Dogs with motion sickness?

[morganwest95]

Hello. I did a quick search on the forum and didn't find anything about this topic. I have two dogs, and neither of them do very well in the truck once it starts getting twisty, turny, bouncy, or all three. I recently took them two hours up north to a lake, and both of them threw up in the back seat on the way up and the way down just because the highway was bumpy (87 and 260, my goodness, these freeways need some work). I've been reluctant to take them on any overlanding trips with me because of this, but I know they'd just love it if I could get them out there. Do any of you travel with pets that have motion sickness issues? Is there anything that helps?

Also, here is the dog tax before anyone asks.

 

[Billiebob]

They say car/motion sickness is caused by a sensitivity to a build up of static electricity. I know with humans a ground strap often solves the problem. For $10 what have you to lose.

 

[Billiebob]

Beyond that, do they love getting in the car? My guy loves the drive.

 

[morganwest95]

The orange guy is totally indifferent to the car, and the other one enjoys it when he knows he's going to the dog park or hiking. He does okay on the smooth freeways, but anything else and he doesn't seem like a big fan.

Also, Sampson is adorable.

 

[Billiebob]

thanks, try the ground strap thing, 1950s technology, worked wonders with my daughter

 

[Jostr]

I used to have a dog many years ago that would throw up every time she would ride inside the truck. Then one time I put her in the bed and she was fine till the end. No puke or any problems. I always wondered if the lack of wind blowing inside messed with her.

 

[loper]

Our old Lab gets so excited when he sees we're going for a ride he makes himself sick. Then if the road is twitchy, he gets sick again.
Dramamine works for him. We give him one before we start loading up (before he starts dorking out), and he's fine.

 

[oldmopars]

We have 2 dogs, a Chocolate Lab and a Lab Mutt. The Chocolate Lab (Millie) love the car and any ride. She goes crazy when we say "want to go for a ride", she runs out to the car or truck and wags her tail jumping till we open the door and she leaps in. The Mutt (Milton) is not as thrilled. He gets sick in the car.
For Milton we put him in a crate and cover it with a blanket. If he can't see out it helps. He still looks a bit under the weather but he does not puke.
I would give him a pill, but he hates them and it make giving them a pain in the rear.
I have several grounds straps, I may try that.

 

[Jinglebobjill]

Beyond that, do they love getting in the car? My guy loves the drive.

So cute

 

[Iridium]

OTC Benadryl or Diphenhydramine at 1mg per lb is safe and works a treat for motion sickness for dogs. Liquid works the fastest but is easily the messiest.

 

[Billiebob]

Do they ride loose ? Or in cages ?
Windows open ? or AC on ?

 

[USStrongman]

The same things that work for us work for them.
Fresh air or AC. In the summer especially, make sure the back of your rig is cool too.
Being able to see where they are going. Ever read a book on a curvy road in the back seat and not feel well? Same thing. Make sure they can see out if they choose.
The further back on whatever rig they are in, the more exaggerated the lateral and vertical movement is. Get them as close to the front as possible.
Dramamine works slightly differently than diphenhydramine. Both are antihistamines. While both induce reduction of the CNS to slow or stop histamine response, dramamine has two drugs – diphenhydramine and 8-chlorotheophylline. It is the latter that has an effect on vertigo effects which cause nausea.

Just took a 5 day, 7 hour one way trip to Taos Ski Valley with all 3 dogs. 175lbs, 63lbs and 20lbs. Add in my 300lbs, my wife and my 16yo daughter, and space was a premium for them in our JKU. Dramamine made a big difference in their comfort going through the northern New Mexico mountain areas. But, we had tons of AC, they could move if they wanted and we made water stops every 2 hours for them. Rotopax and a collapsible bowl made it easy and convenient.

 

[Desert Runner]

Hello. I did a quick search on the forum and didn't find anything about this topic. I have two dogs, and neither of them do very well in the truck once it starts getting twisty, turny, bouncy, or all three. I recently took them two hours up north to a lake, and both of them threw up in the back seat on the way up and the way down just because the highway was bumpy (87 and 260, my goodness, these freeways need some work). I've been reluctant to take them on any overlanding trips with me because of this, but I know they'd just love it if I could get them out there. Do any of you travel with pets that have motion sickness issues? Is there anything that helps?

Also, here is the dog tax before anyone asks.View attachment 154712

Question:

Are they related out of the same stud or dame (vernacular-soft), as growing up we had 2 females (mom/daughter-poodles) that ALWAYS got motion sickness, and the brother sometimes did also. Otherwise our family (mom/sister/me) have been blessed with other dogs over the years which loved going for rides, and never had a problem over a bumpy road or not. The phenomenon seems to be hit or miss, or in our case was genetic it seems. In the years after them, the German Short-hair Pointer(GSP) x2, Doberman x2, Britney Spaniel x1, and my now current dog a Belgian Melenois, have never been road sensitive.

Planning all those years ago helped mitigate the symptoms by withholding food and drink from the poodles, and if longer trips had to be done a little Dramamine from a tablet broken off.

PS: Even that did not always work out. All our family dogs get to ride the back seat, And were not kenneled.

 

[morganwest95]

Hello. I did a quick search on the forum and didn't find anything about this topic. I have two dogs, and neither of them do very well in the truck once it starts getting twisty, turny, bouncy, or all three. I recently took them two hours up north to a lake, and both of them threw up in the back seat on the way up and the way down just because the highway was bumpy (87 and 260, my goodness, these freeways need some work). I've been reluctant to take them on any overlanding trips with me because of this, but I know they'd just love it if I could get them out there. Do any of you travel with pets that have motion sickness issues? Is there anything that helps?

Also, here is the dog tax before anyone asks.View attachment 154712

Question:

Are they related out of the same stud or dame (vernacular-soft), as growing up we had 2 females (mom/daughter-poodles) that ALWAYS got motion sickness, and the brother sometimes did also. Otherwise our family (mom/sister/me) have been blessed with other dogs over the years which loved going for rides, and never had a problem over a bumpy road or not. The phenomenon seems to be hit or miss, or in our case was genetic it seems. In the years after them, the German Short-hair Pointer(GSP) x2, Doberman x2, Britney Spaniel x1, and my now current dog a Belgian Melenois, have never been road sensitive.

Planning all those years ago helped mitigate the symptoms by withholding food and drink from the poodles, and if longer trips had to be done a little Dramamine from a tablet broken off.

PS: Even that did not always work out.

No, the one that’s okay in the car is 16 and the one who gets sick is 1. On my next trip, I’ll try giving him a Dramamine and limiting his food before the ride, and I’ll see how that goes.

 

[Glenlivet]

Ginger is a natural anti nauseant. One of my goldens gets carsick. A medium size ginger snap - the real type with actual ginger in them - thirty minutes before a ride solved the problem

Pete

 

[phxdsrtrat]

My dog used to always get car sick and throw up when we went camping. I decided to start taking her hiking with me here locally. Short drive, about 20 minutes. I noticed with each trip she got better and better. She would start drooling a lot before throwing up. Eventually (maybe 15 to 20 trips) she stopped throwing up. After about 30 trips she stopped drooling. The last couple years she's endured the entire camping trip drive (sometimes as long as 4 hours between stops) like a champ. So, my suggestion. start doing short drives and increasing the time.

-Curtiss

 

[ThundahBeagle]

My Beagle is in a Kurgo Tru Fit harness attached at the seatbelt in the back seat of my Sierra. He is fine at first, as long as he can stick his head out the window or put his front paws on the center console to see out the windshield. He gets antsy when we are stopped at a red light or slowed down in traffic -and I agree with him there. When we get close to where we are going, he yelps and bounces around the back seat like crazy, because he knows we are at the woods or wherever. But in between, like when we are on the highway going too fast for his face to be out the window, he just sits in a trance drooling or curls up in a ball lying down.