gone from a dog that used to run and hide when she realised we were going in the car, to one that spins in circles and sits at the front door in anticipation when we tell her we're going in the car. The other thing we found that helped was keeping up the airflow with a window open or cranking the air con to freezing (take a jumper for yourself!).

Persist with it and you will be amazed!

[Jen21]

Thanks for all the advice guys

Will definitely try the feeding and short fun times in the car, and see if we can lead up to short trips to the park again :cool:

I do had the window open in the back, and think I'll stick with the harness in the back rather than the crate, as he has grown a lot since we got him and the small crate, and getting him in there is almost as big a chore now as it is to get him in the car. He probably associates it with the car and being sick anyway.

[Kelpie-i]

What Erny said...plus

Try not to console/comfort the dog when he is looking a bit "green around the gills" as anything you do/say will be perceived as reinforcement.

Try not to travel when he has a full stomach.

There are some herbal car sickness remedies that you might wish to look into. Rescue Remedy (drops) may help also. You can find this at your local pharmacy. A few drops on the tongue 15 mins before travel may help to alleviate some of the anxiety.

[Jen21]

Never thought of rescue remedy - I have used that myself when anxious over the years :D

Will look into the car sickness herbal remedies too - thanks again

[3dogsnight]

I had a dog who use to get car sick all the time. This is what I did. Took her for a walk before the trip. I gave her 3 ginger biscuits 1/2 an hour before the trip, 500mg capsules work as well. I opened the car window a little and also played soft music. Ginger is very good for settling the stomach and it certainly helped her.

[Alyosha]

Vitamin b6 can also help with travel sickness. But does according to weight carefully as is it an oil based vitamin (unlike vit c) so excess will not be excreted easily.

[Jen21]

Thanks for those suggestions

I bought some ginger nut buscuits and Toby like them, so we'll definitely have a couple before we next travel.

So far we've eaten a trail of small treats across the backseat, and we've both sat in the backseat for a pat for a while, but he's still seems pretty frightened of the car, and isn't even interested in chewing his most favourite toy (the one he carries around in his mouth inside all the time) while in the car.

There isn't any need for us to go anywhere in the car for another week, so we'll keep at it, and hopefully we'll have a break through before then. :rolleyes:

[Erny]

Even if it takes a further week beyond that one, Jen21, I'd keep at it. Two weeks is IMO a fairly good marker to inidicate that behaviour is improving and what you're doing is working. One week .... you might make progress but it might be so subtle as to not to realise it. But here's hoping one week will do it :rolleyes:.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Erny

[poodlefan]

One other tip - slow down.

Be careful with corners and braking while pup is adjusting to the car. It does help.

If he/she will travel in one of the passenger footwells that can help - the lower in the car the dog sits, the less movement it will experience. Travelling between the front and rear wheels is good - quite a few dogs get sick initially in the back of wagons or hatches.

[CP*]

I was told recently by a friend who swears by it that phernegan (the antihistamine) is good for both human and dog car sickness. In fact I checked with my local pharmacist who said phernegan is often prescribed for motion sickness. I also called my vet, who agreed and gave me the dosage amount for my dog. I will be trying this next trip.

[my2boys]

You could try Travel Calm Ginger tablets made by Blackmores. I have used them in the past and were great.

[Erny]

Travel Calm Ginger tablets made by Blackmores.

That's the name of them! Thanks - as per my first post, I'd forgotten what they were called. But that's them.

[Jen21]

Even if it takes a further week beyond that one, Jen21, I'd keep at it. Two weeks is IMO a fairly good marker to inidicate that behaviour is improving and what you're doing is working. One week .... you might make progress but it might be so subtle as to not to realise it. But here's hoping one week will do it .

Funny you should say that, I cancelled our travel plans, and have decided that we are just going to take it one day at a time, and build up to short drives, etc

I didn't want to risk the 30 minutes each way travel and have a bad experience for him, and set us back

A few weeks is nothing really, when you consider I want to travel with him for 15+ years.

He was a very timid fella when I got him - the runt of the litter that noone wanted, and he shook like a leaf around people, but he has come so far in a couple of months, and now is the most friendly, affectionate little thing that everyone falls in love with

I really want our trips to the beach, park, to friend's place, etc to be great for him, so will keep going.

One other tip - slow down.

Be careful with corners and braking while pup is adjusting to the car. It does help.

If he/she will travel in one of the passenger footwells that can help - the lower in the car the dog sits, the less movement it will experience. Travelling between the front and rear wheels is good - quite a few dogs get sick initially in the back of wagons or hatches.

I drive like a Nanna when he's in the car

But the footwell sounds good, we might play in there tomorrow and see how we go

You could try Travel Calm Ginger tablets made by Blackmores. I have used them in the past and were great.

Thanks! Will grab some this weekend - did you crush them in food or get your dog to take them as a tablet?

[my2boys]

Even if it takes a further week beyond that one, Jen21, I'd keep at it. Two weeks is IMO a fairly good marker to inidicate that behaviour is improving and what you're doing is working. One week .... you might make progress but it might be so subtle as to not to realise it. But here's hoping one week will do it .

Funny you should say that, I cancelled our travel plans, and have decided that we are just going to take it one day at a time, and build up to short drives, etc

I didn't want to risk the 30 minutes each way travel and have a bad experience for him, and set us back

A few weeks is nothing really, when you consider I want to travel with him for 15+ years.

He was a very timid fella when I got him - the runt of the litter that noone wanted, and he shook like a leaf around people, but he has come so far in a couple of months, and now is the most friendly, affectionate little thing that everyone falls in love with

I really want our trips to the beach, park, to friend's place, etc to be great for him, so will keep going.

One other tip - slow down.

Be careful with corners and braking while pup is adjusting to the car. It does help.

If he/she will travel in one of the passenger footwells that can help - the lower in the car the dog sits, the less movement it will experience. Travelling between the front and rear wheels is good - quite a few dogs get sick initially in the back of wagons or hatches.

I drive like a Nanna when he's in the car

But the footwell sounds good, we might play in there tomorrow and see how we go

You could try Travel Calm Ginger tablets made by Blackmores. I have used them in the past and were great.

Thanks! Will grab some this weekend - did you crush them in food or get your dog to take them as a tablet?

No food as this is what made him sick just gave them to him about half an hour before trip. He eventually grew out of being car sick. I think he was about 12 months old.