# Advice for a car sick pup please!!



## jim n (Nov 12, 2005)

I never had a dog that got car sick. The rescue people should have some advice for you. My guess would be not to travel with him/her on a full stomach.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Make sure they haven't fed him before you pick him up, if at all possible.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Air helped Samson. We just kept the window open some.

We are in the process of getting him more comfortable with riding with us....but he still seems nervous everytime we first get in....


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## Brinkleysmom (Dec 17, 2005)

*I rescued Brinkley from a pet store. She too originally was car sick. What I did which was recommended by my vet, was to do just what you are doing. Do short drives and frequent stops and keep the window open that she can get some air. Not so much she can hang her head out of. The other alternative which you only like to do as a last resort is to get a tranquilizer from your vet; but they hate doing that in a puppy so young. Good luck and congrats.*


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## Dilligas (Jun 17, 2005)

A book I have recommended this:

Basically do what you're saying and introduce your dog to the car, showing him it's a good thing. But they advise doing it wayyyy slower. Start by feeding your dog next to the car, then in the car, then in the car with it running. After that, get in the car and drive out of the driveway. Stop and feed him, in the car. Continue to drives around the block and onward and upward.

Of course, this happens over a loooong timespan -- a couple months, maybe.

Good luck!


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

RickGibbs said:


> We are in the process of getting him more comfortable with riding with us....but he still seems nervous every time we first get in....


So it's been three months since we did this thread, and I just wanted to update everyone on Samson and cars.

He now LOVES to go for rides. He wants to go every time we walk out the front door now, unless he's wearing his leash. He jumps right in and lays down in the back seat.

I take him every time I go to the store, and he lays patiently in the back seat until I come out of the store. We have the remote door unlock, so as I near the car, I can unlock the door and the light comes on. Immediately, his head pops up and he looks for me coming to the car.

Not bad, considering how much he hated the car in the beginning.


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## PeggyK (Apr 16, 2005)

My Oakley would get carsick EVERY time-in his case he would get the runs AND throw up!!! I walked him before getting in the car, didn't feed him, etc. and NOTHING worked. The cleanup was just AWFUL!!!! One time he lay down in it and when I tried to get him out of the back of the station wagon it got all over me-I started to cry-I was so sure he would never get over it. But, like so many other things with puppies he outgrew it and he just made the 1200 mi trip to Florida with us and was wonderful. Hang in there-this too shall pass.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

It's been my experience that they usually grow out of it. Some have suggested that ginger snaps calm the motion sickness. It does seem to work. I think the cookies take their mind off of their stomach! Glad he's over it!


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## LauraEyes2 (Sep 16, 2005)

Vinny still gets carsick at 9 mos old, but i feel he's getting a little better, but i'll have to let you know further after i make the 100 mile trip to my parents' house today. 

I've been recommended to put them in a crate while traveling, supposedly this creates a more secure feeling. Unfortunately i drive a 2 door coupe and a crate just wouldn't fit in the seat with me still able to see out the back window.

My best suggestions are as such:
Cover your back seat (or whereever the pup will be traveling) with something that is easy to clean, and water resistant. (tarp, vinyl tablecloth etc.--I have a "pet hammock" which works awesome)

No food before the trip. Just gonna make more for your to clean up afterwards.

Try to exercise him before the trip, sometimes that takes the edge off it

If you can, ride with the windows down so fresh air can come in. Of course this depends on the weather and if you're driving on the interstate, sometimes it's just not reasonable. 

Good luck and i'll keep my fingers crossed for both of us that they grow out of it. For vinny it's actually not even motion sickness. He actually starts to salivate when he sees me putting the seat cover on the back seat for him. Poor little guy gets so nervous, even when we go to fun places like the park!

Laura


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Rick, it's always such a pleasure to hear when they outgrow bad things!! Glad he loves his rides now.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

LauraEyes2 said:


> Good luck and i'll keep my fingers crossed for both of us that they grow out of it. For vinny it's actually not even motion sickness. He actually starts to salivate when he sees me putting the seat cover on the back seat for him. Poor little guy gets so nervous, even when we go to fun places like the park!
> Laura


Maybe you should try putting Vinny in the car for a few minutes, and don't go anywhere. Doing it a couple times a day (take a short drive occasionally) may help him get over the nervousness. My Keira did the same thing for the longest time. We took her on vacation once, and spent 12 hours in the car. She was over it after that.


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## dionne (Dec 28, 2005)

HI, Max still gets car sick but is getting better. We have been doing the short journeys with him and he no longer fears getting in the car (initially we had to lift him in!!). Long journeys are not too bad if it is straight roads. My advice is plenty of newpaper on the floor !!!. Good luck.


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## PeggyK (Apr 16, 2005)

My daughter buys flannel-backed tablecloths at the dollar store and lines the floor of her Suburban-if her dogs get sick-she justs folds it up and throws it away. Cheap and easy-too bad I didn't think of it 9 yrs ago with Oakley!!!!!!


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## PoconoPup (Jul 15, 2005)

We just got home from our first trip, this spring, to our lake house in PA. Poor Dakota (now 10mos.) was sick the entire trip up on Friday nite. He threw up 3 or 4 times. He always got sick on our trips last summer and fall, but I thought he might be better at traveling as he got older. Worried that he would get sick, I did not feed him before we left, I kept the windows down a bit and gave him the entire back seat of the pick-up--but he still got sick. My other Goldens never got car sick--so this is something new to me. I travel back and forth to PA often, so if anyone else has any other suggestions I would really appreciate it.......the trip back home to L.I. wasn't much better!!!! Maybe the vet could suggest something????


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## GOODTIMN (May 30, 2005)

I have found that many of my pups/dogs that get car sick sometimes is caused by the ""COLOR"" of the interior--such as black interior has made many of my dogs sick, and by putting these pups/dogs into a lighter color interior has not made them sick.....

Also many of my pups/dogs have gotten sick by the rear movement of the vechicle, so when putting them in the front seat has stopped the car sickness..... 

These are just a couple of ways I have found to solve the car sickeness of pups/dogs.....


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