# Car Anxiety



## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the behavioral area, so it can be moved if necessary.

When I first got Ella, starting from her very first car ride, she got car sick. Panting, drooling, throwing up, crying. The crying didn't last long but the other symptoms did. I took her on plenty of short rides, all less than 10 minutes, and they were always good experiences. She even loved/loves going to the vet's office. Other than one trip in the fall, her longest car rides until the summer were to a class 45 minutes away and one hiking trip about a half an hour away.

At some point it went from car sickness to anxiety. She sits and pants the whole time in the car. Even if the car hasn't even exited the driveway yet she starts panting and drooling. It became even worse this summer when we went 3 hours to and from the family cottage on the lake a few times. After the first of these trips I asked the vet while I was in there. Vet prescribed trazodone for the long trips. Started out with a small dosage, helped the panting and drooling but you could still tell Ella was very anxious, unable to settle down or relax at all. Tried upping the dose (per the vet) and it didn't really make too much of a difference from the first try. But I didn't like it's effect on Ella. She looked drugged and even though she still didn't settle in the car, it essentially knocked her out for the rest of the day when we arrived at our destination.

Anybody have any suggestions on how I can work with her on this? She won't take any food or chew toys or stuffed Kongs in the car. Completely ignores them. I tried the thundershirt but I didn't see any real significant difference. Still do lots of 5-10 minute rides to places she enjoys. 

I just want to be able to take her places without stressing over getting there. And I'm sure my stress over her doesn't help her either.

Thanks in advance.

Katie & Ella


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## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

Is she loose in the car, crated or harnessed? Does how and where she travels make a difference in her behavior?


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I have this problem with Beamer as well. He pants excessively, paces, and cannot settle down in my car. And I don't have a clue why. The only thing I've found that helps is having him in a crate when he rides. This really isn't feasible anymore with two dogs in my small little VW Rabbit, so I just deal with it on short rides around town. When I drive home (14 hours) he gets drugged with Benadryl which will knock him out. I've never requested anything from the vet to calm him down since Benadryl seems to help at this point (though it still takes a bit to take effect). He also does much better if we are traveling on a highway rather than going through town with stoplights (aka stop and go traffic).


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

I fought nausea/anxiety with Col for more than a year. She managed to drool up a towel and get sick in the crate for a less than 10 minutes ride. I was flabbergasted because as an 11 week old pup she rode more than 3 hours to get home without a problem. 

We were caught in a chicken or egg situation : was the anxiety causing the nausea or the nausea causing the anxiety and everytime she was sick in the car, I knew that it would result in more anxiety the next time she had to go in it (which was every week for class). 

What works for us now in combination : 

no food at least 3 hours before a car ride 
one Ginger Root capsule ( Natural Whole Herb Spring Valley Ginger Root Supplements - Walmart.com) & 2 TranQuil tabs ([ame]http://www.amazon.com/TranQuil-Tabs-Dogs-60-Tablets/dp/B000LO2XIM)[/ame]) 30 to 45 minutes before getting in the car
having the crate facing in the driving direction
a distraction for the first few minutes of the ride (hollow bone smeared with peanut butter one way and smallish twirly bully stick for the ride back)
do regular "let's go in the car & crate to get treats" one minute sessions when going or coming back from a walk

We can now go to class every week (15 minutes ride) and to farther places without her getting sick. However, as I discovered last weekend after getting lost on the way to a play date, several turns in a row at low speed still make her sick while driving at medium speed continuously does not. She was born for highway driving, lol.

We will never be a spur of the moment "let's take Col somewhere" family because I still need to plan for each trip and have clean up supplies in the car at all times but it is much better than before.


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

She either rides loose or in a harness. Crate doesn't fit. I'm pretty sure that it started as the car sickness causing anxiety and it at sometime switched to anxiety causing the car sickness. If she has the anxiety pill by itself she doesn't have the panting and drooling or it's at least greatly reduced. If she has something for nausea but nothing for anxiety it doesn't help the painting and drooling at all. Glad I'm not the only going through this.


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## GoldenTucker (Jun 27, 2012)

when tucker was little like, 8 weeks, until the was about a year we battled car sickness and anxiety. it sounds similar to your dog, as the sickness turned to a mental order. he started to gag and throw up on the WAY to the car.. he knew what was coming. i found out early on (from a friend of mine who gave Dingo brand rawhide bones to her golden) that tucker LOVED those dingo bones. so i started a trick where he could on have the dingo bone if i got into the car. we never started to car or moved in it until he was calm. so i would get out his dingo bone, he'd go nuts for it, we'd walk to the car, and id set it in the backseat for him. he had to finish the bone in the backseat. we gradually moved from just eating in the car, to starting the car, and the taking drives in the car. it was successful and eventually he'd see his dingo bone and sprint to the car as fast as possible to get inside very excitedly.

hope that story will help you guys a bit!


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## Flynn'sMommy (Apr 7, 2014)

I struggle with the same thing! Flynn used to regularly throw up any time we were in the car for more than 45 min or so. I thought he must have grew out of it cuz we drove to CO the end of June (18 hrs split over 2 days) and then up into the mountains with several hours sight seeing in the car every day. These were very curvy roads and lots of altitude change and he was perfectly fine no drooling or distress at all! I drove about 1.5 hrs to the cabin last month and he had some drool but he wasn't soaked or anything. He doesn't exactly get excited when we go out to the car but will jump in without too much cajoling. This weekend we went back to the cabin in my new SUV I got and he threw up  I am now thinking that he did fine in CO because I was in the backseat with him and that it is all anxiety related now. I haven't tried any anti anxiety tricks but it's next on my list! Sorry I don't have any advice for you but thanks for posting I am hoping some of the suggestions you get might work for us as well! Here is Flynn hanging out in the new car aka the Flynnmobile.


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## megacabby (May 7, 2014)

*Less stress, anxiety and car sickness EQUALS sleep after a good workout with the pup*

From PICK UP at Goldenfield's Kennel in Dundalk, Ontario (2 hours)

At a couple of days shy of 8 weeks, our little guy was patted to sleep stretched out on the rear flat floor of our pick up truck. Although Nimbus woke up twice during the ride back, he enjoyed the patting and continued his sleep.

From the border of NW Stoufville, Ontario to Kingston (3 hours)

As of the 10th week, Nimbus got the front seat of our SUV cuddled in a blanket after a good workout running around home and began his co-pilot career (sleeping) for the trip to Kingston, Ontario.

The return trip took close to 4 hours due to long weekend traffic coming home in the truck while stretched out on the back floor; sleeping most of the way back after a good workout at the campground in Kingston.

In summary and to have less stress, anxiety and car sickness, the best may be to tire the pup down prior to travel. :wavey:


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

megacabby said:


> From PICK UP at Goldenfield's Kennel in Dundalk, Ontario (2 hours)
> 
> At a couple of days shy of 8 weeks, our little guy was patted to sleep stretched out on the rear flat floor of our pick up truck. Although Nimbus woke up twice during the ride back, he enjoyed the patting and continued his sleep.
> 
> ...


I've tried wearing her out. Unfortunately did not make a difference with her. Good thought though.


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## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

Our Bella was anxious in the car at first also.
The day we brought her home, (20 minute car ride) she threw up on me. (She was 10 weeks old on my lap)
The next weekend we drove to see our kids with her, she threw up at one hour , on a 1.25 hr car ride.
Gradually she has gotten accustomed. 
The vet suggested a children's Benadryl, which we did try a couple of times.(did work but made her sleepy).
A thunder jacket was also suggested, but he didn't go that route.
We got her a car harness to secure her on the back seat.
She's been OK ever since we attached her harness to the seat belt.
We also have a large cushion on the seat for her to lay on.

Mike D


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Not trying to be a wisecracker but perhaps Ella's anxiety is caused by her anticipating you leaving her alone in the running car.


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Tennyson said:


> Not trying to be a wisecracker but perhaps Ella's anxiety is caused by her anticipating you leaving her alone in the running car.


I don't see why that would cause her to be anxious because I can't say I normally leave her in the car, running it not. The only time she's been in on her own more than the amount of time it takes for me to walk around the car and get in was when I had no choice while traveling on vacation, which was only a few minutes one time for one trip. If I'm not in the car I'm standing right there next to her with the window open. She was anxious before this.

Btw not taking it as being a wisecracker. Just trying to get this figured out to help her.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Maybe Ella doesn't like Fords?


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## floridakelsie (Sep 18, 2013)

*long car rides and anxiety.*



ktkins7 said:


> Wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the behavioral area, so it can be moved if necessary.
> 
> When I first got Ella, starting from her very first car ride, she got car sick. Panting, drooling, throwing up, crying. The crying didn't last long but the other symptoms did. I took her on plenty of short rides, all less than 10 minutes, and they were always good experiences. She even loved/loves going to the vet's office. Other than one trip in the fall, her longest car rides until the summer were to a class 45 minutes away and one hiking trip about a half an hour away.
> 
> ...


HI Katie,
Just saw your post from over a year ago, our pup, Kelsey is a little over two as well, We travel frequently, 4 or 5 trips per year to NC from FL, over 12 hour car ride. Kelsey still pants and drools the entire trip, we have tried antihistamines with no luck at all. She just sits there and pants as we leave the driveway and doesn't stop till we arrive in the mountains. We make stops every 2 hours and she gets to walk and smell.. She sleeps the entire day after we arrive. As a little pup, I tried to hold her in my arms or lie her by my side, but even then she would scratch and want to get out. She has ample space on the back seat and we finally installed a screen so she could not climb into the front and disturb the driver. I look forward with dread to the next trip in a week. Sure would appreciate any input from fellow golden lovers.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

Is she traveling on an empty stomach? I had a foster puppy who would ride fine in the car unless he had been fed prior. Then he'd throw up, re-ingest, repeat.


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

Have you tried the Thunder Shirt? I have an old golden who has this unexplained anxiety at night when we sit to watch tv. We now put the thunder shirt on and voila, no panting! Or you might try giving one regular Dramamine about 30 mins before getting in the car. We give Amber one if we are heading out to the beach which is a bit over 1 hour drive.


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## kellyguy (Mar 5, 2014)

My bridge boy Buddy suffered from car ride anxiety. We eventually managed to get him to be less anxious and even calm enough to stretch out and sleep in the back seat but it took a lot of training.

Other goldens I've had, including Duffy seemed to love riding in the car. In fact, Duffy wants to jump in the car every time we walk past it. I think early socialization by the breeder piling the whole litter into the car and having fun makes a huge difference. 

I make a point of taking Duffy with me every possible time I can, but not if there is a possibility that I have to leave him in the car alone. We make fun trips to the vets on Saturday mornings just to use the scale and so the vet techs can fuss over him.


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## floridakelsie (Sep 18, 2013)

Happy said:


> Have you tried the Thunder Shirt? I have an old golden who has this unexplained anxiety at night when we sit to watch tv. We now put the thunder shirt on and voila, no panting! Or you might try giving one regular Dramamine about 30 mins before getting in the car. We give Amber one if we are heading out to the beach which is a bit over 1 hour drive.


 
Thanks so much for the idea. We'll get a thunder shirt and give it a try. It worked for storms with one of my grand-dogs!


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## DogOwner (Jul 30, 2015)

Welcome to my world!
Rescue Remedy for Dogs? Did anyone try this?


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

ktkins7 said:


> I don't see why that would cause her to be anxious because I can't say I normally leave her in the car, running it not. The only time she's been in on her own more than the amount of time it takes for me to walk around the car and get in was when I had no choice while traveling on vacation, which was only a few minutes one time for one trip. If I'm not in the car I'm standing right there next to her with the window open. She was anxious before this.
> 
> Btw not taking it as being a wisecracker. Just trying to get this figured out to help her.


Was thinking about Ella and cars. Is it only your car? You do have a modern day muscle car and it is kind of loud inside and outside. My bridge boy Mick would get anxious in my classic 72 Volvo P1800E. It was a 4 speed with overdrive and it sounds like an older sports car. It wasn't the shifting but the dual exhaust that he had a problem with. Maybe your car is to loud for Ella. 
It was very low to the ground also.
Just a thought.


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