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Car Sickness


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Jesse has been getting carsick since we got her, and threw up both days while traveling to bring her home. They said that puppies do that, but will usually outgrow it. I have Googled it, and it all says the same thing, she will probably out grow it, and it is because of their ears not being balanced quite yet.

I suffered horribly with sickness as a child, and still have to keep my eyes on the road, so I have great sympathy for this girl. She gives zero warning, can be sound asleep, lift her head and bluckkkkkk. Then she sleeps again.

Is there anything natural that I can try ? I don't want her to get to the point of nervousness for rides, as she will be traveling a lot. Dramamine is suggested as a last resort, but says it knocks her out for the day. I don't want that. I take Dramamine and ginger pills when flying or on fair type rides.

Any ideas on what we might try ?

Karen

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You can - generally - give most human car sickness aids to dogs. Check with your vet about safety for a young puppy though, and be sure to read the ingredients for xylotol or other dangerous things. Make sure she can see out, and it isn't too hot in the car. Dramamine did nothing for my puppy, and didn't make her noticably sleepy either.

 

I would also say, if it's not upsetting her, it probably won't cause any lasting psychological trauma. Lilly was horribly car sick as a puppy, yet she still ran right out and jumped in the car whenever we needed to go somewhere.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

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I've had a couple of carsick puppies. Both grew out of it when they were about a year old. (I also had a carsick senior Greyhound. She never did get better.)

 

I've tried _everything_ for car sickness, from ginger to anti-static straps on the car. The only thing that worked with some reliability was Gravol, the original formula, not the ginger version. It can make a dog sleepy, although it didn't bother Daisy. You'll need to check the dosage with a vet.

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Try giving her ginger snap cookies. If they don't work you can always eat them. Ginger naturally settles a person's or in this case a dog's stomach. If it is mild it will probably work. A couple of cookies a half hour before the car ride.

 

If you Have a Trader Joe's in you area I would get the cookies there because they have pieces of ginger in them. If not get a box at the local supermarket.

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my welsh terrier used to get terribly car sick. my advice, use a crate, line the seat with plastic andnewspaper and it will eventually go away. i couldn't back out of my driveway with out him pooping, make it to the main street(1 block away) with out vomiting! i persisted and took him everywhere, cleaned the car daily and a long 6 hr trip to vermont when he was around 9 months old was the end of his carsickness. my daughter who was in 5th grade graphically remembers her experiences sitting with willie to this day- she is 33! and yes she has a ton of compassion for her dog who gets car sick. her recent haul from san antonio to Vancouver and back cured her dog of the problem.

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I wouldn't worry too much. Don't feed her before car trips. Won't stop her from feeling nauseous, but may keep her from vomiting. You could also try a crate or car seat that she's strapped into higher up so she can see outside. Don't know if it helps dogs, but always helped me to be able to look outside as we were moving.

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Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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I love the ginger snap idea, and am going to Trader Joe's today as a matter of fact. It is hard to not feed her prior to going places, as we usually just go on the spur of the moment, not really planning too much.

Nice to hear she will probably out grow it too, I sure hope so. We have several road trips planned, and she has to go with us. I don't want her to be miserable.

Yesterday she was on my lap asleep when she threw up. The AC was on and she just raised her head and barfed. No warning. Poor thing.

Karen

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If you're going on a longer trip, then I would talk to your vet about using something like Dramamine.

gallery_12662_3351_862.jpg

Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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I love the ginger snap idea, and am going to Trader Joe's today as a matter of fact. It is hard to not feed her prior to going places, as we usually just go on the spur of the moment, not really planning too much.

Nice to hear she will probably out grow it too, I sure hope so. We have several road trips planned, and she has to go with us. I don't want her to be miserable.

Yesterday she was on my lap asleep when she threw up. The AC was on and she just raised her head and barfed. No warning. Poor thing.

Karen,

 

It is the same idea as drinking warm ginger ale if you stomach is upset and there are other forms of ginger you could try, but I always say the cookie because if they don't work you can eat them.

 

It usually depends how severe the nausea is as to whether the cookies work or not.

 

I agree if simple things like cookies don't work then you will have to try meds for now. However, both people and animals can outgrow it.

 

Good luck

 

Dick

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