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Our cattle dog x gets horribly car sick... Just after some suggestions we can try to help him

So far we have tried ginger tablets, several homeopathic remedies, DAP spray, crating, long and short tethers, leaving him loose in the back, fasting, and we also took him to a vet Chiro who found an atlas/TMJ problem, unfortunately none of these have worked

It could be anxiety related but we have trouble even getting him in the car for treats.... I'm at a loss, sometimes he is sick within 10 minutes, other times it's an hour or so

We think he is about 14 months or so, he is a rescue

Sorry if this makes no sense, I'm on my iPhone at the moment

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Hi, Our previous GSD suffered with car sickness for about 2 years. He was the same, 5 mins in the car or could be 30 mins later. We had to just wait it out. We didn't feed him at all if we were taking him in the car for fun or other reason. He slowly got better with time but it was about 2years and he was terrible then all of a sudden it started to disappear. Good luck, we were lucky at least we had a wagon for the car and just put a piece of rubber matting down in the back for easy clean.

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How does he travel in the car? The only puppy I have ever sold that got carsick was one that was put into a harness. She was fine in the back of my wagon when I borrowed her to show but always got sick in the owners car. They tried leaving her loose on the back seat for a couple of months and were then able to put her back in the harness.

Also, is you car auto or manual? I have no idea if this applies to dogs or not but I get carsick as a passenger in manual cars but not autos.

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OK Here's what the vet suggested I did when I first got my mature westie girl who was very very carsick when I first got her... couldn't go near the car without being violently ill.

The aim of these steps is for her to associate the car with good things and reduce anxiety... repeat each step until its obvious the dog is OK and less anxious and obviously not vomitting.

1. Open a car door and sit in the car - call and give treat when she approaches. If she won't approach, walk towards the car from a distance and give treats until you get there.

2. When she's doing step one consistently, you get in the car, pick her up when she approaches, put her on your lap (or on the seat next to you if she's too big) and give her a treat and a cuddle.

3. Same again but with door closed. Treat.

4. Same again with harness or whatever on - car still not on or moving at this point. Treat.

5. When dog can sit in car without being sick or anxious, start the car and idle in the drive. Treat.

6. When she can sit in the idling car OK, back up the drive - no further. Treat. Back down the drive. Treat.

7. Drive up and down the drive a number of times. Treat.

8. Drive up the street and back. Treat

9. Drive around the block. Treat.

10.Drive to park. Treat immediately you get there and again when you get home.

11.Drive to vet (not for appointment), take her in and say hello. Treat. Drive home. Treat.

12.Drive to somewhere else pleasurable eg a friends house who you have cued up beforehand. Treat. Drive home. Treat.

13. Gradually increase the distance. Treat.

14. Repeat steps 10 - 14 reducing treats until you don't need to use them any more. (This will happen very quickly by this stage).

15. Reinforce frequently by taking her on as many pleasurable trips as possible.

I know this looks laborious but I promise this works and its a darn sight better than a sick dog everytime you want to go somewhere... so worth the effort IMO.

Sarah now runs to the car when its obvious we are going out, tolerates the car well and she can now go on long car trips without being sick. And she hasn't needed treats for years.

The trick is to take really small baby steps to build confidence and associate the car with pleasure (treat and destination).

Hope this helps. Good luck and will be very interested in how you get on. :)

Edited by westiemum
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Cover his eyes. Many moons ago I had a Cocker Spaniel which was TERRIBLY motion sick. One day his snood slipped over his eyes during the journey and he arrived non-chucked and quite happy. From then on, his snood was put over his eyes or he was situated in the vehicle where he couldn't see out and he arrived as cool as a cucumber.

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We have only done a couple of quick trips to the park at off peak time and no spew, so thats good

Good point Ellz on the snood, I have just ordered him a calming cap from clean run so hopefully that will have a positive effect (if he leaves it on)

Rascal I have tried him in the front.....now there is a nice stain on the front seat of my fiance's ute lol

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Vitamin B6 can sometimes have a big effect on travel sickness. A B Complex with good levels of B6 is even better as the complex assists with stress.

I have used the Blackmores brand, which seems tasty and many dogs enjoy, one of each a little while before a trip, or half for a small dog. Some powdered vitamin C can also be given, especially for long trips. I give it the day before and the day of a long trip if a dog is a bit stressy.

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Guest lavendergirl

Sounds like a long shot but I read somewhere that someone gave their dog a gingernut biscuit before travelling in the car :D

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