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.

[Marine_By_Choic]

Travel Calm, Quiet Moments, or any other "natural" product works best if given at least 30-60 minutes before the event happens (starting a trip, fireworks, etc). Waiting until you are loading the dog in the car seems to be too late.

[mikestock]

Our next planned trip in the RV is about 240 miles and, as I stated originally, my wife purchasrd "Travel Calm".

Once we commit to this remedy and hit the road I would not want to add any other drug into her system. If this doesn't work, we will have to look for the next option on the return trip.

For trip we made yesterday of about 135 miles we gave her half of a Pepcid. It was a mizerable trip for her. We made two 15 minute stops during the 2-1/2 hour trip, but nothing helped her.

[otis-agnes]

Penny would get sick about a mile into the ride. She can now go about 5 miles no problem, but when we go for longer rides, she gets a Cerenia pill. Agnes

[dturm]

There are several medications that are excellent for motion sickness. Depending on severity the OTC calming agents mentioned and dramamine can work for many. Some of the more severe cases may need a stronger prescription medication, Cerenia, Zofran or metoclopramide.

If anxiety is the major issue, there are also prescription meds specifically for that, benzodiazepines (valium, ativan, alprazolam), clomipramine, prozac. As a last resort acepromazine (I've found most meds work better with less sedation).

The training or desensitization mentioned will help also.

Doug, DVM

[Heyjerry]

mikestock wrote:
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.

We have a jack russel that almost hyperventilates when going anywhere in a car, let alone taking in RV. Tried everything from putting his pen in bathroom and covering pen, to wife holding him on lap. Just won't settle down. Makes so much noise I even had tried muzzling him. Only humane thing now is put pen back in bathroom, give him a zquil a hour b4 we leave and keep a radio on high. Sounds terrible but only way to head down road!! We cannot leave him cause he has issues! We purchased Rv so we can take and go. We knew it was going to be a challenge.

[Tom_Diane]

Our Sam was a 2 year old Shi-poo when we got him a year ago in January. He got sick in the truck on the way home from his hell hole!, We tried to get him accustomed to the riding.
We tried the Travel capsules but they did make him more relaxed but did not stop the motion sickness! I asked the vet and he gave me 2 Dramamine pills and told us to give him half and see how he handles it and if he gets sick, give him the other half.
Well we gave him the half and took him about 35 miles to the dog groomer. Made it all the way to the groomer, until we pulled into the parking lot and he lost it!
We gave him the other half for the trip home, he got sick again.
We were patient, I read about just taking short rides, like around the block. We did this and before we started out,we just put him in the vehicle and sat with him and talked calmly with him. We would stretch those rides out and within 2 weeks he was riding, no pills and kept the rides as short as possible and in fact he rides on the console next to me in the truck see he can see where he is going. He still had an occasion or two that he got sick but we were making headway! He wont sit in the back seat unless we have a grandkid or 2 with us. Now he enjoys the rides and when we are going through towns at lower speeds, he will get in the passenger seat and want to stick his head out the window!
One thing I read that I think really got the job done for him was keep your dog facing the front!
One of his last events was when I took him on a random 5 mile trial and we did good until I did the big U-turn to return home and he got sick just as I turned. There is too much motion all at once when he would sit on my wife's lap facing the side window.
All total, about 5 weeks or less and he rides 2 and 300 mile trips and never gets sick and like I said, he enjoys the view from the console!
I would advise to be patient and don't scold him! I bet he wants to ride. As we drove while working with Sam, we made sure he did not turn to look out the side windows. I think that confidence builder for him! Good luck! Just an aside, the vet didn't want me car train him on Dramamine and suggested using it only 50% of the time if he was to get to a point where he could go a little!
The grand kids get a kick out of seeing him on that console, when I turn a corner or go around a sharp curve I say "lean into it Sammy", and darned if he doesn't lean the way he is supposed to so he doesn't slide off his perch!

[CA_POPPY]

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?

[Mr__Camper]

Of our last four fuzzy kids only one had difficulty riding in the truck. We took her for rides in the back yard then down to the lake and finally into town. Two months later we took all of them up to the mountains and let them run and play in a big meadow. She wasn't much for playing but riding in the truck was no longer a problem.

[Earl_E]

Our former dog always got car sick and the vet gave him Acepromazine. Worked like a charm. It was quite sedating, so the dog would just curl up and go to sleep...but easily wake up to go outside when we would take breaks. None of the natural stuff worked.

[Murphsmom]

I would definitely check with your vet for the latest in motion sickness help. Our Golden, Gus, took Dramamine when he was young on the recommendation of our vet. This was well over ten years ago, though. He did eventually grow out of it, but as a pup he would start to get sick in the first three blocks from home. Some sort of tranquilizer might also work for you.