Curing car sickness?

Sarah W

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31 August 2010
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Hi All. I've got four dogs - 2 of which are fine in the car, one is so-so but the last (a year old terrier type female, just spayed) gets very, very sick in the car on anything over a 2 minute drive. Today we went to the vet to get her checked over after her op. and she threw up continually (so did I by the end!). Any ideas/remedies?
 
Is it because she's rarely in the car? I had a foul trip back from picking up the puppies as they threw up continually and carried on for about a week afterwards every time they went in the car, usually towards the end of the 10 minute journey.

They go in the car daily to go to the woods and I made a big effort to take them on short trips with the windows down. They're now fine (about 6 weeks later).

There's a new tablet out that is supposed to be amazing but medicating your dog is obviously not ideal!
 
Yes, she doesn't go in the car very often - and, as is usual, the first few car trips are to the nasty vet person! The window, or air con, doesn't really help although once there are people to look at she forgets about being sick!
 
You could try lots of little short journeys and build them up. Nervy dogs often do better in a travel box or crate with a rug thrown over it, cardboard underneath the dog is said to work too!
Feeding the dog in the car is also a good idea, so that the dog equates the car with being an awesome place to be.
 
Our vet said to do mini car trips as often as possible. If ours got over it within a week, perhaps yours would too? Can she see out of the window? I'm tons better (I hurl on ferries etc) if I can see where I'm going.
 
Grea suggestions already, just to add, peppermint/ginger are both natural anti sickness so maybe worth a try, my mam used to give one of our puppy shepherds a polo before travelling and it worked, but also the cardboard/newspaper as CC suggests is supposed to be good.

Try starting with parking the car and have her sit in the back and let her gnaw on a nice uncooked bone or kong filled with sardines, then gradually start to run the engine and let her have some goodies, maybe try and crate her in the back, with the cardboard/newspaper under her, then start with a 2 min journey and get her out for a play, and gradually increase the time, always to a nice run/walk and never feed her when you start to drive with her, except for the polo or ginger as she needs an empty tummy:D
 
Dash gets car sick too but is generally fine if I make sure he doesn't eat for at least an hour, preferably 2 before travelling.
 
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