Car Sickness: Another Alternative

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

For those of us who  have dogs suffering from car sickness due to anxiety here is something else to try.

This includes: Eyes to the Horizon Method.  Making the car ride a pleasant experience.  Sitting down in the car. 

Starlit gets car sick.  UGH.  We like to go everywhere with the dogs.  Even a 15 minute ride to the park put her into extreme anxiety and eventually she gets sick. 

Our neigbors have cured many rescue dobermans with this method.  It is working for us too.    Take frequent small trips.  Each trip for several weeks go somewhere with a reward.  Their method was to go to McDonald's Drive Thru and get a plain cheeseburger, minus the bun.  Then head back home. 

We don't do McDonald's but I have placed the bag of her favorite cookies on the dash board.  Her focus remains straight forward since she can't keep  her eyes off the bag of treats.  "The Eyes To The Horizon Method for Car Sickness"

Since our van is large Starlit tends to roam around and gets sea legs.   We use treats to have  her sit and stay in her seat.  Then place the bag back on the dashboard. 

Keep the trips short, sweet, and full of treats. 

Good Luck to all of us    :) 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I do hope this works for you. My mother's little dog has such anxiety about the car that I dislike taking her places. We just assumed our new guy would ride well - we have an RV for lots of trips that include dogs. Whew. I am so glad that being a good traveler is in his bag of accomplishments.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I thought we were doomed. Never going anywhere is just not our lifestyle. I was too afraid to feed or bring treats--understandable since feeding and puking are just not in the same sentence. But the treats are working.

No groomer, no vet, no bad places. Just a short ride and treats. Slowly.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good luck. Sounds good and I hope she'll get better with age too, don't we all ? : )

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

:) Yeah we do. You told me your dogs eventually grew out of this otherwise I think I would have given up a few weeks ago. I'm glad we are giving it another try. It just might work.

[F, Calla & Luca]

You'd better get a very big bag for the treats on the way to NJ. And SYTD--medicate her if necessary for such a long trip.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Mickey gets car sick when he goes around the block! For the 6 hour trip from their home to ours they have had to use dramamine. Helps him tremendously!
He is still an axious puppy mill boy. Whenever either of my kids leaves him (and one is still home) he lays at the door begging for them to come in. They are coming down here to FL next week and was so worried about his anxiety (he is staying with the other grandparents) that they took him to the vet to discuss this problem a few weeks ago. The vet's recommendation is a behaviorist and a low dose of Prozac. They couldn't get an appointment with the behaviorist until after they get back so they started him on the Prozac. Within a couple of days, he was a different dog. He goes thru his grandparents house with his tail up, explores their yard like it is his and even will approach another dog in the 'park' (a converted golf course so no fencing). He has NEVER approached another dog before! The Prozac seems to have allowed him not to be so anxious about everything and let his true personality come out. The meds have been a saving grace for him!!
It is not a cure, but he certainly helps. A combination of meds and a behaviorist will help Mickey be the incredible Doodle everywhere that he is when I see him at my house.

So Jo, if meds are what she needs to overcome whatever makes her so anxious, then GO FOR IT!!
You will make the right decision for Starlit - you always do!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Our old guy did get motion sick at first but he outgrew it with the normal/easy treatments of not feeding him before a trip and limiting his fluid. I do think most of them outgrow it. My mom's little dog has gotten worse with age but I think that as my mom has aged and become less active, Annie has just become my mom's anxiety doppleganger.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

It will get better....I promise! Guinness used to shake and vomit even on short trips as a puppy. We tried everything, and little by little he got over it. Now he can ride for quite a while without getting sick. He especially likes being in the back seat with his brother. For trips over an hour we have meds which work wonders and don't make him drowsy. I'm thinking at some point he (and Starlit) will totally outgrow it...paws crossed.

[F, Calla & Luca]

What medications do you use?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

My vet prescribed Cerenia. I was really worried about the six hours in the car when we went to New Jersey to bring Murphy home, but he did fantastic. He didn't vomit or drool, and he wasn't at all "doped up".

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks for the info. Like the "serene" in the name. I just looked it up on the Pfiaer website. It is an antiemetic, which works by preventing vomiting. Here the link:
Cerenia

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Interesting. Of course, prescription. Back to the vet next week.