# car sickness



## Kati (Feb 20, 2010)

Javy is 5 1/2 months old. So far he has been to my families home in NC (7 hours away), the beach (6 hours away) and taken several shorter trips. Each time he seems to get more upset to the point of throwing up. This weekend we visited our son and his wife (two hours away). As soon as we got in the car he started panting and shaking and got sick. Once we got there he played and had a wonderful time. When we got in the car it all started again. I had the good sense not to feed him so he didn't get sick but panted and shook for the first hour. He finally settled down and slept during the last hour. Has anyone had this experience? How did you solve the problem? We are starting puppy classes next month in Chattanooga which is about 40 miles away. I want him to have fun and arrive at the class happy and not sick. Any help would be appreciated.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

There have been several threads about this over the years. Here's one.
http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=11221&highlight=car+sickness

I know people have talked about rescue remedy. I haven't tried it myself. It's so sad when the little ones get so frightened of the car ride. Mine don't love it but they seem to settle down after awhile in their lookout seats. I must admit I've had more than one throw up though.

I hope you find a solution that works well for you.


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## Cassie's Mom (Jul 25, 2010)

My Cassie has had problems with car sickness since the day we purchased her at age 4 mos. She had both anxiety and motion sickness. I have been fairly successful in treating the anxiety by taking her in the car for very short times once or twice each day. Her training was 80 miles away, so I would be careful not to feed her for at least two hours before leaving and also stop once or twice along the way and let her out for short walks. This worked for the most part, but we still have occasional problems depending on the situation. I found that she does better in her crate in the back seat. If she sits in a seat where she can look out a window she is almost immediately sick. I am now giving her Chlorpheniramine for allergies and that is also supposed to have a strong anti-nausea side effect for treating motion sickness. I haven't tried traveling with her right after eating since she has been on this medicine. I give her 1/2 of a 4mg tablet twice a day. She is 7.5 pounds.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I am taking Rosie to Nashville this week. Another poster told me to try Bonine. I plan to get it tomorrow and then just put down a plastic table cloth and lots of paper towels. surely she won't puke all the way to Nashville. She has to get over this. I promised hubby that when the children left home, I would keep a toothbrush and panties in my purse and go when ever he did. Well for the last year with Rosie, we have not traveled together except in an emergency. He has started to complain, so Rosie will just have to get over it. (WITH MY LUCK WE WILL BE IN A VETS OFFICE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PARIS AND NASHVILLE WITH A VERY SICK DOG).


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Luciledodd said:


> I am taking Rosie to Nashville this week. Another poster told me to try Bonine. I plan to get it tomorrow and then just put down a plastic table cloth and lots of paper towels. surely she won't puke all the way to Nashville. She has to get over this. I promised hubby that when the children left home, *I would keep a toothbrush and panties in my purse* and go when ever he did. Well for the last year with Rosie, we have not traveled together except in an emergency. He has started to complain, so Rosie will just have to get over it. (WITH MY LUCK WE WILL BE IN A VETS OFFICE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PARIS AND NASHVILLE WITH A VERY SICK DOG).


Let me preface this with the fact that I have a warped sense of humor. You know how parents often told their children to wear clean underwear in case they were ever in an accident . . . what would someone think if they had to open that purse. ound:


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## Melissa Miller (Aug 2, 2006)

I have mucho experience with this. My stogie used to get SO SICK. 

What happens is they get sick then they know they are getting back in the car, so they have anxiety. Panting.. shaking.. etc. 

Stoige would drool all over himself so much he would be SOAKING WET. 

I tried all the natural stuff, but Bonine worked for me. And it does get better with age. Still once in a blue moon he will get sick, but it might be part of my eratic driving. I cant spell eratic.

I would give half of a bonine if the pup is small. I also keep my dogs in crates in the car. One it is safer, but two they dont bounce around as much. Also, Stogie likes to be up high so he can see out, that might help. I have a shelf built in the back of my denali that crates sit on so they can see out the back. Then I can store stuff underneath.


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Gryff used to get car sick all the time, now it's only some times. I don't know what triggers it. I have a harness with a loop that the seat belt fits through. I use that and put him on a towel so he can't slide around. He will usually lay down and sleep. Definitely don't let him look out the window!


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## Lola (Mar 22, 2007)

I have tried everything. Lola does the best on long trips if I can hold her on my lap.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

For PJewel: I have a warped sense of humor also. I read your post last night and went to be laughing. But to answer your question, someone would probably think that this old woman was delusional.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Katrina you are not alone.

Galen was sick by the time the wheels turned over twice. It didn’t matter whether she was in a crate or on a seat. One instructor suggested ginger snap cookies starting 2 hours before the trip. Ginger is supposed to smooth the stomach. She just threw up the cookies.

I used a ¼ of a teaspoon of Emitrol (sp) a couple of times and it helped. We have been going to the park and/or classes just about every day for the last year and she has finally stopped any signs of being car sick. Up until last week I had to catch her to put her in the car. On Friday I opened the tail gate for Smarty and up came Galen.


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

MacGyver has this problem on longer trips. We've been giving him Barkwheats Ginger and Parsley biscuits before these trips, and it seems to work for him.


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## Kati (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks for the help. What is Bonine? Does it make them sleepy? I think I'll start some really short trips to see if that helps. I've been really looking forward to puppy classes. I don't want to arrive with a sick dog and shattered nerves. That will spoil the fun for sure.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Oliver used to get carsick but his best friend (and littermate) loves car rides. We took both dogs on fun short rides and soon there were 2 havs that like car rides.
Hope that will work for you too!


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Kati said:


> Thanks for the help. What is Bonine? Does it make them sleepy? I think I'll start some really short trips to see if that helps. I've been really looking forward to puppy classes. I don't want to arrive with a sick dog and shattered nerves. That will spoil the fun for sure.


Until the car sickness is under control leave an hour early for class. I didn't for the first couple of Galen's classes and she was not herself at all. Getting there early gave her time to get over the ride and enjoy the class. Most of the meds will make them sleepy so check them out for short trips.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Abby only threw up once but she would pant & shake the entire time. I have used Rescue Remedy and thought there might be a slight improvement but I think the only thing that has helped her is time. She is three now and actually jumps into the car now. I don't know if she will ever love it but at least we get where we're going now without incident!

Good luck and if I were you I would try the Bonine - wish I had known about that before!


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## DorothyS (Aug 11, 2009)

Both our guys got carsick and hated the car as younger puppies. Our solution was to start taking them on very short rides, just backing out of the driveway and back. Then out of the car and a treat. After a number of repetitions and a few days later it was to the end of the block, then treat and fun walk. A week or so later, a bit longer to our local park. The point is that you make sure you always have success and that they get a nice treat and fun time at the end of the ride. Gradually increase the distance you travel if the dog seems to be OK and not panting, getting sick etc.

Our dogs (they are about 17 months now) will still occasionally get sick at the end of a long car ride, but are much calmer about the whole experience. Pixie in particular seems to now be enjoying the car rides. We're hoping with age and experience, they will become car "pros."


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Rosie goes the 2.1 miles to work every day with no problem. We can make the 3 miles to the vet now. Yesterday on the way home I decided to go past my house and around a leg of the bypass. At 5 miles she began to whimper, I started talking to her. It was a total of 7 miles and the whimpering went on for the last two miles. But we made it in the driveway and no puke. We will try the whole way around Paris this afternoon. I dread the trip to Nashville.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Lucile, let us know how that trip goes! Are you still planning to give her the Bonine? Is it the kind for people, too? What is the dosage for dogs?


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

No I am giving her something the Vet prescribed. Arepromazine 10MG 1/2 tablet 1 hour before traveling. He said that it would give me at least 4 hours. Supposedly she will sleep. I just can't take a chance on her puking all the way to Nashville and getting dehydrated or worse. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.


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