Carsick Dog

[geepy]

My pup only gets sick when my DH drives.

(I do also)

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
ok, first, stop babying her in the car. No coddling and petting and "oh it will be ok" That actually serves to make her anxious and make her think that there is something to be nervous about.
So, even if she isn't anxious, you can quickly make her that way. Constantly licking lips is actually a sign of nervousness. Does she do that before the drooling starts?

she is throwing up because her stomach is COMPLETELY empty, which by itself is enough to make many dogs throw up, even without the added car ride. That is why all the bile. If you are going to be going somewhere early in the morning, still give her at least a handful of kibble. Just a few bites to settle her stomach when she gets up in the morning. (Think pregnant lady eating crackers for morning sickness)

Work with short rides and get her accustomed to the motion of the car. Put her in the back seat or in a crate. Many dogs that get carsick are ok in a vari-kennel.

It's likely a combination of things. Puppy-ness that she will outgrow. Too much/too little on her stomach. Just plain motionsickness

Try the ginger snaps. Ignore her in the car, but keep an eye on her. When you see her start drooling, offer her a bite or 2 of the cookie. Ginger is a homeopathic remedy for carsickness. Short car rides. Seriously short - put her in the car and drive a mile. Stop have a play session. Get back in the car to go home. If she starts drooling sooner or is acting nervous, just drive around the block.

Watch for signs of nervousness. excessive licking (even drooling can be a sign of nerves, but can also be a sign up upset stomach). tensed body. how she is holding her ears.

Talk to your vet about carsickness meds if nothing else works. Even then, there is a chance she will eventually grow out of it.

ETA: I re-read your post. If she starts drooling the second she gets in the car, that IS likely nerves. Start off just getting in the car, turn it on and go to the end of the driveway, even if it's 20 feet. Park and lesson over for today. Again, no coddling or babying in the car. That tells her that she is right to be nervous and upset.

 

[Godsgrl]

I've heard that giving your dog some vanilla ice cream before leaving prevents motion sickness. I've never had to try it though. Good luck.

 

[zzGypsy]

ginger snaps... intersting idea.

I'll just add this thought... I've used ginger root for motion sickness, however I've found it only works on me if I take it 10 minutes or more BEFORE I start to feel sick. if I'm already queazy it's too late and it doesn't work. from that standpoint I might give a cookie 1o minutes before getting in the car, rather than waiting until she starts to look green.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Agreed. Our younger GSD had horrible car sickness when he was younger. He puked all the way home from the breeders in Texas, then puked every time we took him to the vet, every time we took him anywhere; even for a short ride.

We tried everything the vet and others had recommended. It got to the point that DH didn't want to take him anywhere anymore because of it. I knew that was only avoidance of the problem, not a fix. We kept trying and finally! he grew out of it.

Stock up on rolls of paper towels and Nature's Miracle.

 

[carolinagirl58]

Quote:
Agreed. Our younger GSD had horrible car sickness when he was younger. He puked all the way home from the breeders in Texas, then puked every time we took him to the vet, every time we took him anywhere; even for a short ride.

We tried everything the vet and others had recommended. It got to the point that DH didn't want to take him anywhere anymore because of it. I knew that was only avoidance of the problem, not a fix. We kept trying and finally! he grew out of it.

Stock up on rolls of paper towels and Nature's Miracle.

I am really happy to hear that pups may outgrow this. One of my Anatolians loves to ride in the car, the other one drools and will throw up if the trip is long enough. I'd be thrilled if he outgrows it. It will be kind of hard to get him to a dogshow with a nice clean coat if he doesn't.

 

[EweSheep]

When my parents and I had show collies, we had one that was a car puker. We gave him peppermint candy. It settled his stomach and he was fine.

 

[Creed Bennett]

She got over it. She still drools a little but it's no big deal. We had her spayed last week and she jumped in the car when we took her to the vet and jumped back in the car when we were taking her home. Vet said to keep her quite and calm. Yea right! She never missed a beat. She loves watching over the chickens when they are free ranging. She's a good dog and a real family member here now. Thanks for all the suggestions and comments all!