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Car Sickness

Discussion in 'Puppies 101' started by SRW, Oct 9, 2018.

  1. SRW

    SRW Forums Enthusiast

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    Devon has thrown up in the car two days in a row now, both times on the way home (once from the car wash and today from the vet). Before, he never had any problems and had been in the car at least a half dozen times, although it's been about three weeks since he was last in the car. He was four months old yesterday.

    Is this a puppy stage thing that they grow out of, or am I looking at a potential lifelong problem? I go to Florida every winter and that involves an 18 hour drive each way, which is why I ask. My previous Sheltie, Baron, never had any issues in the car.
     
  2. corbinam

    corbinam Moderator

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    Both of my youngest dogs get carsick. I use the present-tense because while they don't throw up anymore (grew out of it around 5-6 months), I can tell they don't feel great and they don't love riding in the car. I think it is the age.
     
  3. SRW

    SRW Forums Enthusiast

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    How old are they now?
     
  4. ghggp

    ghggp Moderator

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    My Baron, who I got at Five years old also had this problem. Oddly enough, it only happened when the car was warm.

    Forgive me if you have already answered these questions...

    Does this happen to your pup if he is in a crate in the car? Maybe the motion he sees and feels is causing it and a crate can be helpful limiting his vision.

    Or...

    If he is in a crate and does throw up maybe being in a crate is too claustrophobic for him?

    My sisters little Sheltie Jasmine also had this issue. She was a rescue and also five. We did short rides for weeks on end!!! I mean like around the block only. We worked up to ten minutes and then 1/2 hour. We did that for three months and she never had that problem again. She was not crated but just in the front seat.

    Thank goodness my puppy Liam does not have this problem. He just whines insensately!
     
  5. ghggp

    ghggp Moderator

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    310567C4-3B77-4443-B446-FF86A58E35CF.jpeg You might also try: Zen Pet
    My Laddie was nervous and this helped to calm him. Don’t know if that is your pups issue but I thought I would suggest it.
     
  6. Chris

    Chris Premium Member

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    We use Rescue Remedy. Ginger works well, too (cookies or digestives).
     
  7. corbinam

    corbinam Moderator

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    Enzo is now 4 and Elise is 8 months.
     
  8. SRW

    SRW Forums Enthusiast

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    I have Devon clipped to the engaged front seat belt by his harness. He's not in a crate. When he was younger I had him in a carrier and he whined and cried incessantly. Once he got too big for the carrier I tried clipping him to the seat and he quit whining and just settled down. This worked several times from about 6 to 3 weeks ago. He hadn't been in the car again until Monday when he thew up, and again yesterday when he threw up again. He doesn't act upset, and actually as soon as I put him in the car he just lays on the seat pretty calm. The car was cool as it's been unseasonably hot here for October and I had the A/C on both times. Also, both times he didn't get sick until we were almost home, which meant he was in the car for a total of about 60 minutes, with a 20 minute or so break out of the car at our destinations (the car wash and the vet). Now, I will say that the first and last part of the trip involves hills and curves as I live in the hills overlooking the Ohio River southeast of Cincinnati, which means that the roads for the first several miles from my house are hilly and curvy. He's thrown up both times when I'm on those roads on the way home, but the funny thing is it doesn't appear to bother him on the way out. Yesterday I tried to minimize the movement of the car on the way home by going slower once I got to the hilly part and cutting some of the corners on the curves I could see around, but he still threw up.
     
  9. ghggp

    ghggp Moderator

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    Sounds like motion sickness.
    Can you withhold food and see if that helps? Just curious if it would be different on a full tummy or not.
     
  10. SRW

    SRW Forums Enthusiast

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    I was wondering the same thing. He goes to his first puppy training class tonight and I haven't fed him since 10am., so I will find out soon if that's the case.
     

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