Unknown Parentage?

[woody2shoes]

Your friend could try crating the dog whilst travelling and covering the crate so that any visual stimulus from outside is removed. Dogs seem to love looking out the side windows at things whizzing by and this does not do them any favours.

A friend of mine has had the occasional whippet that suffered terribly from car sickness and we found (after some absolutely stomach churning episodes :p ) that covering the crate made a massive difference. I have seen the covered crate work so it is certainly worth a try IMHO.

Good luck!

w2s

Edited because I can't seem to spell!

Edited November 24, 2010 by woody2shoes

[raineth]

I think your overall summary of the dog is pretty harsh.

Sounds like a great dog, that gets carsick.

I used to have to put my stumpy tail on that medication, and yeah, its not the best. It certainly does half knock them out.

She got much better as she got older. She used to not be able to go five minutes without vomiting. As time went on she could go about an hour.

The advise about really short trips and building the time up is good. And make sure the driving is as smooth as possible... slowing down well before corners... taking off slowly etc. That makes a big difference.

[poodlefan]

A friend of mine has had the occasional whippet that suffered terribly from car sickness and we found (after some absolutely stomach churning episodes ) that covering the crate made a massive difference. I have seen the covered crate work so it is certainly worth a try IMHO.

Howie my Whippet was car sick initially. I found when he travelled in the passenger footwell he was better. It has worked for other DOL Whippeteers too. :p

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Car sickness is not a disability of any kind, it is nothing to do with a dog's parentage and I will take car sickness over storm phobia any day of the week and many, many working dogs suffer from storm phobia.

I just rehomed a brilliant little rescue dog that would have been an ideal agility dog according to my vet's assessment (she's the president of a club). I planned on doing that with her but circumstances recently led to me rehoming her. She's most likely a poodle/terrier cross.

None of the crossbreeds asked to be born. I don't have any snobbery against purebred dogs (I even run Italian Greyhound Rescue with a breeder) and I hate backyard breeders and puppy farmers with a passion.

Edited November 24, 2010 by dogmad

[megan_]

If she wanted to know the temperament etc, she would have been better off not getting a puppy. Puppies come with so many unkowns. Less so with a reputably bred one, but still, so many unknowns.

[Flash30Aus]

As the owner of 2 rescue doggies, both Border Collies actually, I have to say that I made a mental decision to deal with whatever health condition they came with. I also researched breeders and breeds and still came to the same conclusion, and that is you never know what your going to get when you buy a dog.

You can have all the tests and guarantee's under the sun, and if you research the breed enough, you get some indication of what your likely to end up with, but at the end of the day, you never know.

It might be having owned a number of horses, and they all came to me second hand Some were expensive, some free, they were all different than I expected, some better and some with issues.

At the end of the day, I made a committment to them, and we work through whatever they throw up. *boom boom*

So no amount of genetic testing, temp testing, grand championship titles is going to be able to provide me with a robotic dog (or horse). They are living, breathing individuals after all.

Its the same with the daughter, and I know her pedigree

Christie

Lucy & Dash

[mac'ella]

she could try another dog which is a good traveller as a companion on some really short drives so the pup can gain some reasurance ,also get some one to meet her in the car on the way home from a long walk when it is tired,short trips to an interesting place so that it looks to where its going to take its mind off the travel might also help,good luck and keep trying dont be negative.

[koalathebear]

If only it was so easy to diagnose illnesses in such a simplistic manner.

My two dogs are both working line dogs. Elbie's Kelpie/border collie cross and he didn't really like the car at first and used to bark, then he whined and he's generally fine now except for the occasional whimper when the turn indicator comes on. He has never been car sick. Parentage totally unknown.

Hoover, is a purebred Kelpie - grew up on a farm, never rode in a car until his 30 km trip to be picked up by Dog Movers then travelled overnight from Kempsey to Sydney and then Sydney to Canberra and he goes every where in the car these days and is placid as a cow with no sign of car sickness.

I really think it's a matter of luck who gets car sick - my brother and I had exactly the same upbringing and he gets car sick and I don't

Crossbreeds in a rescue situation already have the odds stacked against them, they don't need to have unsubstantiated allegations made against them which will make them even more difficult to rehome

Edited November 24, 2010 by koalathebear

[vetrg]

For car sickness there can be 2 issues: motion sickness and anxiety. If the dog is vomiting through stress then he needs to be desensitised to the car. My dogs treat the car as a mobile dog bed, curl up and sleep as they have travelled so much. Try feeding him/ petting him in the car when is is not going anywhere so the car is a nice place to be with no motion involved. He will then want to go in the car rather than it being a place of stress/ feeling ill.

Rather than sedatives there is also a anti nausea drug from Pfizer called Cerenia (don't know if it's available in Australia yet) with a licensed use for motion sickness that I have used successfully- it is a high dose so works out expensive if you have a big dog but again gets over the whole "everytime I go in the car I feel ill, so I get stressed, so I feel worse" issue for the dog. Some anti histamines can also help with motion sickness. Some ginger products can also help.

All of the desensitisation issues take effort and time- be patient and good luck.

[Stitch]

I currently have a Dobe boy who has always gotten car sick. He would fill the back of our troupe carrier with drool he was so bad.

I tried for ages to get a magic pill that would help him - nothing worked.

He is now 4, weighs 45kg and the way we get him around is to put him in a giant wire cage in the back of our utility truck.

He loves it - must be the wind in his face or maybe it is just age now.

With him, it was obviously stress related even though he is not a stressy dog, travelling in the car pressed all his buttons.

My vet now tells me that there is a new medication on the market specifically designed for dogs that get car sickness but we wouldn't bother with that now.

IMO the best way to address car sickness is to desensitise the dog by getting to to jump in and out of the parked car (using treats), feeding the dog in the car, progressing to driving 50 metres etc. and then gradually building it up over a period of many weeks.

Stress related disorders and temperments can be hereditary so there may be a component there but she has the dog now, so she has to decide if it is worth the extra work to get over this problem.

If it also has other issues they have to be taken into consideration too.

The idea of adopting a dog from the 'pound' certainly has an appeal but sometimes there are unexpected problems.

I have adopted dogs twice, and twice they have had issues - both of them because of different temperament problems. One was able to be helped, the other one unfortunately was not.

[toshman]

ETA...thanks Dogbesotted, maybe she is trying to do everything a little too fast. I will certainly pass your suggestion on to her. I did suggest to her, to make the car a fun place to be, (while stationery)...put value on being in the car

I believe it helps too if the dog can see out of the window (just like us humans - I get travel sick and know for a fact that it's always better if I can look out and see the horizon!) - would be worth a try, anyway

[W Sibs]

My x breed doesn't get car sickness.

My purebred does. We have worked with her to overcome her anxiety with the car. She will jump in the car and be happy about it, but she will start drooling by the time we reach the end of the street.

I don't think parentage has anything to do with it

Edited November 25, 2010 by CW EW

[Pugmum]

This is a strange argument I guess - there is no guarantee of a health issue free dog any nmore than a health issue free person. I agree that you can minimise the risk of joint problems etc by selective breeding but you still only minimise the risk - you cant eliminate it as far as I know.

My two pugs, both pedigree, both from very good breeders, were so different. The one with the best 'lines' actually had more health issues. She also had a sensitive tummy so we had to be careful what we fed her. I can guarantee she had top quality food and a balanced healthy diet. She died of cancer this year. Both knees needed surgery, and had she not died she would have needed some work on her breathing.

I love pugs, I love their personality and am confident with the temperamnet of them - but I'd never say I could be certain of their health or any dogs regardless of their breeding. One day I'll probably meet the pug that also that makes me question my confidence in temperament - after all they are individuals not clones.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Pugmum

[Skruffy n Flea]

hello

i've only read the first couple posts and well, has anyone, somewhere in the 3 pages [or more] i am yet to read, suggested short trips for the dog!??

anxiety in a dog easily brings about vomiting [i know this first hand as i'm sure most others do] and from the first few weeks since adopting bella, we knew she had an anxious disposition and so on sound advice we did 'short trip' training and she got past her anxiety being able to travel in excess of 2 hours without issue

she was 12 weeks old when she came to live with us and she's now 2yrs 4mo...

adding stock to the anxiety theory, in mid this past sept and driving 40 minutes from home, both our dogs were kenneled [first time] for 10 days --- i believe that caused bella anxiety because shortly after that time, we took a very brief dog holiday driving few hours north and she was sick 3 times on the way up and twice on the way home. i believe she equated that trip with that which found her alone with her bud byron in a cold dark kennel...

just on 15 minute trips to the dog park had her looking somewhat forelorn --- 'short trip' training has again been employed and she's doing a helluva lot better

[Staranais]

My old boy (unknown parentage) had serious health issues (ALD of front legs & DJD).

My new girl (ANKC registered breeder) had serious health issues (shoulder OCD).

Being purebred is no guarantee the dog will be completely healthy.

We get Cerenia in NZ, I'm guessing you'd get it in Aussie.

[sheena]

I would have thought (& I admit that I am no rocket scientist) that if you choose a puppy, or better still, let the breeder choose a puppy for you, which they think is suitable, from a litter where you know the parents & you know the parents are relatively free from allergies, sensitivities & joint problems etc, that you would have a far better chance of getting a healthy dog. Compared to one whose parentage is pot luck & has probably started it's poor little life in a puppy farm or someones backyard where the neighbour's entire male has jumped the fence & mated with some bitch whose owners "havn't got around to desexing ", or just wanted their dog to have pups because "it would be a wonderful experience for the kids". :D If people were more responsible with how they breed & what they breed & we could get rid of puppy farms & BYB's then we wouldn't have so many pets ending up in rescue centres, or worse still, having to be put down.

This forum is full of sad cases for dogs with all sorts of health issues, which could have been minimised had the owners known the parents of the pups, & what problems the parents may have, be they pure breds or crosses.

A big :D to all those DOL's who gave me some positive advice regarding my friends rescue dog with the car sickness problem. I have passed all the info on to her, & fingers crossed, we will soon have her travelling like a pro. If she can sort this out with her dog, then that will help the others from the litter too, that have the same problem. Someone mentioned that I was a little harsh in my description of the dog. I only described her as the RSPCA Rescue centre described her to my friend. But I believe she is very sweet & quiet, & I am dying to meet her. Hopefully she will be able to get her to training this week, somehow. I will let all you positive DOL's know how she gets on, if we have success

[Crisovar]

I would have thought (& I admit that I am no rocket scientist) that if you choose a puppy, or better still, let the breeder choose a puppy for you, which they think is suitable, from a litter where you know the parents & you know the parents are relatively free from allergies, sensitivities & joint problems etc, that you would have a far better chance of getting a healthy dog. Compared to one whose parentage is pot luck & has probably started it's poor little life in a puppy farm or someones backyard where the neighbour's entire male has jumped the fence & mated with some bitch whose owners "havn't got around to desexing ", or just wanted their dog to have pups because "it would be a wonderful experience for the kids". :D If people were more responsible with how they breed & what they breed & we could get rid of puppy farms & BYB's then we wouldn't have so many pets ending up in rescue centres, or worse still, having to be put down.

This forum is full of sad cases for dogs with all sorts of health issues, which could have been minimised had the owners known the parents of the pups, & what problems the parents may have, be they pure breds or crosses.

A big :D to all those DOL's who gave me some positive advice regarding my friends rescue dog with the car sickness problem. I have passed all the info on to her, & fingers crossed, we will soon have her travelling like a pro. If she can sort this out with her dog, then that will help the others from the litter too, that have the same problem. Someone mentioned that I was a little harsh in my description of the dog. I only described her as the RSPCA Rescue centre described her to my friend. But I believe she is very sweet & quiet, & I am dying to meet her. Hopefully she will be able to get her to training this week, somehow. I will let all you positive DOL's know how she gets on, if we have success

Car sickness can be managed and usually is not a permanent issue, I don't understand what the big deal is.

In my experience any dog no matter how well bred can suffer car sickness. I guess that is why people are puzzled? at your post.

Edited November 26, 2010 by Crisovar

[sheena]

I would have thought (& I admit that I am no rocket scientist) that if you choose a puppy, or better still, let the breeder choose a puppy for you, which they think is suitable, from a litter where you know the parents & you know the parents are relatively free from allergies, sensitivities & joint problems etc, that you would have a far better chance of getting a healthy dog. Compared to one whose parentage is pot luck & has probably started it's poor little life in a puppy farm or someones backyard where the neighbour's entire male has jumped the fence & mated with some bitch whose owners "havn't got around to desexing ", or just wanted their dog to have pups because "it would be a wonderful experience for the kids". If people were more responsible with how they breed & what they breed & we could get rid of puppy farms & BYB's then we wouldn't have so many pets ending up in rescue centres, or worse still, having to be put down.

This forum is full of sad cases for dogs with all sorts of health issues, which could have been minimised had the owners known the parents of the pups, & what problems the parents may have, be they pure breds or crosses.

A big to all those DOL's who gave me some positive advice regarding my friends rescue dog with the car sickness problem. I have passed all the info on to her, & fingers crossed, we will soon have her travelling like a pro. If she can sort this out with her dog, then that will help the others from the litter too, that have the same problem. Someone mentioned that I was a little harsh in my description of the dog. I only described her as the RSPCA Rescue centre described her to my friend. But I believe she is very sweet & quiet, & I am dying to meet her. Hopefully she will be able to get her to training this week, somehow. I will let all you positive DOL's know how she gets on, if we have success

Car sickness can be managed and usually is not a permanent issue, I don't understand what the big deal is.

In my experience any dog no matter how well bred can suffer car sickness. I guess that is why people are puzzled? at your post.

:D If you read my original post it wasn't about car sickness, it was a comment regarding minimising chances of getting a puppy with health problems by buying from a breeder with good healthy dogs (see my comment above). The car sickness problem my friend has with her rescue pup was not the issue, but some kind DOL's have given me some good advise on the matter. I mentioned that I havn't met the dog yet, as she hasn't been able to get it down her driveway, & for medical reasons, I havn't been able to drive since pup arrived. I never said that car sickness was hereditery, but I wouldn't be surprised, that it did run in the family, seeing that all the pups have the same problem. Maybe the parents had the problem when they were pups :D And I never said that getting a registered dog from any old breeder would garantee a problem free life. It is a known fact that if you breed together dogs that have allergies, sensitivities or joint problems, you will end up with some pups with the same problems...not necessarily car sickness, but I can't see why not.

[GeckoTree]

Life is like a box of chocolates.

[sheena]

Life is like a box of chocolates.

I agree........but we do have some choices to make life a little easier, for us & our furry friends. :D