Car sickness

[zok]

Hello everyone!

Our puppy Piper becomes car sick every time she is taken someplace in a vehicle. Initially, she would throw up on the way home from where ever we had been (say after 25 to 30 minutes in the car), but recently, she has thrown up on the way TO where ever we are going (say after 15 minutes) AND on the way home (after 15 minutes).

Piper is terrified of automobiles and shakes and sticks out her little legs to try to keep herself out of the car when we try to put her in. We have been working on acclimating her to being in the car by lowering 1/2 of the back seat (we have a station wagon) and then sitting in the other seat while the car is in the driveway (without going anywhere or even turning the car on). This seemed to be working 'in theory' (meaning that she didn't freak out when getting into the car and didn't throw up once inside) but once the car is started she loses her cookies.

Another thing to note: she drools ridiculous amounts when we are going someplace in the car ... and I mean RIDICULOUS amounts. Enormous puddles of drool (sorry for the visual :) )

We're working on taking short trips with her (5 minute drives around the neighborhood) but is there anything else that we can do?

Any advice would really be appreciated!!

(BTW: We're considering taking vacation in a cottage about 12 hours away (a place that allows dogs) but we're concerned about what the trip will do to her. Also, we want to be able to take her to puppy training classes, the vet, and pet supply stores without her throwing up.)

[Maisy Moon]

My wagon has a constant smell of Fabreze, Lysol, all sorts of air freshners mixed in with the unmistakable smell of thrown up kibbles.


I played with my puppy in the car while stationary (hence the chewed up head rest). Then with the motor on (watch where the exhaust is going) followed by short trips to the park. Got it to the point where a ride meant we were going somewhere fun. Now she is in the car any time the door is open.

[Amber]

There are also hollistic things you can give your dog.

http://www.kvvet.com/KVVet/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=8 51&gift=False&0=dept%2Easp%2Cdept% 5Fid%3D198%26Tree%3D %2CComplete%20Catalo g&1=dept%2Easp%2Cdept% 5Fid%3D123%26Tree%3D 0%2CPet&2=dept%2Easp%2Cdept% 5Fid%3D936%26menu%5F id%3D%26Tree%3D1%2CV itamins%20%26%20Nutr ition&3=dept%2Easp%2Cdept% 5Fid%3D185%26menu%5F id%3D%26Tree%3D2%2CS upplements%20for%20D ogs&mscssid=9AFBCD68D3F2 4C44A85428B2C2A2D325

Another way to get to it is: Go to www.kvvet.com, to to Pet, Vitamins and Minerals, Supplements for Dogs, then Homeopathics. There is also another category of Calming drops and such that aren't listed under Homeopathics for some reason.

[Kara Steinhauer]

I had the problem with drooling when I first got my dog. It was an hour drive home from where I got him and my friend's clothes were soaked by the time we got home. He quit once he started getting used to being in the car. I think with him it was just from being nervous. Now it's only the occasional time that he drools in the car and it's not nearly as bad as it was when i first got him. It might be the same thing with your dog. One thing I did that helped so there wasn't such a big mess was buying a pack of housetraining pads and just putting one or two on the seat where he would be. It helped to keep the seats dry and then they could be thrown out after I got back home.

[zok]

Thank you all for your advice!! :)

We're continuing to hang out in the car without it running and so forth. I just hope that it works!

We'll also be looking into some holistic anti-nausea treatments.

Kara, thanks for the tip about the potty pads for drooling ... I think that just might do the trick. Piper went through a STACK of napkins during her last trip to the vet ... and still managed to get everything and everyone around her soaking wet ... so something that can really absorb the fluid should really help.

Thanks again!

zok

[Chris Smith]

Here's one more suggestion - put a crate in the car for her. Nalu used to have a really hard time in the car when I first got him. Aside from the panting, crying, pacing, etc., he would ALWAYS jump into my lap no matter where I put him in the car. The only way we could get through the ride was for me to hold him since he would calm down a little. Well, besides the obvious dangers to driving, he also started growing and there was no way I could hold a dog in my lap and drive.

Nalu is not crate trained and won't go in one. But I stuck his crate in the back of my SUV with the door off of it just as an attempt to find some way to safely take him in the car. Nalu went right in on his own and laid down. He was immediately calmer. Now I always have the crate in the car for him. Often he even falls asleep in it. And it is a lot safer.