Car Sick Puppy

[Stacey]

I am not sure if it is anxiety making my 14 week old car sick or just motion sickness, but he gets very stressed in the car and throws up. It does not happen every car ride but it is becoming most car rides.

Did anyone else have this issue with their doodle puppy? Any pointers on helping him get iver it.

He does not ride in a carrier. We use a seatbelt clip with a harness. I want the little guy to enjoy the car and go around with me everywhere.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Had this with one of my doodles--take short trips and gradually increase--go slow around corners--use back seat, not rear cargo area if you have an SUV--feed lightly before trips and check with vet to see if you can give them dramamine or Bonine for nausea. This was what I did with my dog and after a few months she was better--she is still not thrilled with car rides but does not get sick. 

[Stacey]

Thank you for the reply. He is okay for very short trips. More then 2 miles and he starts getting stressed. I will ask the vet about Bonine.

I wanted to train this dog for therapy work but I am thinking he might need the therapy :).

[Karen Kramer]

Our dog (now 10 months) also gets car sick.  He does fine on anything less than 15 min....any longer and he starts drooling really bad and eventually throws up.  Right now, we are where we can take a 30 min car ride....he drools like crazy, but no vomiting.  We just try to take short trips frequently to get him used to it.  I do believe it is motion sickness for our dog rather than anxiety....as he is SUPER excited to go for a ride!  We also always try to make the place we are going a fun one so that he continues to like rides even if he doesn't feel the greatest.  We do not feed him within 2 hours before the ride.  I tried giving him ginger snaps (ginger is supposed to help settle stomachs), but he doesn't really like them.  Overall, I think it is just a patience thing....short rides at first with lots of praise....and gradually make them longer as long and he can tolerate them.  Sorry there is not an easy solution....as we are still trying to overcome this as well.  Good luck!  

[Stacey]

Our Rapha drools like crazy before getting sick in the car as well.  i was wondering if the drool is making him  sick.

Ginger is an interesting idea.  I will ask our vet about it.  I get motion sickness and finer helps me.

If I can get him to go 30 minutes without getting sick it will be good.  We live on an island, so that would cover most trips.   He has done 45 minutes before without getting sick.  But he was on my husbands lap (still attached to the seatbelt with his harness).  So he was elevated looking out the window and being held.  

[Lynette Main]

Shea is the only one of my three that yacks.I have to make sure he hasn't had ANY food or water before we set out in the car.I have a convertible so he usually has his head out the top.None of mine ever put their heads out the side windows.Maybe that is what makes yours sick.When they were little I went on short trips ,around the block ,then to the store.I haven't done any hours or more though.I remember my Mother taking her dog on car rides,Dad drove and Mom sat in the back seat with a small bucket,how pleasent.HAHA   Good luck.