Dog motion sickness

[mikestock]

Wejust adopted two young adult female Havanese. One gets severe motion sickness. Only took three blocks on the first trip in the motorhome. Return trip today was a nightmare. Tried everything we could think of, even up to letting her ride on the dash. My wife bought some Travel Calm, to try next outing.

Looking for any help or suggestions.

[mikestock]

While at the lake I got into my truck with her and she began drooling before I even started the engine. We sat in the truck for several minutes and she drooled continuously until got her out. This was not motion sickness. The vet gave us Trazadone to try next. If this doesn't work it will be benedril, next.

[eipo]

Benadryl is your friend. 1/2 a pill for anything under 20 pounds. 1 full pill up to 60 and anything over 1.5 pills.

Its usually anxiety, not the motion, that makes dogs sick in a vehicle. So settling their nerves is the wisest approach.

Ive been around dogs my entire life, coming from a family of obedience trainers. We had a dog some years ago that would literally hyperventilate during 4th of July and thunderstorms. My wife and I aren't ones for pushing pharmaceuticals so we used benadryl. Works like a charm.

[toedtoes]

My Moose-dog is a nervous rider. When he was a puppy, he'd get carsick on a slightly windy or hilly road. I found in the SUV, he had the least problems if he laid down in the back. It allowed him to see outside, but by laying down, he reduced the wobbly feeling. Standing up was the worst thing for him (he's a tall thin boy and doesn't have a solid center of gravity when standing). I made sure to always take turns and hills slowly so that he wouldn't feel those sensations, and kept him laying down as much as possible. That helped a lot.

When I got the clipper, he got real nervous when I started it up. On the road, he felt so much more movement in the RV than in the SUV and it was much louder. I did short trips with him and watched to see where he had the least response to the movements and noise. When he laid down on the couch, he was the least agitated. He could see me, see out the windows, and felt the least amount of movement. Now, 3+ years later, he loves going in the clipper. He still has some stress if we go over the rumble bumps, etc. - when that happens, he will get up and come stand by my driver seat and lean against me for a few minutes while I pet him; then I tell him to go back and lay down and he hops back on the couch and relaxes. For him, I have found that not letting myself get upset with him helps the most. If I'm calm and relaxed, then he realizes he can be too.

His sister is short and squat and has an iron-clad stomach and never reacts to anything other than seeing people on her street (yes, if she's on it, it's HER street).

[mikestock]

We don't smoke and we don't chew and we don't go with the girls that do.

[colliehauler]

Are either of you smoker's?

[mikestock]

She made the entire trip lying in the back seat with my wife and pretty much unable to see anything outside. She began severe drooling before I even started the engine but managed about an hour, until we got on some rough and curvy, country roads. We made it to within about three miles of our destination. Dogs react to an upset stomach almost like a human. Throwing up is accompanied by drooling and slobbering.

The interesting thing was that the Travel Calm didn't seem to have an effect. The when she lost it we found out why. The chopped up pill and the chunk of cheese we had melted it into still in one chunk. That was a good three hours after we gave it to her.

I have seen a lot of products recommended here and appreciate everyone, but for now it seems that getting the medicine digested into her system is job one.

[CA_POPPY]

Having tried all these suggestions, I wonder if there is a different way to go. When I was a child I had motion sickness something terrible. Folks finally figured out it was the view of scenery flying by that tripped the "URP" button in my head. They had me travel lying on the back seat so as to not have that visual stimulation and it worked. Have you tried having the dog in a soft crate with a towel or blanket over it so she can't see any movement? It's worth a try.

[mikestock]

Tried "Travel Calm" yesterday on a 75 mile trip. Lerge pill for a small dog. Wrapped it in a piece of melted cheese and gave it to her about 90 minutes before leaving. Almost made the destination but hit a section of bumpy road and she lost it. Found the cheese, almost completely intact, after 3 hours, with the crunched up pill inside.

Since she loves oatmeal, I plan to crush the pill completely in a little of that, for the return trip and see if she can digest it.

[Toolguy5]

Our vet told us to use benedril. We give Pickles a 1/2 pill about a hour before we travel. Seams to help a lot.

Although she is starting to get use to traveling. We make sure she does not eat in morning that we travel.

[CA_POPPY]

Interesting, Deb. You make a good point that we never know what connections they are making in that little pea brain of theirs. We can't explain as we would to a two legged kid. Good idea to try to see the problem the way the dog does. Poquita was so rock solid she spoiled us for the next two little girls.
Thanks for the feedback.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

CA POPPY wrote:
Our Darcy (min-pin) Does not get motion sickness, but is greatly upset by roads that are "noisy" or bumpy. Ridged pavement that rumbles or concrete streets that cause a singing effect get her almost apoplectic. She is not a nervous dog, otherwise. Her harness is tethered back on a sofa bed, I don't want her up in the cab with us as it might not be as safe. She really does not enjoy riding in our class B like our previous dogs did. Any suggestions?

If she's fearful, careful driving (avoid those rumble strips as much as possible) and probably something to calm her for a long trip, would help? I found some tabs called "Comforting" or something like that, that really help Ben get through the 4th of July - the trick is to give it a couple of hours before the anticipated "stress" happens? Jimmy would get bug-eyed over rumble strips - once so badly I simply had to pull over and walk him until he settled. But a few days later I made a game of it - I would imitate the sound (as best I could) and then laugh. A few days later I'd just barely clip a rumble strip for a second - and laugh. (No - I was NOT doing this on a busy road!) By making rumbles "funny" - it seems to have de-escalated his reaction to them to a momentary look of dislike crossing his face - no more bugged eyes and hyper-panting.

I have had 2 dogs that wanted to "bite" oncoming cars as they passed. One was my daughter's Bernie-doodle - she had warned me that he was an idiot in the car when she asked me to pick him up from the groomers one day. All I did was slip a choke collar/leash over his head, gave him a yank when he tried to bite a car, told him "down" and enforced it. Problem solved - at least for ME. The other was my old Aussie Nick, who somehow got buzzed up by the whoosh of passing cars. Keeping the window on the left side closed; and putting him in a down-stay kept our trips enjoyable.

And regarding motion sickness - Jimmy was my first puppy to have that. I took lots of short trips (and never after he had recently eaten); didn't make a big deal if he DID vomit..... and he simply grew out of it by 6 months. Thank goodness. It DID somehow, transfer a fear of the floorboards to him - I'm assuming because he got set on the floor to barf on the rubber mat, he has associated that spot with being sick to his stomach?? 🙂 Now, as a wise old dog, he will absolutely NOT touch the floorboard with his paws.....LOL!

[mikestock]

sue.t wrote:
When we first adopted Kodi, he stressed so much when in a vehicle that he would throw up. I tried various things to help with what I thought was car sickness, but it turned out to be just stress. After a few months of travel, he had no further issues. Now he is so relaxed, he sleeps when we travel.

It is really difficult to distinguish between fear and motion sickness. I don't think she fears the vehicle itselt, since she had been in and out for a week. Maybe it's different to her when we move to the front seats and all of the slides are in. I don't even know if the cause is relevant. We have to, somehow, get her relaxed when we start moving. We plan to start taking her on short car trips and hope the conditioning will carry over to the motorhome.

[sue_t]

When we first adopted Kodi, he stressed so much when in a vehicle that he would throw up. I tried various things to help with what I thought was car sickness, but it turned out to be just stress. After a few months of travel, he had no further issues. Now he is so relaxed, he sleeps when we travel.

[raindove]

I have tried the individual Bach Remedy Scleranthus and had it work for motion sickness in the car. I was looking on line for a link and saw that you can use Rescue Remedy also. I went and found the book I have that has a dog section in it. I just wanted to double check that it was Scleranthus for sure.

I have two books that are invaluable regarding the Bach Remedies.
Practical Uses and Applications of the Bach Flower Emotional Remedies by Jessica Bear.
Bach Flower Remedies for Animals by Helen Graham and Gregory Vlamis