Taking an o we weight dog on a long car ride will this hurt her

[chickenmama109]

Hi I have a over weight lab and I am taking her to the vet real soon for it but the vet is almost a hour away is there anything I should be worried about will she get hurt she loves car rides but she has never been on one this long I'm going to stop in the middle of the drive and let her walk around but cuz her weight could something happen

 

[HuskerHens18]

Getting IN and OUT will be your problems. Simply riding in the car is fine. You'll want to help her out slowly or she might hurt herself. Lifting her out would be safest, but if she's that overweight you may not be able to do that without hurting YOU.
Unless I'm missing something, if it's less than an hour away there is no need to stop halfway. I drive my dog 3 hours away and never stop unless he's beginning to whine and get fidgety, and that's not common.

 

[sourland]

With overweight dogs the possibility of a stress related heart attack exists, but it is minimal. Keep the air conditioner running, and she should be fine.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Could try essential oils or Bach remedies/Rescue Remedy.

 

[chickenmama109]

Thanks everyone

 

[EquiSally]

Your definition of overweight might matter in this case.

A general rule is that you should not be able to see your dogs ribs, but you should be able to feel them with fingertip pressure. Most* dog breeds (like labradors) should have a visible waist when looking down over the top line (birds eye view). Slightly overweight is not as detrimental as obese. Body condition scoring helps one to understand what level a dog is at.

Obese pets have increasing trouble with their joints as they age, so help them to get in and out of the car. Be very mindful of the heat wherever you are. It’s 91 degrees F here today but it was 104 yesterday. Fat pets overheat quickly and find it much more difficult to expel heat. Mine ride inside the car with the ac blasting.

Hopefully your dog is on heartworm prevention (they are rampant here in Texas). Heartworm positive dogs (depending on the case load) are more likely to have cardiac troubles.

There are so many variables to consider, but it’s worth taking your pup to see the vet. They see overweight pets everyday, and can work out a solution.

 

[chickenmama109]

Your definition of overweight might matter in this case.

A general rule is that you should not be able to see your dogs ribs, but you should be able to feel them with fingertip pressure. Most* dog breeds (like labradors) should have a visible waist when looking down over the top line (birds eye view). Slightly overweight is not as detrimental as obese. Body condition scoring helps one to understand what level a dog is at.

Obese pets have increasing trouble with their joints as they age, so help them to get in and out of the car. Be very mindful of the heat wherever you are. It’s 91 degrees F here today but it was 104 yesterday. Fat pets overheat quickly and find it much more difficult to expel heat. Mine ride inside the car with the ac blasting.

Hopefully your dog is on heartworm prevention (they are rampant here in Texas). Heartworm positive dogs (depending on the case load) are more likely to have cardiac troubles.

There are so many variables to consider, but it’s worth taking your pup to see the vet. They see overweight pets everyday, and can work out a solution.

Thanks yes you can not fill her ribs and she has no waste she is on heart worm prevention and she does have a little bit of a hard time getting in to car thanks everyone for your help

 

[nminusyplusm]

Could try essential oils or Bach remedies/Rescue Remedy.

As a counterpoint:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bach_flower_remedies#Effectiveness
"Effectiveness[edit]
In a 2002 database review of randomized trials Edzard Ernst concluded:

The hypothesis that flower remedies are associated with effects beyond a placebo response is not supported by data from rigorous clinical trials.[3]

All randomized double-blind studies, whether finding for or against the solutions, have suffered from small cohort sizes but the studies using the best methods were the ones that found no effect over placebo.[7][8] The most likely means of action for flower remedies is as placebos, enhanced by introspection on the patient's emotional state, or simply being listened to by the practitioner. The act of selecting and taking a remedy may act as a calming ritual.[3]

A systematic review in 2009 concluded:

Most of the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of BFRs has a high risk of bias. We conclude that, based on the reported adverse events in these six trials, BFRs are probably safe. Few controlled prospective trials of BFRs for psychological problems and pain exist. Our analysis of the four controlled trials of BFRs for examination anxiety and ADHDindicates that there is no evidence of benefit compared with a placebo intervention.[2]

A newer systematic review published in 2010 by Ernst concluded

All placebo-controlled trials failed to demonstrate efficacy. It is concluded that the most reliable clinical trials do not show any differences between flower remedies and placebos.[9]

Flower remedies are sometimes promoted as being capable of boosting the immune system, but "there is no scientific evidence to prove that flower remedies can control, cure or prevent any type of disease, including cancer.[10]"

and
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/bach-flower-remedies/