My 5 Month Old Puppy Gets Carsick Every Single Time We Go for a Ride....

Updated on February 24, 2009
S.U. asks from Raleigh, NC
18 answers

I am stumped... I've had 10 dogs in my life and they all loved the car. I cannot remember any of them ever throwing up in the car. My 5 m.o. doodle pup throws up every time she rides in the car. Today she even pooped too! She's nervous while riding, hence the poop I'm sure, but the queasy tummy has got to go. Any suggestions? Hopefully this is just a phase? I'd love to have her be able to enjoy going places like all my other dogs have!

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G.H.

answers from Memphis on

Wait at least 1hr. after eating or drinking and then just sit in the car while it is running. Maybe it's not the movement but the car sounds that upset the pup.

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B.E.

answers from Asheville on

My sister-in-law gives her dog Dramamine. Try calling PetSmart and talk to them. They can probably steer you in the right direction. B. E.

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B.R.

answers from Louisville on

HI! I'm a Veterinarian. There is a newer drug out called Cerenia and it is a tablet you give about one hour before car rides and it helps with the vomitting. It works great and is designed exactly for carsickness. Ask your Vet for the Cerenia.

1 mom found this helpful

C.R.

answers from Charleston on

You might want to wait a little while longer before taking the puppy for a ride. Sometimes when they can't see what is going on outside they have no balance and that is what makes them not feel so well. You can also try holding him/her up to look out the window and just do quick trips around the block to get him/her used to riding and the turns. Good luck.

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K.D.

answers from Raleigh on

You might try a homeopathic remedy for anxiety 15 minutes before your next trip and see if that helps. You can look at Whole Foods and see which remedy matches her symptoms the best and put the pellet under her tongue. I know an arthritis remedy in my dog's water has been helping her.

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C.R.

answers from Nashville on

I have a basset hound that i now 2 yrs. old. She gets carsick as well. We hd hoped that she would grow out of it but unfortunately that has not happened. We got her when she was 6 weeks old and drove about 200 miles to get her home. She was fine on that trip....but since then it has been a nightmare. WE have to give her dramamine about 30 minutes to an hour before travel. We also make sure that she does not eat before we take her somewhere. We thought that maybe it was due to the type of vehicle and where she was riding in it. She has thrown up in my car (rides in the floor even when there is plenty of room on the seat). We have had her in our 4 door truck, and a 2 door truck. The theory is that if they will look out and see things as they are riding that they will not get sick. It is supposed to be the motion without sight that makes them sick. There may be something to that. If we take her in the 2 door truck, as long as she has not eaten before the trip and my kids are in there as well and there is no room to move (this forces her to lay in their laps and uts her even with the window), she seems to do better; however, we have just not wanted to test her without the medicine as we are usually travelling around 200 miles when she goes with us. The carsickness is very unfortunate as we plan to get an RV and travel the country...maybe this vehicle will be big enough that she won't think she is in something moving?! Lucky for us, our male basset is fine and loves to ride!

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C.R.

answers from Knoxville on

When I was young all of us kids would get carsick as well as the dog. My parents would give all of us dramimine. Check with the vet to see if this is still considered safe and the appropiate dosage.

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D.C.

answers from Johnson City on

Hi S.. Your dog will probably never get over it, but there are some things we tried with ours that have helped a little. Our dog is claustrophobic and he used to vomit/diarrhea in a Cavalier. The vet gave us some med to give an hour before going on trips. The first one we gave to him, he fell to the floor, losing all control of his muscles. My husband had to put him in the car. We upgraded to a Durango and the first few short trips we took, he did fine. WE are military and travel at least 1,000 miles to get back home to family for vacations. We were putting him in the back of a pickup truck every night taking them to the desert to chase wild jackrabbits. After a year of these short daily trips, he managed a 200 mile trip to go cammping or something just fine, but longer trips, he still got sick. WE don't feed him the night before we leave - which is hard with his brother being a food pig. He is also scared of being without me for over 4 hours. He still drools like mad and drenches his brother, causing the vehicle to smell like wet dog for weeks after.
Nothing really cures it, but the short daily trips will help. His brother is the total opposite. You lower the tailgate on the truck and he jumps in, tail wagging. Open any car door - yours or a visitor and he jumps in, ready to go for a ride. They are litter mates. He actually did get car sick on a bumpy ride through Memphis road construction once, but it didn't phase him at all.
I wouldn't even bother with the drugs. The vet told us they work for some and not for others.
Good luck
-D.

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J.S.

answers from Raleigh on

I was a vet tech for years, and have seen this before. Try this...

First, let her play in the car in the driveway with the doors open. This will allow her to get over some of the car anxiety she has.taking her for rides around the

Then, take her for several "around the block" or "up and down the street" rides.

Make sure she isn't in a crate/cage when she is in the car, because the eyes/inner ear/and brain get confused if she cannot set her sights on the horizon.

If she is still having problems, give her a break for a couple of months, and try it again. Most will overcome it, but I have seen a few cases where the animal just never outgrow it and the owner's end up resorting to sedatives for long family trips.

Hope this helps!

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S.R.

answers from Lexington on

I feel your pain! I had a German Shepherd that LOVED to be in the car that I lost almost 2 years ago. I have another German Shepherd that wants to go but doesn't do so well in the car. I have been told to try dramamine and ginger. I tried the dramamine and did not have much success. I did not try the ginger but understand that it has a calming effect for their bellies - you may want to try it. My vet told me that most dogs will outgrow it you just have to keep trying them in the car. My Shepherd I have now is a year and a half and she is getting much better in the car. It was painful for the first year but it does get better. Keep trying and it should start to subside.

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M.B.

answers from Louisville on

My dog was like that. You have to make a lot of very short trips at first. Like just drive around the block and then praise the puppy when you make it home mess free. Do that several times. Increase the duration of the trip just a little at a time. Make sure puppy goes to the bathroom before hand and NO eating or drinking before any car trip. My dog still has an uneasy tummy, but he can make a long car trip if he has NO food and very little water and LOTs of stops to stretch and potty. If my dog has a car trip any time that day we wont feed him at all until we're back from the car trip. Your puppy will get better-when he understands there's nothing to be scared of. Also try letting some fresh air in the car while he's in there-just don't roll it down all the way-might try to escape. ;O)

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A.C.

answers from Charlotte on

Give it some dramamine about 30 minutes before you are ready to leave. It should work.

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T.C.

answers from Nashville on

I have a spitz that does this. We have just learned to not feed her before we go out. She has not outgrown it. Sorry!

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E.M.

answers from Louisville on

talk to your vet i think i have heard they have some meds that can help with that. congrats on your new baby we also have a new addition shes only 3 months old tho

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H.J.

answers from Lexington on

Our dog was closer to 5 years old, but our vet said to give her Benadryl (I don't remeber the dose) and it worked great.

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K.P.

answers from Fayetteville on

Agreeing with Jennifer, this may be due to anxiety. In addition to riding around the block, take trips with FUN rewards, like, not just to the vet. Maybe to the park or something. I admit, I took my dog to the McDonald's drive thru! Our McDonald's would give out little dog treats, but she also got some french fries. It worked!

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V.C.

answers from Wheeling on

We had a German Shepherd once who got sick on the ride from her birth home to our home (at 4 months of age). She had a litter of pups before we got her spayed, and all of THEM got sick on their way to their new homes. The only time we ever took her anywhere again was TO get spayed, and she got sick on the way there. I guess it's hereditary, but hopefully you can accustom her to travel if you take her out a lot!

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A.B.

answers from Savannah on

Start out just going and sitting in the car w/out driving. maybe 5-10min. then give a treat when you get out. always walk ur pup for at least 10 min b4 hand. Go slow & build up, around the block, 5 min the first time then 10 & so on. and always give a treat when u get out. make sure its been a couple of hours since feeding b4 u travel. if all else fails at petsmart they have natural calming meds, or ask ur vet & they can give u aceprozamine(spelling?). give a half hour b4 u travel. once the pups full grown, depending on size half a childrens chewable dramamine.

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